Title: U.S. Army Charges Soldier Travis King with Multiple Crimes Following His Escape to North Korea
Subtitle: Legal Battle Looms for Soldier Facing Charges Ranging from Desertion to Solicitation of Child Pornography
Seoul, August 16, 2023 – The United States Army has officially charged Private Travis King with a series of offenses, including desertion, assault against fellow soldiers, and solicitation of child pornography, according to exclusive documents obtained by Reuters.
Private King’s case, which had remained undisclosed until now, comprises eight distinct charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. These charges set the stage for a significant legal battle for the 23-year-old soldier, following his release from North Korean custody in September.
The Army has not responded to requests for comment thus far.
In a statement issued by a family spokesperson, Claudine Gates, Private King’s mother, expressed her unwavering love for her son and appealed for the presumption of innocence to be extended to him.
Gates spoke out about her son’s character, stating, “The man I raised, the man I dropped off at boot camp, the man who spent the holidays with me before deploying did not drink. A mother knows her son, and I believe something happened to mine while he was deployed. The Army promised to investigate what happened at Camp Humphreys, and I await the results.”
The U.S. Army had earlier refrained from commenting on whether Private King would face disciplinary action, focusing instead on ensuring appropriate care for the soldier following his two-month detention in North Korea.
Private King’s release in September came after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, with the Swedish government facilitating his return from North Korea. Eventually, he was handed over to the U.S. ambassador in China.
On September 28, Private King was flown to a military hospital in Texas for medical evaluations, including mental health assessments.
While details about King’s treatment in North Korean custody remain scarce, the Army’s charge sheet accuses him of widespread misconduct preceding the incident, including an attempted escape from U.S. military custody in October 2022.
Additionally, Private King stands accused of soliciting a Snapchat user to produce child pornography, alongside possessing child pornography. He also faces charges of insubordination for violating curfew and consuming alcohol in violation of Army regulations.
Franklin Rosenblatt, who served as lead military defense counsel during the court martial proceedings against Bowe Bergdahl, has been appointed to represent King alongside other legal professionals hired by his family.
Bowe Bergdahl, an Army sergeant, infamously spent five years in Taliban captivity after deserting his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
Responding to the appointment of her son’s legal team, Claudine Gates expressed gratitude and confidence, stating, “I am grateful for the extraordinary legal team representing my son, and I look forward to my son having his day in court.”
King enlisted in the Army in January 2021 and had previously faced charges of assault while stationed in South Korea. Court documents reveal that he pleaded guilty to assault and property damage following an incident involving a police car during a profanity-laced tirade against Koreans. As a result, he chose more than a month of detention in South Korea rather than paying a fine.
King was scheduled to face disciplinary action in the United States after his release from South Korean detention. However, during his journey back home, he escaped from Seoul’s international airport and proceeded to cross the border into North Korea. This unauthorized departure resulted in immediate detention by North Korean authorities.
The third charge against King is desertion. The Army claims that he deliberately left his post in South Korea with the intention of permanently staying away, an absence that persisted until September 27, 2023.
As the legal battle looms, Travis King’s future remains uncertain, and the truth behind his actions in North Korea is still unknown.
Image Source: Anthony Wallace | AFP | Galt Photos