Bowe Bergdahl has retained the legal services of Eugene R. Fidell, a former judge advocate in the Coast Guard who teaches military justice at Yale Law School.
As reported by NBC, Fidell “has eagerly taken on the most complex legal questions of the 21st-century American military — the future of Guantanamo Bay, the fate of Private Chelsea Manning, the role of commanders in prosecuting sexual assault. And now he’s Bowe Bergdahl’s lawyer.”
Fidell will represent Bergdahl, sergeant and former Taliban captive, pro bono as the Army completes its investigation into whether or not he deserted in 2009.
Fidell spoke with NBC on Wednesday, but did not discuss strategy. He did advise NBC that Berdahl had been “entirely cooperative with the government” and “He’s very grateful to President Obama for having saved his life.”
A frequent guest on NBC answering questions regarding military justice, Fidell told NBC back in June that if convicted of desertion, Bergdahl could get up to five years in prison, adding that his five years in Taliban captivity could be a mitigating factor when it comes to sentencing.
“You typically don’t throw the book at people” who have been prisoners, he said at the time.
You can watch an interview with Fidell, below, courtesy of NBC News.
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