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Ex-GI spared death in Iraqi girl's rape, killing

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  • Ex-GI spared death in Iraqi girl's rape, killing

    MSNBC
    PADUCAH, Ky. - An ex-soldier convicted of raping and killing an Iraqi teen and murdering her family was spared the death penalty Thursday and will serve a life sentence after jurors couldn't agree unanimously on a punishment for a brutal crime that the defense blamed partly on combat stress and a lack of military leadership.

    After an afternoon of card playing, sex talk and drinking Iraqi whiskey, Pfc. Steven Dale Green, 24, of Midland, Texas, and three other soldiers in March 2006 went to the home of 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Green shot and killed the teen's mother, father and sister, then became the third soldier to rape the girl before shooting her in the face.

    Federal jurors who convicted Green of rape and murder on May 7 told the judge they couldn't agree on the appropriate sentence after deliberating for more than 10 hours over two days. Their choices were a death sentence or life in prison without parole. Since they could not unanimously agree on either sentence, life in prison had to be the verdict.
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    Green's father, John, and brother, Doug, sighed as the verdict was read.

    "It's the better of two bad choices," said John Green, also of Midland, Texas.

    His son will be sentenced Sept. 4 by U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell. Jurors were escorted out of the courthouse and when asked if they wanted to talk about the decision, several shook their heads.

    Never denied involvement
    Green's attorneys never denied Green's involvement in the attack, instead focusing on building a case that he didn't deserve the death penalty. They presented former Marines and other soldiers with whom Green served who testified that he faced an unusually stressful combat tour in Iraq in a unit that suffered heavy casualties and didn't receive sufficient Army leadership while serving in Iraq's "Triangle of Death."

    Enemy attacks killed two command sergeants, a lieutenant and a specialist in Green's unit over 12 days in December 2005. Jurors also were told that Green's unit was left alone to run a traffic checkpoint for several weeks without a break.

    The other soldiers who attacked the family are serving lengthy sentences in military prison, but will be eligible for parole. They testified against Green, who was tried in federal court as a civilian because he had been discharged from the Army before his arrest.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford said in a statement that prosecutors have "the utmost respect" for the jury's decision.

    "This trial represents some of the most important principles of our Constitution and our democracy in action," Ford said. "The decision of how justice would be best served was left to the people."

    One of Green's attorneys, Darren Wolff of Louisville, said his client twice offered to plead guilty, but the U.S. Justice Department refused amid international pressure for a conviction.

    "Mr. Green will spend the rest of his life in jail and the events of March 12, 2006, have forever changed the lives of many," Wolff said. "It is a tragic case on so many levels."

    Combat stress a theme
    The issue of combat stress was one theme but not the only at Green's trial, which was reaching the penalty phase as unrelated events unfolded at a military mental health clinic in Iraq. Just as the penalty phase of the trial was opening, an Army sergeant was arrested and accused of the May 11 shooting deaths of five colleagues at a combat stress clinic in Baghdad.

    However, the judge had admonished jurors not to watch news broadcasts or read newspapers.

    Jurors heard testimony from an Army nurse practitioner who saw Green for combat stress, 11 days after two sergeants were killed by an insurgent.

    Green told the nurse that he wanted to kill Iraqi civilians and he found the mission "pointless," using an expletive. He was given medicine to help him sleep and he returned to his unit less than three months before the attack.

    Throughout the trial, defense attorneys sought to paint a picture of the "Triangle of Death" as the most dangerous area of the most dangerous country on Earth — and a place where Green and his fellow soldiers served without adequate leadership.

    The trial was held in western Kentucky because Green was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky., on the Tennessee border.

    Doug Green, 26, said the jury reached the appropriate decision.

    "I do think it gives him a chance to have some semblance of a life," Doug Green said. "We're grateful for that."


    Ex-GI spared death in Iraqi girl's killing - Conflict in Iraq- msnbc.com



    any thoughts/comments on the trial?

  • #2
    Originally posted by 1947 View Post
    MSNBC
    PADUCAH, Ky. - An ex-soldier convicted of raping and killing an Iraqi teen and murdering her family was spared the death penalty Thursday and will serve a life sentence after jurors couldn't agree unanimously on a punishment for a brutal crime..............
    Green shot and killed the teen's mother, father and sister, then became the third soldier to rape the girl before shooting her in the face.
    Couldn't decide on an appropriate punishment eh? How about exactly what he did to the girl and her parents!!

