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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
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May 14th,
2009 - Jurors Told about Ex-GI’s Childhood at Trial 1st news article from the
Associated Press 2nd news article from
the Associated Press |
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Jurors Told about Ex-GI’s
Childhood at Trial By Brett Barrouquere Associated Press May 14, 2009 Paducah, Ky. - A former
soldier who could be sentenced to death for rape and murder in Iraq had a
difficult childhood after his parents divorced and at times shuttled among friends
and relatives, the man's stepfather testified Wednesday. Relatives and former high
school classmates described former Pfc. Steven Dale Green as someone trying
to put together a family from relatives and friends after his parents
divorced when he was 4. Their testimony case on the
third day of the penalty phase of Green's trial. He was convicted last week
of raping and murdering 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and fatally
shooting her family in a March 2006 attack at their home in Mahmoudiya, Iraq,
about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Earlier Wednesday, two
former Marine officers testified in federal court that Green had an unusually
stressful combat tour in a unit that suffered heavy casualties and didn't
receive sufficient Army leadership. Green first lived with his
mother, who remarried in 1993, jurors heard. The man's stepfather, Daniel
Carr, said the family moved frequently and Green's mother wasn't affectionate
with her son. "He felt he was left
out of that department," Carr testified, adding the defendant lived
variously with relatives or friends at times during high school. By 2004, Green was
determined to get into the military. Green obtained a high school diploma and
joined the Army before heading to basic training in 2005, Carr added. "He wanted that more
than anything," Carr said. Within six months, Pfc.
Green deployed to Iraq with the Fort Campbell, Ky.-based 101st Airborne
Division. High school classmate Chase
Bentley played football and ran track with Green. While Green wasn't the best
athlete, Bentley told jurors he was a good teammate and one who was "fun
to watch." His comment drew a smile from Green. Another former classmate,
Cody Ray, testified about a funny kid who amused friends by crushing cans on his
head or playfully breaking into a "chicken dance." "He perfected that
dance," Ray said of his former classmate. Green, 24, of Midland,
Texas, is being tried in civilian court because charges were filed after he
was discharged from the Army. Retired Marine Lt. Col.
Andrew Horne and former Marine lawyer Gary Solis testified Wednesday that
stress from combat can impair a soldier's judgment and good leadership is
needed to prevent criminal acts. Horne, of Louisville,
reviewed the Army's investigation into the attack, and offered expert
assessment of the conditions Green served in. He told jurors that Green's
small unit lost a high number of soldiers in a short time. Enemy attacks killed two
command sergeants, a lieutenant and a specialist in Green's unit during 12
days in December 2005. "This unit suffered
some of the most extraordinary casualties in a short period of time and were
exposed to the worst threats and risk I've seen in my experience," said
Horne, who served in Iraq in 2005. Solis, who teaches law at
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., said facing such stressful
conditions can impair a soldier's judgment, especially when the unit lacks
leadership. "It's not long before
judgment is degraded," said Solis, a veteran of two tours in Vietnam.
"That's what leaders are for. To help soldiers." Prosecutors on Monday told
jurors that Green's crime was so heinous it warranted a death sentence.
Defense attorneys said Green didn't act alone, and yet none of the other
soldiers who participated in the attack faced a death sentence. Three other soldiers are
serving time in military prison for their roles in the attack, and testified
against Green at his trial. Copyright © 2009 The
Associated Press. External link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iYeOUInDxFuT4T8CsYG9-_KfQ9pgD985MBN00 Ex-soldier’s troubled
childhood detailed for jury By Brett Barrouquere Associated Press May 14, 2009 Paducah, Ky. - A former soldier
who could be sentenced to death for rape and murder in Iraq had a chaotic
childhood and little help from a mother who called him "spawn of the
devil" when he was a baby, witnesses testified Thursday. Clinical social worker Jan
Vogelsang of Greenville, S.C., reviewed former Pfc. Steven Dale Green's
family history and told jurors his mother, Roxanne Simolke, never wanted a
child or bonded with her son. Simolke called Green the
"spawn of the devil," because of his fussiness as a baby, Vogelsang
testified. "It's hard to conceive
what an infant would do to earn him that title," Vogelsang said. Green's cousin, Susi Woosley
of Argyle, Texas, testified Green grew up in homes filled with yelling
people, clutter and very little parental direction. "It was pretty much we
could do whatever we wanted," said Woosley, 30. "Nothing was
structured. I was always uneasy over there, even though I was having
fun." Both witnesses were called
by defense attorneys trying to persuade jurors that Green, 24, of Midland, Texas,
should be sentenced to life in prison rather than face a death sentence. The
same jury convicted Green on May 7 of killing 14-year-old Abeer Qassim
al-Janabi and shooting her family to death in March 2006, near Mahmoudiya,
Iraq, about 20 miles south of Baghdad. U.S. District Judge Thomas
Russell told jurors they should have the case for deliberations by Wednesday.
