Troops to Face Courts-Martial on Charges

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-soldiers-charged,1,4185634.story?coll=chi-news-hed

By RYAN LENZ
Associated Press Writer
Published October 18, 2006, 6:10 PM CDT


EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Eight soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division were ordered Wednesday to be court-martialed on murder charges stemming from their service in Iraq, and two could get the death penalty for allegedly raping a 14-year-old and killing her and her family.

The Fort Campbell soldiers facing the death penalty are Sgt. Paul E. Cortez and Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman. Both are accused of raping Abeer Qassim al-Janabi in her family's home in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, then killing the girl, her parents and younger sister.

Spc. James P. Barker and Pfc. Bryan L. Howard are also accused in the rape and murders but will not face the death penalty, the military said in a statement.

Barker's attorney, David Sheldon in Washington, D.C., said that Barker has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their case against others, including former Army Pvt. Steven Green, who was discharged for a personality disorder and arrested in North Carolina.