U.S. Soldier Guilty of Killing Iraqi Teen
By PAUL GARWOOD
Associated Press Writer
December 10, 2004, 8:12 AM EST
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty at his court-martial Friday to killing a severely wounded 16-year-old Iraqi, the military said.
As the article goes on: "[Horne] is one of six Fort Riley soldiers charged with killings in recent months -- two for slayings in Kansas and four for deaths in Iraq."
I hadn't heard about the Kansas slayings.
"Capt. Rogelio Maynulet, 29, of Chicago, will be tried on charges of assault with intent to commit murder and dereliction of duty, which carry a maximum combined sentence of 20 1/2 years, said military spokesman Maj. Michael Indovina.
During Maynulet's Article 32 hearing, witnesses testified that the driver had been shot in the head when Maynulet saw him. A fellow officer said Maynulet told him he then shot the man out of compassion."
How many soldiers like Maynulet are killing Iraqis "out of compassion"?
Edited to add Horne's statements on the killing:
From the
Turkish Press Website
The murder of Kassim Hassan took place when US soldiers spotted a garbage truck apparently dropping homemade bombs in Sadr City, the capital's most populous Shiite Muslim neighbourhood, the court heard.
The soldiers started shooting at the truck, which caught fire, and a severely wounded Hassan pulled himself out of the truck and fell to the ground.
"When I found him, I came to the conclusion that he needed to be put out of his misery," Horne said. "I fired a shot into his head and his attempts to breathe ceased."
This is also on the BBC website. I haven't yet heard from CNN or Yahoo! News.