He then adjourned court until Monday, when the defense is expected to present
more witnesses. Vogelsang told jurors Green
was intelligent, with an IQ measured at 121, but he had little opportunity to
develop his skills because of a chaotic and abusive home life and little help
from professionals. That resulted in poor grades
and likely prompted Green to drop out of high school in the 10th grade,
Vogelsang said. "When he was out of the
chaos of his home ... he performed much differently," Vogelsang said. Jurors previously heard from
a collection of Green's high school classmates, friends and their parents.
They testified that Green was effectively homeless through part of high
school and had little to do with his mother or father. Neither Simolke nor the
defendant's father, John Green, has been called to testify. Green, 24, of Midland,
Texas, was assigned to the Fort Campbell, Ky.-based 101st Airborne Division
when the crimes were committed. He's being tried in federal court in western
Kentucky because he was discharged from the military before criminal charges
were brought. © 2009 The Associated Press External link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6424445.html The Runt of the Family - Day
13 By Evan Bright Steven Green Trial Blog May 14, 2009 The defense continued and
almost completed its case for the penalty phase. The first witness was one
Tammi Dehay. She has known Green for about 10 years, beginning with becoming
friends with one of Green's cousins before she was introduced to him. She
spoke of having an ongoing correspondence with Green, even during his imprisonment
during the past 3 years. She said that Steven is "hilarious, he's one of
the most brilliant people I know." Darren Wolff then asked her about her
relationship with Green, to which she tearfully responded "he's my
friend and I care about him deeply." The next witness was a
school teacher named Suzi Woolsey from Argyle, Texas. Pat Bouldin (D) asked
Woolsey about her relationship with Green, she thoughtfully said "he's
the son of my mother's brother," making them cousins. She spoke of
occasional visits with Steven and his family when they were younger, mostly
on weekends and often during the summer. She talked about her memories of
playing with Green and his brother Doug at a young age, while her older
sister babysat Danielle (or 'Dani'), their little sister, while the mother,
Roxanne, was out at work. She talked about their way
of life, describing the family home, "there were lots of toys ... Roxanne's
sewing equipment took up a lot of room ... it was kind of cluttered."
She also remembered Roxanne and defendant Green's father separating. She
herself testified that she didn't get along well with Roxanne, telling tales
of being a pest to Roxy, making her frustrated and flustered. "I knew I
didn't have to obey her and that I could get away with anything." Getting to the important
part of her testimony, Bouldin directed her to the general style of the Green
family's way of life. Asked about the structure, she testified, "There
wasn't any. I was always a little ... uneasy, while I was at their
house." She talked about how her family was structured with rules,
expectations, chores, and contrasted that by noting that none of these things
existed in the Green household. She testified that as she got older, she
learned that Roxanne had an affair with a local plumber, causing their
divorce, and the later remarrying to Daniel Carr (who testified two days
ago). She spoke of the home made movies, usually filmed on holidays, and how
they stopped occurring after the divorce; her chances to spend time with
Green and his siblings was greatly diminished. She continued with more
stories. She talked about spending the night at Roxanne and Daniel's new
house in Clearlake, TX (they moved the family there after the divorce). She
spoke of the house being dirty and very cluttered, and how Roxanne and Daniel
weren't even home when she arrived. She told the jury that after she returned
home, she had to shave her hair off after finding head lice, just before her
senior year. According to her, this cause more riffs between her and her
aunt. She testified that when she
visited the family when they lived in Seabrook, TX, the house appeared as if
it hadn't been cleaned at all, as well how she only saw Roxanne once during
her two day stay at the house. "Not only that but all three kids had at
least one if not two friends over." She talked about Doug and his
relationship with Steve, " Doug and his friends were mean to Steve ... they
told him to shut up and were very physically and verbally abusive." She
testified that she couldn't think of any sibling in any family that was as
mean as Doug, and also about how Doug and his friends ganged up on Steve.
"Roxanne was never around to stop the bullying like in other
families," she commented. Danielle was injured by Doug's abuse thee
separate times she told the court. Pat Bouldin lead Woolsey to
her opinion of Roxanne, who she said was "selfish, conceited ... she
never put her kids first in any of her decisions." She told the court
that Roxanne allowed Danielle to drop out of school in the 6th grade.
