Captain Who Left His Post In Haiti Is Found Guilty By Military Court Rockwood Investigated Reports Of Torture In Haitian Prison

An Army captain who left his post to investigate reports of human rights abuses at a Haitian prison was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and three other charges Saturday but innocent of dereliction of duty.

Capt. Lawrence Rockwood, a counterintelligence officer with the 10th Mountain Division, was also convicted of failure to report for assigned duty, being disrespectful of a superior officer and disobeying a superior officer.

Rockwood, 36, was impassive as the jury of five officers announced its verdict.

He faces at least six years and three months in prison. Had he been convicted on all counts he would have faced up to 10 years in prison.

The jury was to begin sentencing deliberations Sunday.

The 15-year veteran left his base on Sept. 30 without authorization to inspect the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince, where he feared inmates were being tortured, even executed.

He accused his superiors of ignoring reports of abuses, and said it was his duty to act because further delay could cost lives.

The Pentagon’s inspector general is investigating Rockwood’s allegation that Maj. Gen. David Meade, commander of the 10th Mountain Division, and his staff failed to address alleged human rights abuses.

Rockwood’s lawyer, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, has compared the case to that of an officer who sees a pit bull attack a child outside the gate but lacks permission to leave his base.

“What’s he going to do - just stand there and let it happen?” Clark once asked.

While the military has said that the issue is obedience, not rights abuses, Rockwood does not view himself as a disaffected officer, telling The Associated Press earlier this month, “This is the biggest weakness in our military culture - senior military officers have contempt for international law on human rights. This is something that has to be addressed.”

In his closing statement earlier Saturday, Army Trial Counsel Charles Pede called Rockwood “arrogant” and “contemptuous.”

“He made all the calls. He decided what the priorities were. What resources should be used to do what. Because he could decide the president’s intent from what he heard on television,” Pede said.

Rockwood has said he believed he was carrying out President Clinton’s directive to U.S. forces. In a Sept. 15 speech, Clinton cited ending brutal human rights abuses as one of the top priorities in authorizing U.S. military intervention in Haiti.