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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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February 24th,
2009 - Conspiracy Charge Dropped Against US Soldier |
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Conspiracy Charge
Dropped Against US Soldier By George Frey Associated Press February 24, 2009 Frankfurt - The U.S. Army
said Tuesday it has dropped a conspiracy to commit premeditated murder charge
against an American soldier accused of taking part in the killing of four
blindfolded Iraqi detainees in Baghdad. The Army said in a short
statement that Sgt. Charles Quigley, 28, of Providence, Rhode Island, will no
longer be prosecuted on that charge. It said the decision was based on
evidence that emerged in a trial last week against a fellow soldier involved
in the killings. "Sgt. Quigley still
faces nonjudicial punishment for his failure to report the incident after it
occurred," the Army said. After a shootout with the
soldiers' unit sometime between March 10 and April 16, 2007, four Iraqi
prisoners were taken to the unit's operating base in Baghdad for questioning
and processing, although there wasn't enough evidence to hold them for the
attack. Later that night, patrol
members took the Iraqis - bound and blindfolded - to a remote area and
fatally shot them in retribution for the attacks against the unit, according
to testimony from hearings and trials since last summer. According to
testimony, the bodies, which have never been recovered, were dumped into a
canal. So far, three soldiers have
been convicted and sentenced to time in prison. Sgt. Michael Leahy, 28, of
Lockport, Illinois, was convicted of murder and sentenced last week to life
in prison with the possibility of parole. Leahy confessed to pulling the
trigger on two of the detainees, definitely killing one of them. Last year, Spc. Steven
Ribordy, 26, of Salina, Kansas, pleaded guilty to accessory to murder
charges. Ribordy received eight months in prison and a bad conduct discharge. Spc. Belmor Ramos, 24, of
Clearfield, Utah, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit premeditated
murder. Ramos received seven months in prison and a dishonorable discharge.
Both Ribordy and Ramos struck deals to testify against other soldiers in
exchange for more lenient sentences. All of the accused 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 more soldiers await
trial. Master Sgt. John Hatley, 40,
and Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Mayo, 27, also are accused of pulling the trigger.
The Army has not provided hometowns for those two men. Mayo and Hatley are charged
with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder, and
obstruction of justice. Hatley faces additional charges, including murder
stemming from a separate January 2007 incident. Army spokespersons said
Tuesday that Quigley could testify as a witness against Hatley and Mayo in
their trials, but didn't know if he would be called by the prosecution or
defense. Copyright © 2009 The
Associated Press. External link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hYtcV7GUHRC88uGXnQ8Hl6I5lvbAD96I4D480 |