Not guilty verdict for bad conduct

KENTVILLE, N.S. - A reservist accused of using an inappropriate term for a black co-worker’s hair and of later striking a supervisor has been found not guilty. The Aug. 3 court martial decision was announced in a news release issued by the military on Friday.

Cpl. Garett Rollman was charged with striking his superior officer and two charges of “conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline” arising out of an incident involving himself and another worker in the kitchen at the military base in Aldershot, N.S. During the court martial, military judge Cmdr. Sandra Sukstorf heard contrasting views from witnesses on whether Rollman’s use of the word “nappy” on Feb. 20, 2016 to describe Cheryl Richard’s hair was intended as a racial slur. Richard testified she felt it was meant to be derisive. However, a black, noncommissioned officer who works with both kitchen staff said he believed Rollman was attempting to explain a video he had been watching with his fiancee about black hair. Rollman’s fiancee is also black, Sgt. Christopher Jones said.