Sgt. Found Not Guilty In Iraqi's Death

[maddezmom]

Source: KITV

Sgt. Found Not Guilty In Iraqi's Death
Soldier Faced Life In Prison Without Parole
WHEELER ARMY AIR FIELD, Hawaii -- A court-martial panel on Friday found a Schofield Barracks-based soldier not guilty of killing an unarmed Iraqi last year.

The court-martial panel started deliberating on Friday morning. After seven hours, Sgt. 1st-Class Trey Corrales was acquitted of all charges.

The prosecution and defense gave closing statements on day three of a high-profile trial at Wheeler Army Air Field.

A panel of soldiers and officers from Schofield Barracks and Wheeler acquitted Corrales of three charges, including pre-meditated murder. Corrales of San Antonio, Texas, would have faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if he had been convicted.

Read more: http://www.kitv.com/news/16006200/detail.html?rss=hon&psp=news

[gratuitous]

1. Whew, that was close!

I wonder what the verdict might have been if Mr. Corrales had been tried by an Iraqi jury in Baghdad instead of by a panel of his comrades in arms in Hawaii. According to the story, Corrales' family and friends cheered when the acquittal was announced, and the intrepid reporter even brings us the news that the Corrales family will be going for a little vacation to Disneyland.

No word from the family of the unnamed victim. Difficult to tell from the story if they were in Hawaii to observe this little tribunal. Very honorable, indeed.

[intaglio]

2. Verdicts like this the are what make US servicemen

undisciplined killers rather than true soldiers. The lowliest squaddie in the British military would rather serve alongside a Frenchman than a US serviceman - and I refer any jokers about the French military to the reputation, skills and general hardness of Le Legion Etranger.

[raebrek]

3. The French foreign legion?

I thought they recruited from the world for their corp.

Raebrek!!!

[intaglio]

6. Mainly French n/t

[High Plains]

4. Now maybe he can get a job with the NYPD.

[uppityperson]

5. "reflexes in the heat of war" and he's going back to Iraq in fall?

"The defense argued Corrales was acting on reflexes in the heat of war.
(clip)
Corrales said his unit has been deployed to Iraq in the fall and he is ready to join them."

Not sure if he's going back, or only if he would like to go with his unit.

Link to story describing what happened, testimony as given by witness as to Corrales' behavior. The guy has problems and I'm not sure what will happen next with him. Leave him in USA without adequate mental health care, or send back to Iraq, into hell again? He sounds like he has real issues.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/25/ln/hawaii802250323.html

[Barrett808]

7. Jury acquits soldier charged with Iraqi murder

Source: Associated Press

Jury acquits soldier charged with Iraqi murder
By AUDREY McAVOY, Associated Press Writer
Sat Apr 26, 2:37 AM ET

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii - A court-martial panel on Friday found a Hawaii-based soldier not guilty in the killing of an unarmed Iraqi during a raid on a suspected insurgent hideout last year.

Sgt. 1st Class Trey Corrales' friends and family erupted in cheers when the head of the military panel, or jury, read the verdict.

The jury of nine soldiers acquitted Corrales of all three charges, including premeditated murder, after more than seven hours of deliberation.

...

Corrales, 35, admitted to shooting the man after his platoon burst into a house in the village of Al Saheed near Kirkuk last June. The platoon was looking for insurgents they suspected of firing at U.S. helicopters and planting roadside bombs.

But Corrales argued the killing fell within the rules of engagement governing the use of deadly force. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

The prosecution argued the Army platoon sergeant deliberately shot and killed the man after he was subdued and securely in the custody of U.S. soldiers. Prosecutors said Corrales told the man to run and then shot him.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080426/ap_on_re_us/soldiers_charged

[Hulk]

8. Did you expect any different?

Come on America. We are responsible for how many thousands of innocent lives murdered in the name of this illegal war? Give me a break! Do you honestly think that one Iraqi life matters a bit to this nation of thugs?

Shame on us. Hitler has been dwarfed by this government.

[uppityperson]

9. Here's another article link about what witnesses said about him

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/25/ln/hawaii802250323.html

[DrDan]

10. damn - what a waste of space

can't believe we hand people like this guns and put them in charge. Unbelievable.

[uppityperson]

12. This sort either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_D._Green
His trial starts Monday and I'll be watching the news. They gave him a waiver when they enlisted him. They knew. They enlisted them. Then they kicked him out to civilian world after his crime.

Incredible.

[High Plains]

11. Now he can get a job with NYPD. n/t

[scarface2004]

13. yeah that s right...cheer the killing of innocent civilians!!

i m sure the iraqis are loving us now!!! our military is a bunch of criminal a holes!!!!