U.S. Army sergeant on trial in death of fellow soldier

FORT BRAGG, N.C., — A U.S. Army sergeant faces a courtmartial in North Carolina on Tuesday over the death of a Chinese-American soldier who officials say killed himself last year after enduring weeks of racial slurs and physical abuse.

Sgt. Adam Holcomb, 30, is the first of eight service members due to stand trial in connection with the alleged hazing and death of 19-year-old Pvt. Danny Chen.

Chen, born in New York City to Chinese immigrant parents, shot himself dead in a guard tower in southern Afghanistan on Oct. 3, 2011.

Eight of Chen’s superiors are accused of subjecting him to disparaging taunts and physi- cal mistreatment. The allegations include tying sandbags to his arms, throwing rocks and water bottles at him, making him speak Chinese instead of English and calling him names such as “gook,” “slants,” “chink” and “egg roll,” Army documents show.

The case has galvanized the Asian- American community in Chen’s hometown and elsewhere, with supporters calling for the military to do more to guard against prejudice. Chen was the only Chinese-American in his unit.

Chen’s parents and about two dozen supporters have travelled to Fort Bragg from New York to attend the military trial, which is scheduled to last through Friday.

Military leaders have said the U.S. armed forces have a “zero tolerance” policy toward bullying and hazing, and have training procedures in place aimed at curbing such incidents.

“Hazing is fundamentally in opposition to our values and is prohibited,” Army spokesman Paul Prince said. “We enforce these standards, and when our soldiers fail to meet them, we take appropriate action.”

Holcomb, who joined the Army in August 2007, is charged with negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, communicating a threat, assault, mal- treatment of a subordinate, dereliction of duty and violating a lawful general regulation. He has pleaded not guilty.

The most serious charge, faced by Holcomb and four others from the Alaska-based 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, accuses the men of negligently causing Chen to commit suicide after he endured hazing and maltreatment from late August to early October 2011.