US Soldier Guilty of Iraq Murder

An American military jury has found a US army officer guilty of the murder of an Iraqi detainee.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The jury in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, also convicted 1st Lt Michael Behenna of assaulting Ali Mansour Mohammed near Baiji, north of Baghdad, last May.

Behenna had argued that he was defending himself when he fatally shot Mr Mohammed during an interrogation.

He was found not guilty of the more serious offence of premeditated murder, the Associated Press reported.

The defence argued that Behenna had only intended to interrogate Mr Mohammed about a roadside bomb which had killed two members of his platoon.

Defence attorney Jack Zimmerman said Behenna was suffering from acute stress disorder at the time, and had acted in self defence when Mr Mohammed had reached for a gun.

An organization representing Lt. Behenna is available at this link: defendmichael.com.

But US military prosecutor Capt Jason Elbert said it was clear from Behenna’s behavior at the time and threats he made that he had intended to kill the detainee.

He said Behenna had “controlled the whole situation as an officer of the US Army, armed and protected and under no threat”.

Last week another US soldier, Sgt Michael Leahy Jr, was found guilty of the murder of four Iraqi detainees who were shot and their bodies dumped in a canal.

The US has about 142,000 military personnel stationed in Iraq, but President Barack Obama has said that most troops will be withdrawn by August 2010.

=========================================================
Special thanks to: freedetainees.org - prisoner profiles and actions

Salem-News.com Top Stories

2025: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Vic March 2, 2009 6:57 pm (Pacific time)

Michael, I hope you are right.

Michael March 2, 2009 12:01 pm (Pacific time)

Vic those Soldiers and Marines who come back from combat zones (including infantry personnel) commit just a fraction of homicides compared to their same age civilian cohorts. Actually you could say that going into the military, and even participating in actual combat, lowers the homicide rate when these people rejoin civilian life. You live in relative safety because of the tremendous sacrifice of our military people. Complacency is the by-product of their sacrifice, ironic!

Vic March 2, 2009 6:17 am (Pacific time)

Thats real cool that you put the link up to defend this guy...do you do that for other murderers, or just the ones who murder while wearing a uniform? What about the soldiers and marines that come back here and murder..(there have been a lot)..are you going to work for their defense too? If not, then that would suggest that Iraqi lives have much less value to S-N..which I seriously doubt is the case. You obviously believe that this jerk is innocent...or else why post the link?

Editor: This reminds me of when the pinball machine suddenly reads "tilt". We used that link as a courtesy because we used a photo that they had available of him and the others were AP photos. I don't personally have as much faith in my government as you do and I'm glad you do. The guy is probably guilty as the story indicates, but it never hurts to leave the door open just a little in a world where overzealous prosecutors are happy to hang a guilty verdict on every suspect that passes their way.

[Return to Top]