Kentucky Soldier Gets Less Than Happy Homecoming

Kentucky Soldier Gets Less Than Happy Homecoming
March 11, 2005, 07:53 PM EST
http://www.wkyt.com/Global/story.asp?s=3065477

It was a less than happy homecoming for a soldier just back from Iraq. He
was thrown into jail on his first night home.
It appears some important people didn't know Army Specialist Larry Casteel
was on the war-front.

In a matter of hours, Casteel changed from a weapon-toting specialist
wearing the camouflaged khaki uniform of the United States Army, to a
surprised resident of the Laurel County lockup, wearing the hardly
camouflaged bright orange inmate jump-suit.

The story unfolds as Casteel traveled with some friends to an area store
where the car in which he was a passenger was stopped by police for a broken
tail-light.

A check of everyone's ID's turned up a warrant against the Army man for
failure to appear at a court hearing.

Casteel and his wife were in the process of divorce and in Laurel County,
divorcing couples with kids have to attend parenting classes. When he didn't
show, Casteel became a marked man.

Only the court didn't know he was in Iraq and he didn't know he was in any
trouble.

Attorney Katie Gilliam heard through a friend of a friend about the case and
was appalled the Army man was in jail.

A circuit judge agreed and Casteel was released after spending the night in
the lockup.

As the paper shuffling continued, it was learned there is a parenting class
scheduled for next week. Casteel says he'll be there after spending one of a
precious few nights behind bars a short distance from his home.

Casteel returns to active duty in Germany in three weeks.


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The only thing necessary for the triumph
of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmond Burke