forces and later released as i mentioned as part of the prisoner exchange. this has been a very controversial case. people on both sides of the issue, security here has been tight, but as for now, no plea entered today. and the next court hearing, richard, expected to be january 12th. back to you. sarah with the very latest for us. thank you very much in north carolina. still ahead, is the unusually warm weather heating up business in some parts of the country? a look at the bottom line at the register and the record-breaking temperatures to boot.
where bowe bergdahl is making his first appearance in front of the military judge. he s being arraigned on two counts including desertion and misbehavior before the enemy and could face life in prison. nbc s sarah daloff is at the courthouse now. we understand sergeant bergdahl is in the courtroom right now. what do you expect to happen? sergeant bergdahl arrived more than an hour before the start of the hearing, hurrying from a nondescript car outside into the courthouse. he s being arraigned on charges of desertion and endangering u.s. troops which could carry a life sentence in prison if convicted. this morning s proceedings should be brief, bergdahl is expected to be asked if he prefers to be tried by a judge or a military panel. his attorneys may also push to have this trial moved to texas. he told the podcast serial he
walked off post in afghanistan in 2009 to draw attention to perceived leadership failures in his unit. he was captured by the taliban and later released as part of a prisoner exchange involving five guantanamo bay prisoners. the case has been controversial at every stop along the way, and security here is tight, richard, as this arraignment is expected to get under way momentarily. sarah, thank you so much, live for us in north carolina. want to bring in jeffrey cornyn, former army jag officer at south texas college of law. this stage we re in now, jeffrey, how important is it? well, what this indicates is the beginning of the actual criminal trial. it is not going to be much of a procedure. an arraignment is the process where the defendant is notified of the charges, informed of his rights, and asked how he pleads. he doesn t have to enter a plea today. he can defer that. but it is an important moment in
sides. sarah, thank you very much. with me to do a legal breakdown for us is attorney general coffey. attorneys are now asking a federal appeals court to free her as they figure out how to deal with her being in jail. twh what are their options? they re trying something a little different than just saying she is right, the court is wrong. usually when you re fighting contempt, there is no defense other than obeying the judge. it s not enough to say the court is wrong. they re sort of talking about their dispute with the governor of the state saying there were alternatives to putting her in this situation where, according to her, she violates her religious beliefs or she doesn t obey the supreme court. there were alternatives put into those hard choices, and they re asking the court to, in a sense, intervene in their fight with the governor to try to create some options, some opt-out
nissan. innovation that excites. and more on the developing story we have been following for you, the kentucky clerk, kim davis, who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples spending her sixth stay behind bars. her attorneys have filed appeals along with other motions in hopes of getting her released. there have been protesters of her arrest. sarah daloff is in kentucky with the latest. sarah, good morning. reporter: preparations well under way for the rally this morning and speaker mike huckabee. you can already see this group gathered behind me. just a few minutes ago, a man with a bullhorn gave an