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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
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May 18th,
2009 - Aunt Tells Jury of Ex-Soldier’s Chaotic Childhood 1st news article from
the Associated Press 2nd news article from
the Associated Press |
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Aunt Tells Jury of
Ex-Soldier’s Chaotic Childhood From the Associated Press May 18, 2009 Paducah, Ky. - An aunt of a former
soldier who faces a possible death sentence for the rape and murder of an
Iraqi teenager and the shooting of her family says the man had a chaotic
childhood in Texas. Patricia Ruth said Monday
that former Pfc. Steven Dale Green had little parental supervision,
particularly once his parents divorced when he was young. Ruth's testimony in the
penalty phase of Green's trial came as the ex-soldier's father, John Green,
and an uncle looked on in court. A jury convicted the
24-year-old Green on May 7 of rape, murder and other charges in the death of
14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the shooting death of her family in
Mahmoudiya, Iraq, in March 2006. A nine-woman, three-man
panel will decide if Green should be sentenced to death or imprisoned for life. © 2009 The Associated Press External link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6429377.html Aunt says ex-soldier
withdrawn on return from Iraq By Brett Barrouquere Associated Press May 18, 2009 Paducah, Ky. - A former
soldier who faces a possible death sentence for the rape and murder of an
Iraqi teenager and the shooting of her family looked gaunt and was withdrawn
after returning from Iraq, the man's aunt said Monday. Former Pfc. Steven Dale
Green's aunt, Patricia Ruth, said Green had little to say and spent much of
his time during a visit with her near Dallas pacing around her back yard. "I knew he had a
difficult time," Ruth said. Ruth's testimony came on the
fifth day of the penalty phase of Green's trial as the ex-soldier's father,
John Green, and uncle, David Green, listened from the court gallery for the
first time. Both men declined to comment. Ruth said Green's mother,
Roxanne Simolke Carr, declined to attend the trial because she had planned to
move this week. "There was going to be
a farewell party for her," Ruth said. A jury convicted the
24-year-old Green on May 7 of rape, murder and other charges in the death of
14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the shooting death of her family in
Mahmoudiya, Iraq, about 20 miles south of Baghdad in March 2006. A nine-woman, three-man
panel will decide if Green should be sentenced to death or imprisoned for
life. U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell said the case will go to jurors
either Tuesday or Wednesday. During the penalty phase,
defense attorneys have presented multiple witnesses about Green's mother and
father and lack of a stable home life. Green changed for the better
after joining the military, Ruth said. Instead of slouching and constantly
talking, he began standing up straight and appeared to have confidence before
deploying to Iraq in September 2005, Ruth said. After Green received an
honorable discharge for having a personality disorder in May 2006, Ruth said,
her nephew had changed again, smoking heavily and not talking much. "I don't know. We did
not send a rapist and murderer to Iraq," Ruth said. "I don't know
how he got there, but that's not what we sent." Jurors also heard from Peter
Houck, a Roman Catholic deacon from Louisville, who has counseled Green
during his three years in jail awaiting trial. Houck, a military veteran of
World War II, Korea and Vietnam, said Green has converted to Catholicism and
shown an interest in continuing to explore his faith. "I was very interested
in him because he seemed so interested in making some progress in his own
life, making something of it," Houck said. © 2009 The Associated Press External link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6429478.html By Evan Bright Steven Green Trial Blog May 18, 2009 The defense has almost
completed its case for the jury. Noah Galloway was called to the stand first
today. Patrick Bouldin questioned him about his level of confidence and his
reasons for that confidence surrounding his February 2003 campaign in Iraq. "I
was very confident, because of the excellent leadership. I told my wife to
not worry about me because I wasn't worried about myself, I was in good
hands." In contrast, regarding his second tour of duty in Iraq, he
wasn't nearly as confident, due to the lack of training, and communication …"
From the position of Company Commander, that was Captain Goodwin, all the way
up past Colonel Kunk, I had my doubts," he told the jury. The second witness to take
the stand today was Deacon Dan Houck. Houck is a Deacon with the Archdiocese
of Louisville. He is 82 years old, having served in WWII ('44 - '46) as a
scout, Korea (3 years) as a 2nd Lieutenant with an 89th Tank Battallion, and
Vietnam ('69 - '70) as a Lieutenant Colonel. He has served 16 years as a
chaplain to the Kentucky State Reformatory. He testified that Steven Green
requested to begin discussions with someone about joining the Catholic
Church. Houck accepted the offer, thinking he could help with his past
military experience. He testified that he had met with a very sincere Green
around 40 times, expressing interest in the history of the Church.
"Steven was very well read, in my talks with him. He did his homework.
He was sincere," Houck told jurors. He told the court that as Green
stands trial today, he is a baptized Catholic. The final witness to testify
today was Patricia Ruth, Steven's aunt, and sister to John Green, Steven's
dad. Her daughter is Suzi Woolsey, who testified last Thursday. She spoke of
Roxanne being a flamboyant and outgoing person who "lived in her own
world." She contrasted in that she herself was "strict" on her
children, whereas Roxanne was "the opposite" with hers. "She
wanted her children to be individuals and live an unstructured life,"
she told the jury. She said that as a child, Steven was "always the kid
who wanted to know 'why?,' and he was also very hyper active. He was like
having a squirrel loose in the house." When Pat Bouldin asked if she
still loved Green, she had to retrieve tissues for her tears before
answering, "I'm like a second mother to him, he's my Stevie … (pauses) …
you can't just … stop loving someone, that you've always loved." She
paused and thought for a moment before going on, "I don't know, I don't
know how we got to spot … I don't know, we did not send a rapist and a
murderer to Iraq." Perhaps the biggest point in
her testimony, Bouldin asked her why Roxanne, Steven's mother, couldn't be
here in Paducah to testify. "I'm not sure, but from what I've heard, to
the best of my knowledge, she had to move and had plans to have a going away
party so she couldn't attend?" In contrast, Bouldin noted that John
Green and David Green, Green's Dad and Uncle, were present in the gallery.
After she finished testimony and after the mid-morning break, a paralegal
from the defense team would approach Ruth to tell her that "Steve wanted
me to tell you that he wishes he could come over here and hug you." She
tearfully wished she could do the same. Court adjourned at roughly
11AM today (Monday, May 18th). The schedule as it stands: Tuesday (tomorrow):
Remaining defense witnesses, if there are any, followed by the Prosecution's
one rebuttal witness (an expert/specialist of some kind). There is a
"50/50" chance that we will hear closing statements tomorrow, Pat
Bouldin allegedly said. If not tomorrow, expect to hear them on Wednesday. External link: http://trialcoverage.blogspot.com/2009/05/final-furlong.html |