Constitutional Law

Bellesiles writes again ... and gets pounded again

He publishes a story in the Chronicles of Higher Education about a student of his in Central Connecticut State University, whose brother enlisted in the Army, served in Iraq and was fatally shot in the head. He was too badly injured to be evacuated from Iraq, and he died weeks later. The event is described as occurring "this semester," and the student as being in his military history class.

Uh ... the problems with the story are outlined by Dutton Peabody and by James Lindgren.

The only Connecticut fatality in 2010 was a Marine. He died of an IED blast. In April. A person with brain injuries who cannot be evacuated, yet takes weeks to die seems a bit questionable, as well. And there seems little indication that Bellesiles taught military history at that university.

It's puzzling why Chronicles of Higher Ed wouldn't have done at least a little verification of the story. Of course they may have figured the author won the Bancroft Prize.

Full post as published by Of Arms and the Law on July 07, 2010 (boomark / email).