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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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February 18th,
2009 - Trial Begins for GI Accused in Iraqis’ Deaths |
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Trial Begins for GI Accused
in Iraqis’ Deaths By Seth Robson Stars and Stripes February 18, 2009 Vilseck, Germany - A jury of
senior officers and enlisted soldiers from U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwöhr was
impaneled during the first day in the trial of a soldier accused of killing
four Iraqi prisoners in March or April 2007. Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr., 26, of
Lockport, Ill., appeared at a court-martial in Vilseck on Tuesday, charged
with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and
obstruction of justice. He also faces charges, including murder, for a
separate incident in which a detainee was allegedly killed in January 2007. Leahy is one of three
soldiers charged with murder following the March or April 2007 incident in
which four Iraqi prisoners were allegedly shot and dumped in a Baghdad canal
by members of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade - now
part of the Grafenwöhr-based 172nd Infantry Brigade. Several members of the unit
have been convicted of lesser offenses while others await trial. Two other
alleged shooters - Sgt. Joseph Mayo, 27, and Sgt. John Hatley, 40, face
charges of premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and
obstruction of justice. Lawyers filed a pretrial
motion last month to suppress a confession that Leahy made to investigators
but the motion was denied. Leahy’s trial began with a
motion by his lawyers to exclude testimony from Staff Sgt. Jess Cunningham,
27. Cunningham, who was nearby
when the detainees were killed, told an Army lawyer about the incident in
January last year. Last week the Army dropped a charge against Cunningham of
conspiracy to commit premeditated murder. Leahy’s lawyers, who
interviewed Cunningham for the first time on Monday, argued that they had not
had sufficient access to the witness and that his evidence should not be
heard by the court. However, judge Col. Timothy
Grammel said Cunningham could testify. The defense did not have an automatic
right to interview a witness prior to trial, he said. Leahy’s lawyers persuaded
Grammel to excuse one of the potential panelists, Col. John RisCassi, after
the former 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment commander told the court that he had
read news reports about the case and may have discussed them with others. Two other potential panel
members were excused at the request of the prosecution and defense, each of
whom had the automatic right to excuse one juror, leaving nine panelists to
decide the case. The trial continues
Wednesday. External link: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60780 |