"Doug and Dani were her favorites ... Doug could do what he wanted and
Danielle was her princess on a pedestal." Bouldin then asked her how she
would rate Roxanne as a mother on a scale of one to ten. Woolsey gave her a 2
out of 10. "What about Daniel Carr as a father?" "3 or 4 … maybe,"
Woolsey said. She said that she would "never" have classified the
house as "loving." As Green's life progressed,
she spoke of hoping for his future. When he began discussing the military,
she said she felt like "this is going to be a good thing." After he
graduated from basic, they spoke on the phone, she told the court. "This
was the first time he'd ever sounded like he respected someone ... he sounded
changed." When she saw Green after his tour in Iraq, she said that he
"was almost unrecognizable ... his eyes were sunken in, he was thinner
than I'd ever seen him." She talked about Green's living with them for a
short period, after his return to Iraq. "He didn't eat much, he didn't
sleep much ... he seemed very uneasy." Pat Bouldin also questioned her
about the current relationship between herself and Steve's brother Doug:
"Well ... he calls when he needs something ... like a place to stay or
something ... he doesn't hang around. Steve, he'll call me just to talk to
me." In ending his direct,
Bouldin asked Woolsey on her thoughts of Green as a person. "He's so
caring, loyal ... he's a nice, funny person." Like Wolff, Bouldin asked
her if she would keep in contact with Green while imprisoned, she agreed. She
stopped with "He was such an adorable child, just wanted a little
attention ... he's like a little brother to me." For cross-ex, Brian Skaret (P)
just made the point that "Green had high potential, did he not?"
and that he had opportunities "as most people do?" Woolsey agreed
to both. (Note: This witness
testified for nearly 3 and a half hours and giving me seven pages of notes.
As a reference, everything you see above this took about four pages. This
witness was long winded to say the least, therefore what you see will be only
the bigger points.) The next witness was Jan
Vogelsang, a clinical social worker and mental health expert, owning her own
practice in Greenville, NC. She is licensed and verified. She began my
talking about her job description ... "to do a bio-psychological social
assessment." She spoke of reviewing "hundreds" of documents,
relating to the case as well as Green's history and ancestry (see annotation
#1 at the bottom for more detail). She began by testifying that
through her review, she found Steven Green "as a young child, had an
enormous amount of potential, as well as many gifts that were left untouched
and undiscovered due to neglect. He was also surrounded by an immense amount
of chaos in his life ... but despite this, when things around him were calm,
he too was calm. His behavior reflects his surroundings." She also
mentioned that "he was a classic case of simply being born at the wrong
time, in the wrong place, into the wrong family." She began telling the tales
of Green's ancestry. "They were a hard working family, a boot strappin'
crew, they believed in service to their country and to their community."
Green was very attentive during this portion of her testimony, behaving as if
he was in a class, trying to learn his own history. She talked about Green's
views of life in his earlier years, "he grew up with a view of life
having the 50's traditions as in the TV show 'Happy Days,' so when his life
was the complete opposite of that, it was detrimental to him." She
talked about Green's extended family military history. She began talking
about Roxanne, Green's mother. "Roxanne's family live in the South, they
worked hard to see that each generation would be better than the last, but
they also had a running theme of alcoholism and substance abuse." She
mentioned Steven Green's grandfather killing himself after a particularly
rough drinking binge. She talked about Roxanne's being spoiled throughout her
life, as well as being the center of attention. She talked about her
'rebellious-ness', and her early experimentation and use of drugs (LSD,
Valium, speed, coke … "anything she could get her hands on.”). She got on the subject of
Roxanne's marriage to John Green, with a history of how they arrived there.
"They were an immature couple for their age … they lacked any real sense
of growing up … they enjoyed the nightlife. They lacked the maturity to
realize that drinking and partying at some point comes to a stop. They were
more like kids than their own kids ... they reinforced each others drug and
alcohol use." She spoke about the
unexpected pregnancy with Doug. She testified that when Doug was born,
"Roxanne instituted a lifestyle change within herself." She calmed
down with her partying, and began experimenting with various forms of
religion (including "The Science of the Mayan Church"), she changed
her haircut, and even had a baby shower. But, "after a year of being a
homemaker and giving birth," Vogelslang told the jury, "she
returned to her work-and-party lifestyle." While Doug was unexpected, he
was still born into a world of happiness and excitement. "Green was
unexpected, but he was not treated as Doug was." She testified that
Roxanne was unhappy about being pregnant and losing her figure once again.
