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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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October 19th, 2006 - Soldier will
not Face Death Penalty |
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Soldier will not Face Death Penalty By Tommy Millsaps The Monroe County Advocate October 19, 2006 A Sweetwater soldier accused
of premeditated murder in the May 9 shooting deaths of three Iraqi men will
not face the death penalty, but still could face life in prison if found
guilty during a general court martial. Staff Sgt. Raymond Girouard,
a 2001 Sweetwater High graduate who was reared here by his grandparents
Ronald and Pat Bentley, faces charges of premeditated murder, communicating a
threat, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, larceny and
violating a lawful general order. He stands charged in the
alleged crime along with three other soldiers, Spc. William Hunsaker, Spc.
Juston Graber and Pfc. Corey Clagett. During an Article 32 hearing
in August, the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing, a military
investigator had recommended the death penalty if the four men were found
guilty. According to a press release
from the Public Affairs Office of the 101st Airborne Division on Wednesday,
Maj. General Thomas R. Turner has decided that the four men be tried under a
non-capital referral. Though his grandson could
face life in prison without parole, Ronald Bentley said Thursday he was
relieved the death penalty was taken off the table and remains hopeful better
things lie ahead for Girouard, whom he maintains is innocent. “That’s halfway there,”
Bentley said. “We are still hoping for a lot more than that over time. I
think it will come over time.” Girouard’s case will be
heard in Fort Campbell, Ky., the home of the 101st Airborne, but no trial
date has been set. The next step in the case is
a pre-trial session for the purpose of an arraignment. At the arraignment, the
soldiers will be called upon to enter pleas to each of the charges, however
they may also defer their pleas. Bentley said the family
plans to visit Girouard this weekend at the naval base where he is being held
in Charleston, S.C. The family hopes Girouard
will be released from his pre- trial confinement, however there has been no
word whether the Sweetwater solider will be able to come home before his
court marital. In addition to family in
Sweetwater, the accused soldier has a wife and young son living in Fort
Campbell. External link:
http://monroe.xtn.net/index.php?table=news&template=news.view.subscriber&newsid=134443 |