The US soldier who ran across the border from South to North Korea last year has been sentenced to one year in confinement and dishonorable discharge after pleading guilty to charges of desertion and assault. Pvt. Travis King pleaded guilty at a court martial in Fort Bliss, Texas, to one count of desertion, one count of assault on a noncommissioned officer, and three counts of disobeying a superior commissioned officer.
As a result of his guilty plea, King has been reduced in rank to the lowest enlisted rank, E1, and will face forfeiture of pay and allowances. The time King spent in confinement after his apprehension will be counted towards his sentence, according to the US Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
King's attorneys stated that with time served and credit for good behavior, he is now free and will return home. During the court martial, King explained his actions before a military judge and accepted responsibility for them. As part of the plea agreement, nine other charges were dismissed.
King had initially faced 14 counts under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, possession of child pornography, assaulting a noncommissioned officer, and disobeying a superior officer. His attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt, highlighted the significant challenges King has faced in his life, including a difficult upbringing, exposure to criminal environments, and struggles with mental health.
The Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel took over King's case in July. The spokesperson for the office, Michelle McCaskill, had previously provided information on the case. The sentencing of Pvt. Travis King serves as a reminder of the consequences of desertion and assault within the military justice system.
