U.S. Army To Charge Watada Again (King5/AP)

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The U.S. Army has re-filed charges against 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused to go to Iraq in June 2006.

KING 5 Staff and Associated Press

FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- The U.S. Army re-filed charges against 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused to go to Iraq in June 2006. A mistrial was declared in his first court martial at Fort Lewis on Feb. 7.

The 28-year-old Watada was charged Friday with missing movement and of conduct unbecoming an officer. The maximum punishment would be dismissal from the Army and imprisonment for six years.

There is no date for a new court martial.

On Feb. 7, military judge Lt. Col. John Head said he did not believe 1st Lt. Ehren Watada fully understood a document he signed admitting to elements of the charges against him.

The judge announced his decision after Watada, under questioning with the military jury absent, said he never intended to admit he had a duty to go to Iraq with his fellow soldiers -- one element of the crime of missing troop movement.

Watada told the judge he understood what he had signed but was not admitting guilt since he believed he still had a defense -- that the war was illegal.

Head dismissed the jurors and set a March 19 date for a new trial. The prosecution had rested but the defense had not yet presented any witnesses.