    As a soldier who served honorably, I would volunteer to execute the bastard myself!

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by 7thsfsniper View Post
      Couldn't decide on an appropriate punishment eh? How about exactly what he did to the girl and her parents!!

      As a soldier who served honorably, I would volunteer to execute the bastard myself!

      Couldnt have said it any better ,the piece of crap .
      .

      Comment


      • #4
        I find the Juries inability to agree a suitable appropriate sentence after listening to such horrific details quite astonishing. Hand him, and his cohorts back to the Iraqis. I am sure they would come to the correct 'appropriate' sentence.

        Comment


        • #5
          I was on a jury and imo, personal feelings about the crime shouldn't be relevant. In fact, this is usually an instruction the judge gives to the jury. What matters is what the law says, and maybe thats what caused the jury problems in determing the punishment. What is federal law on the subject?

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Johnny W View Post
            What matters is what the law says, and maybe thats what caused the jury problems in determing the punishment. What is federal law on the subject?
            apperantly the law says it isn't such a serious crime raping a girl, than killing her and her family.
            "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Johnny W View Post
              I was on a jury and imo, personal feelings about the crime shouldn't be relevant. In fact, this is usually an instruction the judge gives to the jury. What matters is what the law says, and maybe thats what caused the jury problems in determing the punishment. What is federal law on the subject?
              No personal feelings..impossible. He raped her, murdered her family, then shot her in the face, set her on fire and you're not supposed to have 'personal feelings' about the scum who did that, and who is sat in front of you? Then there is something seriously wrong in the system where a judge gives an instruction to that affect. He admitted it, there was no uncertainty before them, just a callous murdering sub-human. They should have had this trial in Texas where the outcome would have been a lot different methinks.

              Comment


              • #8
                The only reason I oppose the death penalty is due to the possibility of executing people wrongfully convicted, otherwise I'd be all for crucifying this animal to make an example of him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  By all means, let him live ... in general population.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
                    By all means, let him live ... in general population.
                    Good idea Colonel, but the chances of that happening is about the same as you putting dish water in a glass of Belvenie Cask 191

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Having served on a jury or two in my time I'm amazed at my fellow citizens capacity for throughly screwing things up. Legal counsel realise this and constantly play to both the emotion 'you don't want to have a mans execution hanging over your head do you/' and twisting the law 'yes he did it but imagine the stress he was under, he's not really responsible'.
                      The man was by his own admission guilty and diminished responsibility due to stress isn't a defence. After all, how many firemen and policemen, people who risk their lives constantly and see death and carnage day after day, year after year, go rape young girls and slaughter their family to cover up their crimes?
                      In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                      Leibniz

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Johnny W View Post
                        I was on a jury and imo, personal feelings about the crime shouldn't be relevant. In fact, this is usually an instruction the judge gives to the jury. What matters is what the law says, and maybe thats what caused the jury problems in determing the punishment. What is federal law on the subject?
                        They where given the choice btwn giving him the Death sentence and life w/o parole. They(the jury) chose life in the pen. Life being the key word here, which is not an option afforded his victims!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 1947 View Post
                          MSNBC

                          Combat stress a theme
                          The issue of combat stress was one theme but not the only at Green's trial, which was reaching the penalty phase as unrelated events unfolded at a military mental health clinic in Iraq. Just as the penalty phase of the trial was opening, an Army sergeant was arrested and accused of the May 11 shooting deaths of five colleagues at a combat stress clinic in Baghdad.


                          Ex-GI spared death in Iraqi girl's killing - Conflict in Iraq- msnbc.com
                          can combat stress really lead a man to rape an underage girl and then kill her and her family or is it just an excuse.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by 1947 View Post
                            can combat stress really lead a man to rape an underage girl and then kill her and her family or is it just an excuse.
                            Rape is referred to as a sex crime but it is really about control, its not about sex. Hence BS on the afternoon of sextalk being a compelling factor in this crime. Murder, in the manner which he did, was also about control and dominance. Junior and his buddies have some serious problems. Combat sucks and it can break you down if you let it. It is not an excuse for killing innocents. In my experience in speaking with buddies that have had a rough go of it, and including myself, we would rather eat a BB ourselves than to do harm to innocents.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              that also sends wrong message to iraq ppl. way to win hearts and minds, not.
                              "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

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