"During pregnancy and after birth, Green was looked at as a
nuisance," Vogelsang said. Green was "not easily soothed, he didn't
eat well, he barely slept at all, and didn't nurse well either." She
reiterated that other family members had to step in and assist with the care
of Green. The snowball started
rolling. "Roxanne often laughed at and joked about Steve," she told
the court, "Roxanne unfortunately never realized Steven's gifts, and in
doing so, made him an easy target." Something that subtly shocked the
courtroom, she testified that in her interview with Green, he told her that
Roxanne "had told Steven that if he had been born in colonial times, she
would legally have been allowed to take him out to the forest and kill
him." She talked about Green in
his younger age. "According to interviews, he was bowlegged as a child,
making him a very uncoordinated, clumsy child." […] "As a child,
when he was with anyone but his primary family, he did great!" giving an
example of his aunt teaching him to count and to read, as well as reading to
him. "again, when someone paid attention to Steve, and provided a
structured environment around him, he'd do fine." She spoke about Green
being very neglected as a child, and because of that, having a very low self
esteem. "He acted in ways that would get him rejected by his family,
mostly by trying to get attention in the first place." She told a story
of Green creating a painting of a heart with an arrow through it, which he
tried to give to Roxanne. "Roxanne just turned and walked away,
according to Steven." She also told how Roxanne ignored Doug's beatings
of Steve. "Roxanne unfortunately thought that children should discipline
themselves ... it contributed to her children being socially inept." She told the story of how
Roxanne began having an affair, and the subsequent divorce between herself
and John. That forced Green to move to northern Texas to live with his uncle.
"While there," she said, "he received some minor possession
charges...one for selling beer in his school parking lot so that he could buy
food, and another where he was caught with a blunt (marijuana cigar) in his
hand." She spoke of important things Green didn't have. "One of the
most important things a parent can teach a child is that they will face
adversity in their life and how to face it. Green was not taught to face
adversity, at all." She spoke of Roxanne's
relationship with Doug. "She made Doug a best friend, and a
confidant," she said. This occurred more so during the periods of time when
Roxanne lacked a significant male friend or boyfriend or husband. "She
turned Doug into a substitute male...which gives that male too much power.
She shared too much with him. She empowered him as the enforcer of the house,
she put him in charge." Doug was also extremely abusive. "Doug was
mentally, physically, and emotionally abusive to Steve and Danielle."
The court has already heard testimony about Danielle taking three trips to
the emergency room due to injuries suffered from Doug, something I left out
of the blog previously. "Roxanne felt that Steve deserved Doug's
abuse." She talked about Roxanne actually missing Steve's graduation
from basic training. She ended by talking about the end result. "The
accumulation of tumultuous events in his life made him into Steven
Green." Court adjourned early at
roughly 3:30 PM today, and will be out of session until Monday, May 19th. The
defense has to prepare more witnesses, presumably Green's direct family (Roxanne,
Doug, Danielle, and John). Personally, my guess is that those witnesses were
ready today, but the defense doesn't want to give the jury time to forgot
them over the weekend. The prosecution is also reportedly bringing in their
own expert to combat the brain analysis etc. Seeya Monday. Notes: 1 - Annotation of
Vogelsang's research-: Owns her own private practice. Worked at the Veteran's
Affairs for a number of years. Licensed by the South Carolina Social Workers,
as well as being board certified. Conducted a total social,
bio-psychological, and historical assessment of Green's family. Conducted
interviews, reviewed documents, did research on the ancestry, reviewed child
welfare documents, court records, family systems, neurological documents.
Interviewed all of the following: Danielle, Suzi Woolsey, Patricia Ruth (aunt
to Green), Uncle David, Doug, Allma Thomas, Steven Green, Green's maternal
grandmother (a Simolke), Greg Simolke, Daniel Carr, Jim Isclaw, Chase
Bentley, Roxanne, Cody Ray and Joni Ray, & father John Green. Reviewed
lots of mental records, and visited Midland, TX as well as other cities,
reviewed school records, employment records, previously conducted
psychological interviews, as well as drug treatment records. 2 - Will someone please
bring me RedBull or maybe some Starbucks? I have a sneaky suspicion that
there are a few people in the courtroom who are getting a little peeved about
my "inability to stay alert" (or awake perhaps) during the more
monotonous parts of testimony. :( 3 - CNN is now doing daily
coverage as well. See their latest here. While we're at it, check out The
Common Ills as they are also doing near-daily coverage. Other sites covering
the trial: Expose The War Profiteers, Firedoglake/Oxdown, The West Kentucky
Star. External link: http://trialcoverage.blogspot.com/2009/05/runt-of-family.html |