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View Full Version : Soldier pleads in Iraqi rape, slaying



LiberalNation
02-20-2007, 11:04 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070221/ap_on_re_us/iraq_rape_slaying;_ylt=AoKXovEleZ8u_iPKBQfofShvzwc F

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty Tuesday to rape and murder in the death of a 14-year-old girl and her family last year in Iraq. A judge has not yet accepted the plea.

The military court still must decide whether the killings were premeditated and will hear evidence Wednesday.

The court will consider whether Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, of Barstow, Calif., should be found guilty of premeditated murder and whether he is guilty of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder, defense lawyer William Cassara said Tuesday.

In a plea agreement read in court Tuesday, Cortez said he conspired with three other soldiers — Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, Spc. James P. Barker and Steven D. Green, who has since been discharged — to rape the girl, 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi.

According to the plea deal, Cortez, Spielman and Barker illegally went into the home of the girl's family in Mahmoudiya, and Cortez held her while Barker raped her. While Cortez raped her, Green shot and killed the girl's parents and younger sister, the agreement said.

Cortez then acted as a lookout while Green raped the girl, and Green shot her, the document said. Cortez helped burn the girl's body and the home, then burned his clothes.

Spielman threw the AK-47 used to kill the family in a canal, the deal said. Cortez also admitted to drinking whiskey before going to the home, which broke the Army's rules against drinking alcohol.

Cortez was charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to premeditated murder, rape and conspiracy to rape but pleaded guilty to murder, rape and conspiracy to rape. The judge, Col. Stephen R. Henley, adjourned the case until Wednesday.

Cortez kept his eyes down during the proceeding except when he was addressing Henley.

Another soldier has already pleaded guilty in the case, and an ex-soldier accused of being the ringleader is awaiting trial in civilian court. Two other soldiers await courts-martial. All the suspected participants are or were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

The March 2006 killing of the family was originally reported to be the work of insurgents. Later, soldiers told their superiors of their suspicion that U.S. soldiers were involved. The deaths are considered among the worst in a series of alleged atrocities by U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

Barker, 24, pleaded guilty in November to rape and murder and was sentenced to 90 years in military prison. Spielman, 22, and Bryan L. Howard, 23, await courts-martial. Howard, who is confined to the post, was in the courtroom Tuesday observing Cortez's case.

Spielman's attorneys have said they can prove that he was not involved in rape and murder.

Green is charged in federal court in Kentucky, accused of being the ringleader. He is being tried as a civilian because he was discharged from the Army before his superiors were aware of his suspected involvement.

(Corrects spelling of girl's name to Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, not Quassim, as stated in earlier version.)

Gunny
02-20-2007, 11:30 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070221/ap_on_re_us/iraq_rape_slaying;_ylt=AoKXovEleZ8u_iPKBQfofShvzwc F

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty Tuesday to rape and murder in the death of a 14-year-old girl and her family last year in Iraq. A judge has not yet accepted the plea.

The military court still must decide whether the killings were premeditated and will hear evidence Wednesday.

The court will consider whether Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, of Barstow, Calif., should be found guilty of premeditated murder and whether he is guilty of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder, defense lawyer William Cassara said Tuesday.

In a plea agreement read in court Tuesday, Cortez said he conspired with three other soldiers — Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, Spc. James P. Barker and Steven D. Green, who has since been discharged — to rape the girl, 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi.

According to the plea deal, Cortez, Spielman and Barker illegally went into the home of the girl's family in Mahmoudiya, and Cortez held her while Barker raped her. While Cortez raped her, Green shot and killed the girl's parents and younger sister, the agreement said.

Cortez then acted as a lookout while Green raped the girl, and Green shot her, the document said. Cortez helped burn the girl's body and the home, then burned his clothes.

Spielman threw the AK-47 used to kill the family in a canal, the deal said. Cortez also admitted to drinking whiskey before going to the home, which broke the Army's rules against drinking alcohol.

Cortez was charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to premeditated murder, rape and conspiracy to rape but pleaded guilty to murder, rape and conspiracy to rape. The judge, Col. Stephen R. Henley, adjourned the case until Wednesday.

Cortez kept his eyes down during the proceeding except when he was addressing Henley.

Another soldier has already pleaded guilty in the case, and an ex-soldier accused of being the ringleader is awaiting trial in civilian court. Two other soldiers await courts-martial. All the suspected participants are or were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

The March 2006 killing of the family was originally reported to be the work of insurgents. Later, soldiers told their superiors of their suspicion that U.S. soldiers were involved. The deaths are considered among the worst in a series of alleged atrocities by U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

Barker, 24, pleaded guilty in November to rape and murder and was sentenced to 90 years in military prison. Spielman, 22, and Bryan L. Howard, 23, await courts-martial. Howard, who is confined to the post, was in the courtroom Tuesday observing Cortez's case.

