U.S. Soldier Sentenced in Iraqi's Killing

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050123/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_soldiers_convicted&cid=540&ncid=1478

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A U.S. military court found a 1st Cavalry Division soldier guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Saturday in the fatal shooting of an Iraqi translator and sentenced him to three years in prison, reduction in rank and a bad conduct discharge.

Spc. Charley L. Hooser also was convicted of making a false statement to investigators following the Nov. 24 shooting of the female translator, which occurred at an Army forward base in Baghdad, the U.S. command said.

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[bluestateguy]

1. He should have been sentenced to death.

It's amazing how right wing Republicans who scream and yell about getting tough on crime can suddenly get very soft when it comes to crimes committed by members of the military (unless they are deserting to Canada to escape an illegal war), corporate crooks or police officers.

[Charlie Brown]

2. I don't believe in the death penalty

he should have been tried for murder, though. And he should have gotten life.

[toymachines]

3. so he shot her intentionally, and killed her, and he gets 3 years

i really hate this hypocrisy shit

[Stop_the_War]

4. I agree

I don't believe in the death penalty. I think he should have gotten life without parole. 3 years? What the hell? He should get 80 years. People who do drugs can get up to 20 years in prison while a soldier who murders another human being gets only 3 scant years. This makes me angry.

[RebelOne]

6. Maybe others here don't agree with you, but I do.

[nibbana]

7. According to detailed stories the 3 were friends and it was accident.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29423-2005Jan22_2.html

[NNN0LHI]

9. And the soldiers lied and said she shot her self in the head

I would like to hear the side from the dead girl, but unfortunately thats not possible. We only have the testimony of two admitted liars to go by. Not good.

Don

[nibbana]

5. Any stories that provide details?

[Rose Siding]

8. They were "joking and horseplaying" with a pistol pointed at her head?

snip>
One of the soldiers said that he and his colleague had been "joking and horseplaying" with the translator when the trigger was pulled on a pistol pointed at her head. The soldiers said they did not realize the gun was loaded.
...
Hadi helped interview Iraqis taken into custody by U.S. forces. Hooser said that he and Dajani were her close friends and that they had been playing around in the office where they all worked. She was laughing and joking, Dajani said.

"Somebody said something about shooting someone. We said we could just kill Luma," Hooser testified in court.

Both men said Dajani reached into a locker where Hadi had stored a pistol she carried for her protection and handed it to Hooser without checking whether it was loaded. Hooser said he pointed the gun at Hadi and squeezed the trigger, also without checking it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29423-2005Jan22.html

She was the mother of a 6 year old girl. THREE YEARS?