Soldier grins and confesses to rape. (Abeer Qasim al Janabi)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

I hope this guy smiles his way through prison for the rest of his miserable life.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/11/17/10083150.html

Fort Campbell, Kentucky: One of four US soldiers accused of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl last spring showed little remorse and even smiled during a confession to charges he conspired to kill her and her family. Even before the hearing on Wednesday to announce a plea agreement, James P. Barker, 23, slapped hands with other soldiers and grinned as he smoked a cigarette in the rain. A bailiff scolded him.

And when he described for the judge the assault in his own words, he gave vivid details of the rape with a deadpan delivery. "That's pretty much all I have to say," Barker muttered with a shrug after describing raping the screaming girl. Barker agreed to plead guilty to the charges to avoid the death penalty, his civilian attorney David Sheldon said.

At one point, the military judge presiding over the case, Lt Col Richard Anderson, asked Barker why he had decided with other soldiers to commit the rape and murders. "I hated Iraqis, your honour," Barker answered. "They can smile at you, then shoot you in your face without even thinking about it." Anderson accepted the plea agreement, which calls for Barker to serve life in prison.

Barker described changing clothes, then climbing through backyards as the five left the checkpoint. He also described in vivid detail raping Abeer Qasim Al Janabi with Cortez and Green before Green killed the girl, her younger sister and parents. The defendants also are accused of burning the girl's body and the incident is considered among the worst in a series of alleged attacks on civilians.

[KoKo]

1. Any of those folks on Court TV and MSNBC's Crime shows ever mention

this disgusting crime? They spend hours on all kinds of murders and rapes it seems when I flip through channels, but I don't watch so I don't know if this is covered in detail anywhere.

American people need to know what was done and it's hard to find the story even in the print media.

[undeterred]

2. an American soldier

Sorry, I don't support these kind of troops and I don't feel sorry for him. Hope his prison rapist smiles at him. }(

[qazplm]

3. my question

how in the world does grinning outside while talking with other soldiers equate to grinning during the trial itself?

[Selatius]

4. I don't think he will serve even half his term.

I heard he got 90 years with possibility for parole. He will either be paroled or pardoned long before then. Then he will be on America's streets.