Spielman's attorneys have said they can prove that he was not involved in rape and murder.

Green is charged in federal court in Kentucky, accused of being the ringleader. He is being tried as a civilian because he was discharged from the Army before his superiors were aware of his suspected involvement.

(Corrects spelling of girl's name to Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, not Quassim, as stated in earlier version.)


So what's your point?

LiberalNation
02-20-2007, 11:32 PM
What do I need a point for. I thought it was an interesting story, I posted it.

Gunny
02-20-2007, 11:34 PM
What do I need a point for. I thought it was an interesting story, I posted it.

You don't really understand the concept of message board debate, do you? Anyone can post a story.

So yeah, you're supposed to have a point.

LiberalNation
02-20-2007, 11:36 PM
Most boards I've been on don't demand a point before you post and like i said saw no rules. I posted to see what thers had to see and if I disagreed jump in, that was my point.

Gunny
02-20-2007, 11:37 PM
Most boards I've been on don't demand a point before you post and like i said saw no rules. I posted to see what thers had to see and if I disagreed jump in, that was my point.

So you posted an article to troll the responses? Wow. I'm impressed.

LiberalNation
02-20-2007, 11:38 PM
Wow, I could care less. Did you post on my thread to troll me and take this thread off topic?

5stringJeff
02-20-2007, 11:43 PM
If he's guilty, he deserves the punishment he gets.

Gunny
02-20-2007, 11:47 PM
Wow, I could care less. Did you post on my thread to troll me and take this thread off topic?

The thread belongs to the board, not you. The question is relative to the thread; therefore, the topic as well.

darin
02-20-2007, 11:59 PM
Wow, I could care less. Did you post on my thread to troll me and take this thread off topic?

If you COULD care less that means you DO care to some extent. "I Could care less" means there is within you a modicum of caring which COULD be less than the amount you currently Care. Now, if you "Couldn't" care less, it means there is NO AMOUNT of caring within you which could, in fact, be LESS than the amount of caring you currently possess.


:)

Gunny
02-21-2007, 12:01 AM
If you COULD care less that means you DO care to some extent. "I Could care less" means there is within you a modicum of caring which COULD be less than the amount you currently Care. Now, if you "Couldn't" care less, it means there is NO AMOUNT of caring within you which could, in fact, be LESS than the amount of caring you currently possess.


:)

:lmao:

5stringJeff
02-21-2007, 12:08 AM
If you COULD care less that means you DO care to some extent. "I Could care less" means there is within you a modicum of caring which COULD be less than the amount you currently Care. Now, if you "Couldn't" care less, it means there is NO AMOUNT of caring within you which could, in fact, be LESS than the amount of caring you currently possess.


:)

Mr. Nal... paging Mr. A. Nal...

darin
02-21-2007, 12:18 AM
Mr. Nal... paging Mr. A. Nal...

Why do you want A. Nal? Why would you CALL for A.Nal? Sorta creeps me out man...no offense...homo...


:D

5stringJeff
02-21-2007, 12:26 AM
Why do you want A. Nal? Why would you CALL for A.Nal? Sorta creeps me out man...no offense...homo...


:D

Don't judge me, fascist!

darin
02-21-2007, 12:28 AM
Don't judge me, fascist!

Once you go fascist, you never go back. I WISH I could have found a way to make that rhyme.

:D

5stringJeff
02-21-2007, 12:29 AM
Once you go fascist, you never go back. I WISH I could have found a way to make that rhyme.

:D

Fascist for life, maybe? :D

LiberalNation
02-23-2007, 07:44 AM
Soldier gets 100 years for rape, killing

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070223/ap_on_re_us/iraq_rape_slaying;_ylt=ArUOKbiBly4pUoyUES_hmuNvzwc F

Gunny
02-24-2007, 10:07 AM
Soldier gets 100 years for rape, killing

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070223/ap_on_re_us/iraq_rape_slaying;_ylt=ArUOKbiBly4pUoyUES_hmuNvzwc F

Good. Seems like a just punishment to me. Hope they put his ass in general population so he can see what the other side of his crime is like.

Yurt
02-24-2007, 09:25 PM
If you COULD care less that means you DO care to some extent. "I Could care less" means there is within you a modicum of caring which COULD be less than the amount you currently Care. Now, if you "Couldn't" care less, it means there is NO AMOUNT of caring within you which could, in fact, be LESS than the amount of caring you currently possess.


:)

How shall we say:

owned?

:laugh2:

Yurt
02-24-2007, 09:29 PM
Mr. Nal... paging Mr. A. Nal...

:laugh2:

Reminds me of the days calling the front desk at the dorm with "names" and having the guy yell out the window, then say, no one here by that.. ok, try his first name too, LOL, and 80% of the time they would do it.

Brings a tear to the eye..