NCO faces murder charges in Iraqi detainees’ deaths

[unhappycamper]

NCO faces murder charges in Iraqi detainees’ deaths
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, January 8, 2009

Charges were referred to court-martial Monday against an Army master sergeant accused in two separate incidents allegedly involving the shooting of Iraqi detainees in Iraq in 2007, the Army said Wednesday afternoon.

Master Sgt. John E. Hatley, 40, is charged with one specification of premeditated murder; one specification of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and one specification of obstruction of justice relating to an incident that occurred in either March or April 2007 in or near Baghdad, according to a statement from 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command.

Late last year, Hatley waived his right to an Article 32 hearing on the charges. Hatley is the highest-ranking of seven soldiers charged in the alleged incident.

However, at the Article 32 hearing for another soldier charged in the incident, witnesses testified that Hatley — then the company first sergeant — told his men that four Iraqi detainees were killed to avenge the deaths of three members of his unit.

Pfc. Joshua Hupp was one of the soldiers who testified in December at the Article 32 hearing for Sgt. 1st Class Joseph P. Mayo.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59859