Second U.S. soldier pleads guilty to murder in Afghanistan

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http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Second_U.S._soldier_pleads_guilty_to_murder_in_Afghanistan.html?cid=31199658

Sep 23, 2011 - 05:35

By Laura L. Myers

TACOMA, Wash (Reuters) - A second of five U.S. soldiers accused of killing Afghan villagers in cold blood pleaded guilty on Thursday to committing murder, saying he made a "bad decision" when he shot a teenage boy he knew was unarmed.

Private Andrew Holmes, 21, who last year professed his innocence, admitted at his court-martial that he knew it was wrong to open fire with his automatic weapon at the boy, despite orders to do so from a higher-ranked GI in his unit.

Holmes said he suspected at the time that the other soldier, Jeremy Morlock, a co-defendant who testified against Holmes after pleading guilty to three counts of premeditated murder, "was up to no good" when he gave the command to fire.

[PassingFair]

1. I don't remember hearing about this.

But the name "Jeremy Morlock" sounds positively Dickensian.

[defendandprotect]

2. KR