Why do you think that WP made the decision to reinstate him? I haven't read anything other than the "DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY REINSTATES KING TO ACADEMY". I am of the belief that WP comes under the direction of the Department of the Army and the decisions that the Department of the Army makes should not be considered as a WP decision. Do I have this wrong?I also said that with NEW evidence and new facts, that West Point made the right decision to reinstate him. I have not changed my position on that either.
I don't believe that we have disagreed on this fact. What we have disagreed on is whether because of prior mistake(s) this cadet was unworthy of a complete investigation into the facts concerning this incident.These ARE FACTS. What isn't factual about it??? 1) Cadet had a past.
Do we know that Cadet King was EVER involved in any other "altercation"?2) Cadet was involved with another altercation.
Again we agree on this fact. What we can't seem to agree on is whether WP did (as they claimed) a thorough investigation before making this determination. Each time the topic comes up you mention why WP had to make a decision quickly (before King commissioned) and I'm still wondering why the investigation could not have continued while King was at WP and why King HAD to commission in two months instead of the ARMY holding his commission until an adequate and thorough investigation could have been completed. Again...is there some rule/law/policy that says all cadets must commission upon graduating from WP....even those under investigation?3) WP felt they had enough information and evidence to look at administrative action.
Where are these words printed? I've not heard anything like that from HIS mouth. Not that he may not have said it, just that I can't recall ever reading it. I did find this small blurb:Another FACT: The cadet PUBLICLY SAID that he SUPPORTS West Point's position in suspending him. He did not FIGHT IT. He did not CONTEST IT. He did not TAKE IT TO THE MEDIA. etc... He "ACCEPTED" it. This was in his OWN WORDS!!!
This is just ridiculous exaggeration. No one suggested anything like this. What I said was that neither of us knows what Cadet King thought or how he handled the dis-enrollment behind the scenes. Perhaps he was told that if he ever wanted to finish his education at WP....not to make a public scene/spectacle about this. Perhaps after he was already beaten by LeBelles bodyguards, the HPD arresting him and now his brothers at WP kicking him to the curb that he just no longer had the will to fightYou can speculate that he is the MODEL cadet; who has 110% respect for the academy and the military; who would allow himself to be unjustly punished so West Point wouldn't be dragged through the mud; and that he is a TRUE HERO.
Again I have not seen this interview. And again there may be MANY reasons why Cadet King would choose to take the high road even if he was not guilty of THIS crime. Do you have a link to these statements?I happen to believe that the reason this cadet publicly said that he supported and respected West Point's position and decision...
...The cadet NEVER questioned WP's decision to suspend him. The Cadet's lawyer NEVER questioned WP or took his case PUBLIC. The cadet himself acknowledged that he respected and accepted WP's decision to suspend him...
I believe hiring an attorney and suing Labelle and company was Cadet Kings way of saying that he was being unjustly punished. Had he not done that would the video ever seen the light of day? Doubtful. Would he be reinstated NOW at WP if he bad mouthed WP instead of being respectful and letting his lawyer handle these issues? Again...IMHO...not likely.I don't know about you, but if it were me, and I felt that I was being rail-roaded and unjustly punished, I would have been fighting tooth and nail.
You might want to lighten up a little on the disparaging tone towards Cadet King. Although the following statement was from his attorney, I think it says something positive about this young man.I guess this cadet is some national hero, who should have a shrine or bust dedicated to him for having so much honor, to law himself down for WP and his country.
Where did you see this information? I believe another poster has indicated that it was important that WP make a decision quickly before King graduated.He was going to be a December grad, so "kicked out a couple of months before graduation" is an exaggeration.
The article that I read said he was going home for Spring Break when this incident occurred. Are you saying that WP didn't toss him out until June instead of March?The fact that the separation happened after graduation in May should have made that clear.
Who said there was no investigation? I must have missed those posts. I certainly saw a few posts questioning the thoroughness of the investigation....but NO investigation....I must have missed that.The fact that the separation happened nearly three months after the incident should also help ease any "there was no investigation" questions.
Thanks for explaining this. I thought that WP made a decision and then DA reviewed the decision AFTER it was made. In this case 4 or 5 months after King was seperated. Are you sure?Separation from West Point does not happen without the Department of the Army saying yes...
This reasoning doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps you could explain it in simpler terms for me?... if you "blame" USMA for the separation, then you must also blame DA
... if you "credit" DA for the reinstatement, then you must also credit USMA
http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=202478The school, he says, is essentially kicking him out because of what happened.
"I respect their decision, that West Point has made. I plan on driving on and giving it my all. Whatever happens from here happens from here," King said.
King is suing and hopes soon that this will all be behind him. He has also requested that Houston Police file charges against two of LaBelle's bodyguards and a woman who also appeared to be involved. In his lawsuit, he claims LaBelle ordered her bodyguards to attack him.
