The laws of war: what should we expect of our armed forces fighting on the front lines? The inside story of British soldier Alexander “Marine A” Blackman

The laws of war: what should we expect of our armed forces fighting on the front lines? The inside story of British soldier Alexander “Marine A” Blackman

From I Rest My Case by Pixiu Podcasts

February 19, 2026 · 47 min · Season 1 · Episode 7

About this episode

This episode explores the Marine A case involving British soldier Alexander Blackman and the complexities of military law and ethics.

In this gripping episode of  I Rest My Case , hosts Jonathan Goldberg KC and Dean Strang dive into the infamous Marine A case, where Royal Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman faced court-martial for killing a mortally wounded Taliban fighter in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2011. Jonathan shares his pivotal role in the 2017 appeal, exposing trial flaws like overlooked psychiatric evidence of adjustment disorder and combat stress from Blackman's grueling fifth tour amid extreme conditions. I Rest My Case with Jonathan Goldberg KC and Dean Strang is a Pixiu Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Hosts: Jonathan Goldberg KC, Dean Strang

Topics covered

  • laws of war
  • court-martial
  • military ethics
  • psychological impact
  • true crime
  • British military history

Keywords

  • Marine A
  • Alexander Blackman
  • court-martial
  • Taliban
  • combat stress
  • psychological evidence
  • military law

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Royal Marine

Places: Helmand Province

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