Smeagol-Gollum
05-01-2005, 01:46
"A US Army sergeant went on trial on Tuesday in the death of an Iraqi civilian who was pushed off a Tigris River bridge in a case that helped fuel anger over US abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lawyers were selecting six members of a jury panel before delivering opening arguments in the court-martial of Sergeant First Class Tracy Perkins, which was expected to take three days.
Perkins faces up to 29 years in confinement on charges including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and obstruction of justice.
Perkins was on patrol on January 3, 2004, with three other soldiers near Samarra, 100km north of Baghdad, when the two Iraqis, suspected of violating a curfew, were forced off a bridge.
One of the men survived. The other, a 19-year-old, is thought to have drowned.
Lawyers for Perkins have contended that the second Iraqi did not drown.
In questioning panel members, lawyer Captain Thomas Hurley referred to the suspected victim as "an individual who allegedly died".
The panel, which is the military equivalent of a jury, will consist of three officers and three enlisted personnel.
On Friday, at the same Texas Army base, a military trial also will be held for Specialist Charles Graner, the suspected ringleader of abuse in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.
Graner appeared in several photographs showing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib in sexually humiliating positions. The photos shocked the world and prompted US President George Bush to apologise.
Graner faces 24-and-a-half years in prison on charges that include conspiracy to mistreat detainees, dereliction of duties, maltreating detainees, assault and indecency.
Reuters"
COMMENT. It is good to see that the Americans at least have the decency to try those responsible for this sort of act.
Unfortunately, of course, there are also those Americans, and others, who will claim that such a case should never go to trial.
They will state "We are at war", "the terrorists are worse" etc etc.
Some would even claim that the victim was a terrorist, and therefore deserves no mercy - but, wait, this person is suspected of violating a curfew - nothing else.
I don't want this to sound one-sided, although I know that it will appear that way to many.
Personally, I am pleased that the US does try those responsible for such acts.
And I certainly hope that they catch and try the terrorists as well.
Justice should apply to all.
Lawyers were selecting six members of a jury panel before delivering opening arguments in the court-martial of Sergeant First Class Tracy Perkins, which was expected to take three days.
Perkins faces up to 29 years in confinement on charges including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and obstruction of justice.
Perkins was on patrol on January 3, 2004, with three other soldiers near Samarra, 100km north of Baghdad, when the two Iraqis, suspected of violating a curfew, were forced off a bridge.
One of the men survived. The other, a 19-year-old, is thought to have drowned.
Lawyers for Perkins have contended that the second Iraqi did not drown.
In questioning panel members, lawyer Captain Thomas Hurley referred to the suspected victim as "an individual who allegedly died".
The panel, which is the military equivalent of a jury, will consist of three officers and three enlisted personnel.
On Friday, at the same Texas Army base, a military trial also will be held for Specialist Charles Graner, the suspected ringleader of abuse in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.
Graner appeared in several photographs showing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib in sexually humiliating positions. The photos shocked the world and prompted US President George Bush to apologise.
Graner faces 24-and-a-half years in prison on charges that include conspiracy to mistreat detainees, dereliction of duties, maltreating detainees, assault and indecency.
Reuters"
COMMENT. It is good to see that the Americans at least have the decency to try those responsible for this sort of act.
Unfortunately, of course, there are also those Americans, and others, who will claim that such a case should never go to trial.
They will state "We are at war", "the terrorists are worse" etc etc.
Some would even claim that the victim was a terrorist, and therefore deserves no mercy - but, wait, this person is suspected of violating a curfew - nothing else.
I don't want this to sound one-sided, although I know that it will appear that way to many.
Personally, I am pleased that the US does try those responsible for such acts.
And I certainly hope that they catch and try the terrorists as well.
Justice should apply to all.