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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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December 14th,
2006 - Iraq Veteran Won’t Face Death Penalty |
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Iraq Veteran Won’t Face
Death Penalty Death penalty dropped as possible penalty for soldier charged in rape
and killings in Iraq By Ryan Lenz Associated Press Dec. 14, 2006 Fort Campbell, Ky. - An Army
soldier showed no signs of relief as the Army dropped the death penalty as a
possible sentence if he is convicted of rape and murder in the deaths of
14-year-old girl and three others in Iraq. Instead, Pfc. Jesse V.
Spielman, 22, sat rigid next to his military attorney and responded with
abrupt answers when the charges he faces were read during an arraignment
hearing Wednesday. Spielman now faces a maximum
sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted in the March 12
attack, said Maj. Don Lobeda, an attorney with the 101st Airborne Division. Investigators said the
soldiers planned the attack for weeks and tried to burn the girl's body to
destroy evidence of the assault. Three others in her family, including the
girl's younger sister, were shot to death in the family's home in Mahmoudiya,
a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad. The killings were considered
among the worst in a series of alleged attacks on civilians and other abuses
by U.S. military personnel in Iraq. Spielman's attorneys
expressed confidence they could prove his innocence. "We look forward to
trial and proving that Jesse was not involved in rape and murder,"
attorney Craig Carlson, who leads Spielman's defense team, told The
Associated Press by telephone. A trial date of April 2 was
set. Nancy Hess, Spielman's
grandmother, sat quietly in the courtroom during the proceedings. In an interview with The
Associated Press, Hess said she remained convinced the grandson she raised
had nothing to do with the attack. She said Spielman is hopeful a
court-martial will show he is innocent. "He'd love nothing more
than to walk out of the courtroom innocent and remain in the military. That's
his dream," Hess said. "I know he's innocent. He's not capable of
acts like this." The military is preparing to
court-martial other soldiers charged in the attack. Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, is
the only soldier now facing possible execution if convicted. Pfc. Bryan L.
Howard, 19, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted in a
court-martial set for next year. Both Howard and Cortez deferred entering
pleas during their arraignments earlier this fall. Spc. James P. Barker, 23,
pleaded guilty to rape and murder last month as part of an agreement to avoid
the death penalty. He was sentenced to 90 years in prison and is being held
at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. In a court hearing last
month, Barker did not name Spielman and Howard as participants in the rape
and murders but said Spielman was at the house when the assault took place
and had come knowing what the others intended to do. Prosecutors allege that
Howard was at a checkpoint monitoring the radio and knew what the others were
planning. Another person, former Pfc. Steven Green, has pleaded not guilty in
federal court to rape and murder charges. Prosecutors have not said
whether they will seek the death penalty against Green, who was discharged
from the Army for a "personality disorder." The soldiers belonged to the
502nd Infantry Regiment, which completed a yearlong deployment to Iraq in
November. MMVI The Associated Press.
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