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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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February 16th,
2009 - US Soldier Court-Martial Begins Tuesday in Germany |
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US Soldier Court-Martial Begins
Tuesday in Germany By George Frey Associated Press February 16, 2009 Vilseck, Germany - A U.S.
soldier will be court-martialed for his alleged involvement in killing four
Iraqi prisoners, who were bound, blindfolded, shot in the head and dumped in
a Baghdad canal in 2007. Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr., 26,
of Lockport, Illinois, faces life in prison and a dishonorable discharge if
convicted with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder,
and obstruction of justice. The charges stem from a
lengthy investigation of the prisoners' slaying, which the Army said happened
sometime between March 10 and April 16, 2007. Leahy also faces charges,
including murder, for a separate incident in January 2007. The Army has
provided no information on that event. The Rose Barracks Courthouse
court-martial begins Tuesday and is expected to last several days. In total, seven soldiers
have been involved in the case regarding the killing of the four prisoners.
All were with the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the
1st Infantry Division in Iraq, which is now part of the Germany-based 172nd
Infantry Brigade. Two - Spc. Steven Ribordy,
25, of Salina, Kansas, and Spc. Belmor Ramos, 23, of Clearfield, Utah - have
already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and were
sentenced to prison in their own courts-martial last year. Ribordy was
sentenced to eight months in prison and received a bad conduct discharge;
Ramos was sentenced to seven months in prison and given a dishonorable
discharge. Both men agreed to testify
against Leahy and three others. In testimony during trials
and preliminary hearings last year, witnesses offered various versions of an
incident in which at least four Iraqis were taken into custody after a
shootout with a patrol that included all of the accused soldiers. The prisoners were taken to
the U.S. unit's operating base in Baghdad for questioning and processing,
though there wasn't enough evidence to hold them for attacking the unit,
according to testimony. Later that night, witnesses
said patrol members took the Iraqis to a remote area and shot them in
retribution for the attacks against their unit. Three other soldiers are
scheduled for courts-martial. Sgt. Charles Quigley, 28, of Providence, Rhode
Island, faces one charge of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder. Sgt. Joseph Mayo, 27, is
charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder,
and obstruction of justice. The Army has not provided a hometown for Mayo. Sgt. John Hatley, 40, faces
charges of premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and
obstruction of justice. Hatley faces another
premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder charge
stemming from the separate January 2007 incident in which Leahy is also
charged. The Army has also not provided a hometown for Hatley. Another soldier accused of having
been involved in the incident, Staff Sgt. Jess Cunningham, 27, of
Bakersfield, California, had charges of conspiracy to commit premeditated
murder dropped by the Army last week. His lawyer, James Culp, told
The Associated Press in an interview that it is unclear if Cunningham will
testify but "if ordered to testify, he will do his duty." The Army did not say why the
charges were dropped. Copyright © 2009 The
Associated Press. External link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hYtcV7GUHRC88uGXnQ8Hl6I5lvbAD96COQT80 |