Michael Chapman (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
Michael Chapman is an American
lawyer, and former senior officer, in the United States Army
's Judge Advocate General
corps, who was appointed the legal adviser to the Office of Military Commissions, in Guantanamo on September 19, 2008.
Accorinding to the official press release that announced his appointment his previous appointments included being:
Sergeant Kreutzer had been convicted of opening fire on his comrades at Fort Bragg
, killing one, and injuring seventeen.
Two of the officers who have presided over Omar Khadr
's Guantanamo Military Commissions, Peter Brownback
and Patrick Parrish
, presided over Sergeant Kreutzer's Court Martial.
s, appointing the officers who judge, prosecute and defend the captives who are charged, as well as authorizing the final approval of those charges. The Office is headed by a civilian official called the "Appointing Authority", currently Susan J. Crawford
.
The Appointing Authority's deputy is called the Advisor to the appointing authority.
In April 2005 Chapman was appointed deputy legal advisor, number three in the hierarchy.
Thomas W. Hartmann
.
Hartmann and former Chief Prosecutor Colonel
Morris Davis
had an acrimonious relationship.
Davis had publicly aired his concerns that Hartmann had become too involved in managing the prosecution, including picking which captives should be prosecuted.
Davis felt picking the captives to be charged was his job, and pointed out that Hartmann's role required him to be impartial, because he was also supposed to advise the Appointing Authority about the functioning of the Defense team.
While DoD authorities were conducting their inquiry into Morris's concerns Crawford directed that both Hartmann, and Chapman, his deputy, were temporarily removed from their responsibilities. A more junior official Ron White, was to take on the responsibilities of both men.
According to the Washington Post Morris Davis was critical of Hartmann and Chapman's new appointments, and noted:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, and former senior officer, in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Judge Advocate General
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
corps, who was appointed the legal adviser to the Office of Military Commissions, in Guantanamo on September 19, 2008.
Accorinding to the official press release that announced his appointment his previous appointments included being:
- senior judge for the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals;
- deputy commandant and director of academics at the Army's JAG school in Charlottesville, Virginia;
- senior military defense counsel during Operation Desert Storm.
William J. Kreutzer Jr.
Chapman sat on the appeal of William J. Kreutzer Jr.'s murder conviction when he was the Army's senior appeal judge.Sergeant Kreutzer had been convicted of opening fire on his comrades at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, killing one, and injuring seventeen.
Two of the officers who have presided over Omar Khadr
Omar Khadr
Omar Ahmed Khadr is a Canadian child soldier and one of the juveniles held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He was convicted of five charges under the United States Military Commissions Act of 2009 including murder in violation of the law of war and providing material support for terrorism,...
's Guantanamo Military Commissions, Peter Brownback
Peter Brownback
Peter E. Brownback III is a retired military officer and lawyer.He was appointed to be a Presiding Officer on the Guantanamo military commissions, by retired general John D. Altenburg....
and Patrick Parrish
Patrick Parrish
Patrick Parrish is an officer in the United States Army.-Case of William J. Kreutzer Jr:ColonelParrish presided over the case of Sergeant William J...
, presided over Sergeant Kreutzer's Court Martial.
Service for the Office of Military Commissions, in Guantanamo
The Office of Military Commissions manages the Guantanamo military commissionGuantanamo military commission
The Guantanamo military commissions are military tribunals created by the Military Commissions Act of 2006 for prosecuting detainees held in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps.- History :...
s, appointing the officers who judge, prosecute and defend the captives who are charged, as well as authorizing the final approval of those charges. The Office is headed by a civilian official called the "Appointing Authority", currently Susan J. Crawford
Susan J. Crawford
Susan J. Crawford is an US lawyer, who was appointed the Convening Authority for the Guantanamo military commissions, on February 7, 2007.Secretary of Defense Robert Gates appointed Crawford to replace John D...
.
The Appointing Authority's deputy is called the Advisor to the appointing authority.
In April 2005 Chapman was appointed deputy legal advisor, number three in the hierarchy.
Temporary suspension
In July 2007 a new legal advisor was appointed, Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Thomas W. Hartmann
Thomas W. Hartmann
Thomas W. Hartmann is an American lawyer and officer in the United States Air Force Reserve. He has 32 years of criminal, commercial and civil litigation experience. Between 1983 and 1991 he was a prosecutor and defense counsel in the Air Force, including duties as Chief Air Force Prosecutor in...
.
Hartmann and former Chief Prosecutor Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Morris Davis
Morris Davis
Colonel Morris D. Davis is a United States Air Force officer and lawyer, was appointed to serve as the third Chief Prosecutor in the Guantanamo military commissions....
had an acrimonious relationship.
Davis had publicly aired his concerns that Hartmann had become too involved in managing the prosecution, including picking which captives should be prosecuted.
Davis felt picking the captives to be charged was his job, and pointed out that Hartmann's role required him to be impartial, because he was also supposed to advise the Appointing Authority about the functioning of the Defense team.
While DoD authorities were conducting their inquiry into Morris's concerns Crawford directed that both Hartmann, and Chapman, his deputy, were temporarily removed from their responsibilities. A more junior official Ron White, was to take on the responsibilities of both men.
Appointment as Legal Advisor
When Chapman's was appointed to replace his superior, Thomas W. Hartmann, Hartmann was transferred to the position of director of operations, planning and development for the military commissions.According to the Washington Post Morris Davis was critical of Hartmann and Chapman's new appointments, and noted:
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