Platoon Sergeant Faces N.C. Court-Martial in NYC Private Danny Chen's Suicide Case

The 36-year-old sergeant is accused of failing to prevent the mistreatment and abuse that officials say led to Pvt. Danny Chen's suicide

A platoon sergeant from Texas is facing a court-martial at Fort Bragg in connection with the death of a 19-year-old soldier from Chinatown in Afghanistan last year.  

Staff Sgt. Blaine G. Dugas Jr. of Port Arthur, Texas, faces a court-martial Thursday at Fort Bragg.     

The 36-year-old Dugas is accused of failing to prevent the mistreatment and abuse that officials say led to Pvt. Danny Chen's suicide.     

Defense attorney Guy Womack says Dugas had no knowledge of any hazing or mistreatment of Chen, who shot himself on Oct. 3 in a guard tower.

Two other soldiers already have been tried in the case. Spc. Ryan J. Offutt of Greenville, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count of hazing and two specifications of maltreatment in Chen's death and was sentenced to six months in jail.

A jury found Sgt. Adam Holcomb of Youngstown, Ohio, guilty of maltreatment of a subordinate and assault consummated by battery, but cleared him of the most serious charge -- negligent homicide. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison. He was also demoted and forced to forfeit one month's pay.

The defendants in the case were members of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

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