Civilian screenwriter Mark Boal is facing a military court trial after refusing to share tapes he made with Bowe Bergdahl, with the U.S. Army.
In court documents, the 43-year-old screen writer and producer known for films like “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Hurt Locker” blasted the government for “attempting to subvert justice” and defended his First Amendment right to not share the 25 hours worth of recorded interviews with Army deserter Bergdahl, according to Variety. (RELATED: Bowe Bergdahl Won’t Be Court-Martialed Until Obama Is Safely Out Of Office)
(photo: Paul A. Hebert/Getty Images)
“Boal never joined the Armed Forces,” Boal’s attorney Jean-Paul Jassy wrote in court fillings. “He did not submit to the narrowed rights attendant to military life. Although there is no dispute that Boal is a civilian and not a defendant in any court-martial, Defendants’ opposition brief relies heavily on cases where members of the Armed Forces asked federal courts to enjoin court-martial proceedings in which they were criminally accused.” (RELATED: Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Speaks Publicly For The First Time)
“There is presently no such clearly established right in the U.S. Army courts, which are more focused on maintaining norms of military order and discipline than safeguarding civilians’ First Amendment rights,” he added. “Although Boal could try to convince an Army court-martial to recognize the reporter’s privilege, it is manifestly unfair that he should have to do so.”
The screenwriter interviewed Bergdahl in hopes of making a movie about his time as a prisoner of war in Afghanistan for five years, before being released in exchange for the release of five Taliban commanders.
Boal sued the government last month after being threatened with a subpoena if he didn’t release the tapes.