Witness: Martinez changed before fatal Iraq blast

[unhappycamper]

Witness: Martinez changed before fatal Iraq blast
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Nov 4, 2008 6:15:50 EST

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The first soldier accused of killing a direct superior in Iraq went through a drastic change in behavior before the deadly blast he’s charged with causing, a fellow soldier testified at trial Monday.

New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez has pleaded not guilty to two counts of premeditated murder in the 2005 bombing deaths of Capt. Phillip Esposito and 1st Lt. Louis Allen. They were members of the 42nd Infantry Division.

Martinez, from Troy, N.Y., could be sentenced to death if convicted.

Sgt. Jackie Sartori had worked with Martinez at Fort Drum, N.Y., where she said she never heard anything derogatory about Esposito from Martinez.

But in Iraq, where she saw Martinez almost daily, she noticed a drastic change in his behavior. Sartori said Martinez became very critical of Esposito, began making derogatory comments, and said how much he disliked the command.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_martinez_110408/%2e