Army Private Travis King in Negotiations with Military Prosecutors for Case Resolution

Army Pvt. Travis King, who fled to North Korea and was later charged with desertion and possessing sexual images of a child, is currently in negotiations with military prosecutors to resolve his case. King’s lawyer, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, confirmed that the preliminary hearing scheduled for King was canceled to allow for negotiations between the two sides.

The details of the discussions and any potential deal were not disclosed by Rosenblatt, but he mentioned that a request had been made to postpone the hearing by two weeks. It is possible that the negotiations could lead to the case being resolved without the need for a preliminary hearing.

King made headlines in July 2023 when he ran across the heavily fortified border from South Korea to North Korea, becoming the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years. After about two months, Pyongyang announced that he would be expelled, and he was flown to an Air Force base in Texas.

In October, King was charged with desertion and other offenses, including assaulting other officers, unlawfully possessing alcohol, making false statements, and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. His mother, Claudine Gates, expressed concern for his mental health and stated that the man she knew before his deployment would never have been involved in such activities.

The negotiations between King and military prosecutors will determine the outcome of his case, shedding light on the circumstances that led to his actions and his time in North Korea.