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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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April 21st,
2008 - Soldier Arraigned for Unarmed Iraqi Shooting Death |
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Soldier Arraigned
for Unarmed Iraqi Shooting Death By Audrey McAvoy Associated Press April 21, 2008 Wheeler Army Airfield,
Hawaii - A Hawaii-based soldier on Monday pleaded not guilty to charges he
shot and killed an unarmed Iraqi man last year and ordered a member of his
platoon to fire additional rounds at the victim. Sgt. 1st Class Trey
Corrales, 35, appeared in a court-martial for his arraignment. He also took
the stand as his lawyers asked the judge to suppress a statement he made to
Army investigators three days after the June 23 incident near Kirkuk in
northern Iraq. Corrales has been charged
with premeditated murder and with wrongfully soliciting another soldier to
shoot the Iraqi man. A third count alleges Corrales wrongfully impeded an
investigation into the incident by planting an AK-47 next to the victim after
he was shot. The San Antonio native faces
a minimum of life in prison with parole if he's convicted of premeditated
murder. Frank Spinner, Corrales'
lawyer, argued the statement his client made in June may be disputed because
the investigators made no audio or video recording when they interviewed him.
Instead, an investigator wrote up a report of their seven hour interrogation
of Corrales from memory. Spinner argued the statement
may be disputed if it is admitted as evidence because of possible challenges
to the investigator's memory. Col. Donna Wright, judge in
the case, said she would rule on the matter later Monday. On another motion, Wright
ruled the defense would not be allowed to mention premeditated murder carries
a minimum sentence of life in prison during questioning of potential jurors. She said she would decide
later whether the defense could raise that fact during other parts of the
trial. Another pending issue is
whether the defense may raise evidence related to post-traumatic stress
disorder during the trial. Jury selection and the trial
phase is due to begin on Wednesday. © 2008 The Associated Press External link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5719070.html
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