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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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August 26th,
2007 - Witnesses For Military Murder Trial Killed |
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Witnesses For
Military Murder Trial Killed Helicopter Crash Killed Witnesses In Corrales, Shore Trial By KITV Honolulu August 26, 2007 Honolulu - KITV has learned
that many of the Hawaii-based soldiers killed in a helicopter crash this week
in Iraq were witnesses in the murder trial of two Schofield soldiers. Hawaii-based soldiers Sgt.
1st Class Trey Corrales and Spc. Christopher Shore are charged with
premeditated murder of an Iraqi civilian. KITV's Denby Fawcett
reported that soldiers killed in the crash Wednesday were in the platoon of
Sgt. 1st Class Trey Corrales. Corrales was their sergeant
until he was reassigned after he was charged with the pre-mediated murder.
Some who perished in the crash had been scheduled to testify against
Corrales, Fawcett said. "It could have a very
dramatic impact if those witnesses are key witness and their testimony cannot
be presented in some other form," military law attorney Eric Seitz said Corrales' lawyer is Texas
attorney Frank Spinner. When reached by phone, he declined to comment. Corrales is accused of
shooting of an Iraqi detainee several times on June 23 and allegedly ordered
Shore, who was Corrales' subordinate, to keep shooting the man who later
died. The Army said fellow
soldiers reported the killing. "If these witnesses are
no longer alive, there is no way for the accused or their counsel to question
them. Unfortunately, it could mean that there is no trial," retired
military lawyer Earle Partington said. "Obviously, it depends on what
witnesses the government still has." Seitz said the case against
Corrales and Shore might progress if both parties and the court agree to
allow previous statements from now dead witnesses to be presented in court. "If I were the defense
lawyer, I certainly would object, at some point, to going forward in a case
where my witnesses have not been allowed to be made available," Seitz
said. Corrales wife, Lily, and
their children live on Oahu at Aliamanu Military Reservation. Lily Corrales declined to be
interviewed on camera, but over the phone she said she was devastated about
the deaths of her husbands' fellow soldiers. "This was our military
family. We are devastated. Our hearts and prayers go to the families, their
loved ones and to the soldiers who gave their lives," she said. Trey Corrales and Shore
could face the death penalty if convicted of pre-meditated murder. Their preliminary court
proceeding will be held in Hawaii in mid-October, officials said. External link: http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/13977406/detail.html |