Green Beret: Team waited to report killing

[unhappycamper]

Green Beret: Team waited to report killing
By Estes Thompson - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 14, 2008 15:43:30 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Green Berets believed a fellow soldier had killed a civilian and kept his ear but didn’t report him because they wanted their team intact for a mission to a remote Afghan village, a team member testified Wednesday.

Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Greathead testified Wednesday that team members expected gunfire during the mission and so agreed to wait several days before telling commanders about the fatal shooting. He said they didn’t want Master Sgt. Joseph D. Newell immediately expelled from the team because they wanted “all the guns on the ground.”

Greathead denied suggestions from Newell’s attorney that team members conspired against Newell because he was too aggressive and his tactics could endanger members of the team.

He said team members held meetings without Newell only to discuss how and when they would report the March 5 killing. Newell is accused of dumping the Afghan civilian’s body in the desert and keeping his ear as a souvenir.

“We had to do something about it,” Greathead said. “What if his (the Afghan man’s) family brought it up? Then we’d be just as guilty.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/08/ap_newell_hearing_081308/