U.S. soldier gets 8 months, discharge over killings of Iraqis

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE49169G20081002

BERLIN (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier who pleaded guilty to involvement in the fatal shooting of detainees in Iraq early last year has been sentenced to eight months in jail and will be discharged from the armed forces, the army said Thursday.

Specialist Stephen Ribordy, 25, pleaded guilty at a court martial in Germany to being an accessory after the fact, the army said in a statement. A charge against him of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder was dismissed.

As part of his guilty plea, Ribordy agreed to testify in the trials of other soldiers involved, it added.

Ribordy was present when four unarmed, handcuffed and blindfolded Iraqi detainees were shot dead near a canal in Baghdad in March or April 2007, U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported, citing court testimony.

An army spokesman was unable to confirm the details of the incident and said the bodies had never been found.

[snappyturtle]

1. I wonder what an accessory to murder after the fact would receive

from a civil criminal court?

[jrockford]

2. Wow 8 months eh? Puts quite a low value on Iraqi life. nt

[malaise]

3. What are Bush, Cheney and Runny getting

other than a bailout?

Murderers and war criminals - what a disgrace to the planet.