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July 25, 2012

Pvt. Danny Chen’s Mother Testifies in 1st Court-Martial for Her Son’s Death 
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The first court-martial for eight U.S. soldiers charged in the death of
Army Private Danny Chen has begun at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. A
19-year-old Chinese American, Chen allegedly took his own life just
weeks after he was deployed to Afghanistan last October. His family says
Chen had been abused by comrades on an almost daily basis, including
racist hazing, with soldiers throwing rocks at him, calling him ethnic
slurs and forcing him to do push-ups or hang upside down with his mouth
full of water. All eight accused soldiers were Chen’s superiors in
rank. The first soldier to stand trial, Sergeant Adam Michael Holcomb,
is one of five soldiers whose multiple charges include the most serious
offense of causing Chen’s death through negligence. On Tuesday, the
military court heard testimony from Chen's mother, Su Zhen Chen, who
called him "the best son in the world."

 

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