The Pentagon plans to fly the family of Chinatown-raised Pvt. Danny Chen to Afghanistan for the trial of the eight GIs charged in his death.
“The Army will cover the cost for their transportation,” a Pentagon spokesman said yesterday.
The family said it’s weighing the offer, as a disturbing revelation emerged about one of Chen’s alleged tormentors.
Spc. Ryan Offutt was charged in Pennsylvania with attempted rape 10 years ago, but copped to simple assault, court records show.
In the Chen case, Offutt and his seven co-defendants face charges ranging from dereliction of duty to assault to negligent homicide.
Relatives say Chen volunteered for the Army after 9/11 over his mom’s protests, only to endure weeks of racial taunting and hazing,
A military legal expert told The Post that prosecutors might struggle to make their case because investigators believe Chen, 19, died from a self-inflicted wound.
The next step is a hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for courts-martial.