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The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Army Staff Sgt. Charged in Danny Chen Death to Face Afghanistan Hearing

By Patrick Hedlund | February 18, 2012 3:53pm

MANHATTAN — Another of the soldiers accused in the bullying death of Army Pvt. Danny Chen will face a pretrial hearing Sunday in Afghanistan.

The hearing will determine if Staff Sgt. Blaine Dugas will face a court-martial on charges of violating a lawful general order, dereliction of duty and making a false official statement, the military said.

The Article 32 hearing is similar to a grand jury in that it determines whether there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed.

Chen, 19, a Chinatown native, was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in a guard tower at his base in Kandahar Province on Oct. 3.

The incident resulted in eight soldiers being hit with charges ranging from negligent homicide and assault to making false statements in Chen’s death, which mobilized local politicians and advocacy organizations to press for a fully transparent investigation.

Charges including manslaughter, assault, maltreatment and reckless endangerment have already been recommended for three of Chen’s fellow soldiers.

Military officials informed Chen’s family that he suffered a pattern of physical abuse and racial taunting during his deployment, including having rocks thrown at him by fellow soldiers and being the subject of discriminatory insults due to his Chinese heritage.

Dugas, 35, from Texas, joined the Army in 2002 and was assigned to Chen’s unit in June 2007. The soldier’s deployment was his first in Afghanistan and third overall.

Hearings for the remaining four soldiers are scheduled to take place through Feb. 20, the military added.