Name W. Cumbie | ||
W. Thomas Cumbie is a senior judge in the United States Air Force.
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Cumbie is the United States Air Force's Chief Regional Military Judge, for the Atlantic Region. Cumbie graduated from the law school of Florida State University in 1982. He served as a staff attorney for the Florida State Senate.
Cumbie became an officer by direct appointment, in 1985.
Devery Taylor case
In 2007 Cumbie presided over the case of Captain Devery L. Taylor, an Air Force officer who was accused of administering GHB, the "date-rape" drug, to half a dozen men, and then raping or attempting to rape them.
Presiding Officer, Guantanamo
Cumbie is notable for his appointment as a Presiding Officer for Guantanamo captive Mohammed Kamin's military commission. On May 21, 2008 Cumbie ordered Kamin to be forcibly removed from his cell, to attend his first hearing. Four guards brought Kamin into the hearing room in four point restraints, and then shackled him, hand and foot, to his chair. Cumbie informed observers that the restraints were necessary because: "Mr. Kamin was not cooperative with the MPs and in fact attempted to spit on and bite one of the guards."
According to Carol Rosenberg, writing in the Miami Herald, Kamin's assigned counsel Lieutenant Rich Federico said his face was visibly injured when he was brought into the hearing room.
When Federico told Cumbie that he had only learned the day before the hearing that Kamin's medical records, which had been withheld from him, might document that Kamin was mentally ill, and asked Cumbie to order those records to be released to him, Cumbie replied: "Let me think that one over and get back to you".
When Federico raised ethical concerns over representing a client, against his will, Cumbie assured Federico that he had no ethical doubts, and ordered Federico to continue to serve as Kamin's counsel.