US army captain faces court martial over Iraqi murder charges

[moroni]

WIESBADEN, Germany (AFP) - A US army captain accused of murdering an Iraqi follower of a radical Shiite Muslim cleric in May is to face a court martial, the US army announced.

Captain Rogelio Maynulet, 29, is charged with murdering the man on May 21 in an incident during which US troops fired at a civilian vehicle they believed had militia men aboard near the central Iraqi town of Kufa.

<snip>

During the Article 32 investigation in September, the Hanau court heard witnesses who said that Maynulet had claimed the killing was an act of mercy.

Under US troop rules of engagement in Iraq (news - web sites), shooting at suspect cars is allowed under certain circumstances.

In this instance, US forces had fired at the car, killing a passenger and badly injuring the driver.

Shortly, thereafter the wounded driver was shot and killed at close range.

In September, one witness, 1st Lieutenant Colin Cremin, had said that Maynulet and his men had told him that the driver "had half his brain hanging out, there was nothing more that could be done for him."

<snip>

I don't know what I would do in this case assuming the witness account is believeable.... Murder is murder.


On edit; Sorry, this is from Yahoo News.

[Moderator]

1. Duplicate

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