|
The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
|
December 15th,
2006 - Judge Orders New Hearing for Soldier Charged with Rape, Murder |
|
Judge Orders New Hearing for
Soldier Charged with Rape, Murder Associated Press Fri, Dec. 15, 2006 Fort Cambpell, Ky. - A judge
on Friday ordered a new hearing to reconsider evidence against one of four
101st Airborne Division soldiers charged with rape and murder in the death of
a 14-year-old Iraqi girl. Col. Stephen R. Henley, the
military judge, found that defense attorneys for Pfc. Bryan Howard were not
allowed to introduce mitigating and extenuating evidence on Howard's behalf
during an Article 32 hearing in Iraq. An Article 32 hearing is the
military equivalent of a grand jury. It was unclear if a new hearing would
result in a change in charges against Howard, military officials said. Howard and three other
soldiers from the division's 502nd Infantry Regiment have been arraigned on
murder and rape charges stemming from the March 12 assault in Mahmoudiya, a
village about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Investigators said the
soldiers planned for weeks to rape the girl and tried to burn her body to
destroy evidence of the assault. Three others in her family, including the
girl's younger sister, were shot to death. One soldier, Spc. James P.
Barker, pleaded guilty last month to charges of rape and murder and was
sentenced to 90 years in prison as part of an agreement to testify against
the others. Another person, former Pfc.
Steven Green, also faces rape and murder charges but will be tried in federal
court because he was dismissed from the military for a personality disorder
before allegations surfaced. © 2006 AP Wire and wire
service sources. All Rights Reserved. External link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/16249933.htm |