"Witness describes scene of horror in Iraq rape case"

[leftchick]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-08-06T163937Z_01_L03398682_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAQ-MAHMUDIYA.xml

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi army medic described a scene of horror to a U.S. military hearing on Sunday that will decide if four U.S. soldiers are to be court-martialled for the murder and rape of an Iraqi girl and the killing of her family.

The medic, who was not named, said that when he entered the house in Mahmudiya in March, he found 14-year-old Abeer Qasim Hamza al-Janabi naked with her legs spread and burnt from the waist up, with a single bullet wound beneath her left eye.

He also told the hearings he had found her six-year-old sister in an adjacent room with the back of her head blown out, and the bodies of both parents riddled with bullets.

<snip>

The court heard testimony from three Iraqi witnesses on Sunday, the first day of proceedings. But the media covering the event were only allowed to record the comments of the medic, who said he was ill for weeks after witnessing the crime scene.


:cry:

[cali]

1. I am so freaked out by this

crime, and I worry that there could be other equally heinous offenses which we'll never know about.

[WinkyDink]

12. BET ON IT.

[xultar]

2. I want to know why CNN and the other cable news networks call her a woman

and not a girl or child.

[leftchick]

3. MSRNC crawler this morning

had "rape of a 14-yr old Iraqi Girl". Finally.

[xultar]

4. Wow. Then CNN is the only one continuing to spew lies. Figures.

[uppityperson]

5. k&r for Abeer, Hadeel, their mama and papa

I am glad he is testifying.

[leftchick]

6. some of the dead.....

Citizenship identification cards issued by the Iraqi government shows Abeer Qasim Hamza al-Janabi (C) in 1993 with a date of birth of August 19, 1991, as translated from the identity card, her mother Fakhriya Taha Muheisin al-Janabi (L), in 1990, and her father Qasim Hamza Rasheed al-Janabi, in 2006, in this handout photo from their relatives in Baghdad July 9, 2006. (Handout/Reuters)

[norml]

7. Medic testifies at U.S. troops' hearing

Medic testifies at U.S. troops' hearing

By RYAN LENZ, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 45 minutes ago


BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi army medic described for a U.S. military hearing Sunday the horrific scene that confronted him when he found the naked and burned body of a 14-year-old girl allegedly raped and murdered by American soldiers south of Baghdad

The medic testified on the opening day of a hearing to determine whether five U.S. soldiers must stand trial in the March 12 rape-slaying of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and the killing of her parents and sister in the town of Mahmoudiya.

It is among the worst in a series of cases of alleged killings of civilians and other abuses by U.S. soldiers that have tarnished the American military.

The medic, whose name was withheld for security reasons, testified he was the first responder to enter the house and found the girl sprawled naked in the house, her torso and head burned by flames. She had a single bullet wound under her left eye, he said.

He said he found Abeer's 5-year-old sister, Hadeel, in an adjacent room dead from a bullet wound in the head. The children's father, Qassim, and mother, Fikhriya, suffered similar deaths, he said. The mother's abdomen and chest were riddled with bullets, he added.


snip


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060806/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_rape_slaying

[Patchuli]

8. I am becoming anti-death penalty

but for this one, those soldiers should be taken out and shot.

[peacebaby3]

11. Sorry, but you are either against the DP or you're not. I work to keep or

get people off death row and some have been convicted of crimes as bad or worse than this one. If I were to get the call to go do investigation work on these defendant's cases (which I won't because the are in the military courts), I wouldn't hesitate, even if I believe they are guilty and that what they did was horrendous.

Just out of curiosity...why would you be against the DP except for these soldiers?

[Patchuli]

13. I am not completely decided about it

because the government has put the wrong people to death. On the other hand, I hate murderers and rapists. I don't like paying to keep evil people alive. I do feel differently about people who have rehabilitated themselves, such as Tookie Williams. I was anguished by his execution.

These soldiers are more than likely guilty and misusing their military might (and my tax dollars) to rape and kill children pretty much wipes out any human feelings I may have had for them.

Like I said, I am undecided but I am horrified by these crimes done in the name of the American people.

[peacebaby3]

14. I can understand where you are coming from. I have honestly sat

across the table from some people that have done horrible things - some even worse than this crime.

I actually do mitigation work so what my role is in a trial (or in post-conviction during appeals) is if that person is convicted of the crime, I have to gather the evidence that will save their life. My job is to show the other side and while not excuse their behavior, show how they got to the place to become a killer and why the jury (and in my state the judge) should give them LWOP instead of the DP. I can tell you without any hesitation that I have never met anyone that wasn't redeemable.

I originally got involved in DP work because of the innocence factor, but once you start looking at the system and you actually sit across from a condemned person and look them in the eye and hear the story of their life and how they got to this place, it becomes much more than innocence issues.

I do know that I'm supposed to be doing what I am doing because it never fails when I hear of one of the worst possible cases, I think, that's going to be a bad one and it ends up at my feet and I see an entirely different view.

Honestly, I wish I could work on Steven Green's case because as horrible as it all is, I'm betting there is a lot more out there about him and how he became what many would call a monster (and what he did if guilty is monstrous)but I know somewhere inside is a fellow human being who I want to be able to have the opportunity at redemption and to mean something in this world. If Steven Green's death could bring back Abeer's life, I would at least have to seriously think about where I stand morally, but it won't, nothing will.

I admire your journey to learn more about the DP and where you stand about the issue. There are a lot of great resources out there. One of the best for a lot of information is DPIC (Death Penalty Information Center) and I would highly recommend reviewing information on their site if you haven't already. If I can answer any questions for you, I will be happy to. Some laws vary by state, but I will do my best to answer.

I'd urge you to do some investigation into how much it actually costs to keep someone in prison vs. the cost to convict and execute a person.

[Ms. Clio]

9. wtf? Why couldn't the media record the Iraqi witnesses?

that sounds highly suspect.

[progressoid]

10. This makes me ill.