Why do you think that WP made the decision to reinstate him? I haven't read anything other than the "DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY REINSTATES KING TO ACADEMY". I am of the belief that WP comes under the direction of the Department of the Army and the decisions that the Department of the Army makes should not be considered as a WP decision. Do I have this wrong?
Which article listed the results of Cadet King's blood alcohol test? I believe that Cadet King was legally of an age to drink.
aglages said:Where did you see this information? I believe another poster has indicated that it was important that WP make a decision quickly before King graduated.
adlages said:The article that I read said he was going home for Spring Break when this incident occurred. Are you saying that WP didn't toss him out until June instead of March?
adlages said:Who said there was no investigation? I must have missed those posts. I certainly saw a few posts questioning the thoroughness of the investigation....but NO investigation....I must have missed that.
adlages said:Thanks for explaining this. I thought that WP made a decision and then DA reviewed the decision AFTER it was made. In this case 4 or 5 months after King was seperated. Are you sure?
LITS - I have not read anywhere that the Cadet was intoxicated or under the influence. That is mere speculation on the part of the video viewers. The investigating authority here, the Houston Police Department, after their bang-up investigation at Bush International evidently did not think so. They have not charged him with anything at this point. The intoxication angle is a non-factor.
Houston police responding to the late-night incident outside the airport's Terminal C said King smelled of alcohol.
Raley said the cadet had consumed a few alcoholic drinks on his flight to Houston but was not impaired.
When you are charged with a crime your prior criminal history is usually barred from being admitted in court (patentesq help me here).
I've seen much more heated threads than this. You may people are "against" or "for" the cadet because if you are neither, you're probably not commenting. That's how many things work. I'm sure there are people who read it and done care at all...they probably aren't commenting.
Alcohol was mentioned. I have no reason to support a troubled cadet. Didn't appreciate lightning rods at CGA either (most didn't graduate). I owe this WP cadet nothing, and don't feel the need to come to his defense.
Generally administrative proceedings look at the member as a whole. I've been in masts that the lack of progress in a member contributed to a harsher decision. They look at the cadet on the whole. A cadet that has had various honor or conduct issues is not looked at in a vacuum.
So, the kid has some honor code violations at WP...... The Cadet is still the person he was when he received his appointment. Heck, whatever he had been up to at WP in the last three years might may him a better officer.
JMC0759 said:Once you walk across that stage whatever you did in the past is forgotten.
JMC0759 said:If I remember right Senator McCain was next to last in his graduating class at the USNA.
JMC-759 said:I will support this cadet until the day I die or when this thread gets pulled. Why? He received his appointment and must be a pretty good kid.
I remember when my son was applying to his SA. We were at a town hall meeting sponsored by several MOC's and somebody asked the candidates to stand up and look around. He said that this is your competition, the smartest, most athletic and well rounded kids around.
So let's just assume that ther Cadet fits into this group. He received his appointment so he must have had something going on for him. He makes it to his senior year at WP and it looks like he is on track to graduate. He survives another bleak upstate New York winter and the dark days of the post holiday season at WP. He has a couple of drinks to celebrate on the plane and runs smack dab into a firestorm upon his arrival in Houston.
He gets the crap beat out of him and some airport cops screw things up and list him as a suspect instead of a victim. Then some overzealous airport employee takes it upon himself to call WP and rat the kid out. I wonder if those airport cops lost their airport job and are walking a beat in the Houston Ship Channel... Lots of mistakes were made that day that were not the fault of the cadet.
So, the kid has some honor code violations at WP. Maybe he was chasing after some general's daughter. Would these violations affect his ability to supervise his troops and lead them into combat? Would they make any less of a leader? The Cadet is still the person he was when he received his appointment. Heck, whatever he had been up to at WP in the last three years might may him a better officer.
I don't know the cadet but I know kids like him. We all do. Will he graduate first in his class? Will he graduate last? Does it matter? Once you walk across that stage whatever you did in the past is forgotten. If I remember right Senator McCain was next to last in his graduating class at the USNA. Here's a good one. What do you call a medical student who graduates last in his class? A doctor.
I will support this cadet until the day I die or when this thread gets pulled. Why? He received his appointment and must be a pretty good kid. Second I don't like bullies and the Cadet was bullied when he exited the airport terminal that day in March.
So was he drinking? I guess he was but he was not jailed or cited so it really doesn't matter and there were lots of people in the airport that day that had alcohol on their breath who did not get beat up.
As I have said from the beginning. If the cadet had not met up with those folks at the airport, if he turned left or right instead of walking straight out of the terminal we wouldn't even know his name. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and that is the tragedy of this whole episode.