American Soldier Is Found Guilty in Iraqi Killings
 

American Soldier Is Found Guilty in Iraqi Killings
Paul von Zielbauer, NYT, 15 Apr 2009

A senior enlisted Army soldier was convicted on Wednesday of killing four handcuffed and blindfolded Iraqi men with pistol shots to the backs of their heads shortly after arresting them in Baghdad two years ago, The Associated Press reported.

A military jury in Germany, where his unit is deployed, found the soldier, Master Sgt. John E. Hatley, guilty of premeditated murder in the deaths of the men, whom he and several other members of his unit had detained after a firefight with insurgents in Baghdad in spring 2007, according to testimony in the case.

Sergeant Hatley, 40, who was a first sergeant at the time — the senior noncommissioned officer in his company — is the highest-ranking American service member to be convicted of murder in the war. He faces a minimum sentence of life in prison.

Two other senior members of his unit — Company A, First Battalion, First Infantry Division — were also convicted of killing some of the men.

In February, another military jury convicted the unit’s medic, Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr., 28, of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison. On March 30, Sgt. First Class Joseph P. Mayo, 27, pleaded guilty to murder and received a 35-year sentence.

Military legal experts said the soldiers’ rank showed the frustration of fighting insurgents who blended in with the locals. “When the first sergeant of a company snaps, taking a sergeant first class and a senior medic with him, it’s a sign that they’ve just had too much,” said James D. Culp, a former Army trial lawyer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/wo...3d5&ei=5087%0A

From the way its worded, I assume that those detained were the enemy. And I can't imagine the frustration in having to arrest men who just tried killing you and your comrades.

It gets worse if they succeeded, and you lost brothers.

TR