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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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October 18th, 2006 - Court-Martial
Ordered in Iraq Rape-Murder Case |
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Court-Martial Ordered in
Iraq Rape-Murder Case By Kristin Roberts Reuters Wednesday, October 18, 2006; 3:44 PM Washington - Four U.S.
soldiers face court martial for the rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and the
killing of her family in their home in Mahmudiya, a U.S. military official
said on Wednesday. "Maj. Gen. Thomas
Turner has referred charges against four soldiers to trial by general
court-martial," the military official told Reuters. Two of the soldiers could
receive the death penalty if convicted, the Army said. One of the two others
will likely admit his role and settle the case without litigation, according
to his Washington attorney, David Sheldon. The Mahmudiya case, the
fifth involving serious crimes being investigated by the U.S. military in
Iraq, has outraged Iraqis and led Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to call for a
review of foreign troops' immunity from Iraqi prosecution. According to U.S. military
prosecutors, former private Steven Green, who faces charges in a U.S.
civilian court, shot dead 14-year-old Abeer Qasim Hamza al-Janabi's father,
mother and six-year-old sister in Mahmudiya, near Baghdad, in March. Green then raped the
teenager and killed her, and tried to burn the bodies and house to conceal
evidence of the crime. At least two other soldiers
raped or tried to rape the girl before she was murdered, prosecutors allege. Sheldon said Pfc. Jesse
Spielman and Sgt. Paul Cortez face the possibility of death if found guilty
under the general's order. Sheldon's client, Spc. James Barker, and Pfc.
Bryan Howard do not, the lawyer said. Sheldon said Barker would
"take responsibility" for his actions. He would not say whether
Barker would plead guilty. "It's likely that this
case will not be litigated for Spc. Barker," Sheldon said. "He'll
take responsibility for what happened and his involvement in it." Lawyers for the other
defendants could not be immediately reached. (Additional reporting by
Ibon Villelabeitia in Baghdad) © 2006 Reuters External link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801074.html |