Army soldier cleared of manslaughter in Iraqi drowning case

[rainbow4321]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D87FNG0G1.html

An Army platoon sergeant was acquitted Friday of involuntary manslaughter but convicted of assault in the drowning death of an Iraqi civilian who was forced into the Tigris River by armed U.S. troops.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Perkins, 33, had been charged with involuntary manslaughter in Zaidoun Hassoun's death after he and his cousin, who had violated curfew, were forced into the cold river near Samarra in January 2004.

The six-man jury of Army officers and enlisted members, who deliberated 17 hours over two days, considered lesser charges. They convicted him of assault consummated by battery in Zaidoun's death. That carries a maximum sentence of six months.

Perkins, with 14 years of military service, was found guilty of aggravated assault in connection with Marwan Hassoun, the cousin who survived. Perkins was also found guilty of aggravated assault for ordering a soldier to throw another Iraqi man into the river in December 2003 near Balad.

[daleo]

1. This will win a few more hearts and minds (not). n/t

[darkism]

2. Absolutely outrageous. eom

[ElectroPrincess]

3. What? Drowning insurgents is considered an extreme application of

"water boarding?" Or is it that "water boarding" is the rehearsal for the real thing?

This sends this Platoon Sergeant's fellow soldiers not to mention "our enemy torturers" the wrong message.

[DRoseDARs]

4. Assault? Oh give me a break, it was just a frat prank. Blowing off steam.

And the water continues to circle the drain...

[Judi Lynn]

5. The U.S. soldiers were sadistic. They forced this 19 year old man

to his death, even as he cried out he couldn't swim. What a damned, damned shame.

According to the British newspaper, Zeidun Fadhil and his cousin Marwan
>Fadhil were allegedly taken to a remote spot on the shore and ordered into
>the river at gunpoint. When they refused, the soldiers were said to have
>forced them into the river. Zeidun, who could not swim, drowned in the
>strong current. His cousin survived to reveal the horrendous unfolding
>developments of a story that has not been covered by US media.
>
>A lawyer for the family of the dead man said US soldiers in Samarra told
>the family there would be a full investigation, and that a military
>investigator had interviewed the surviving cousin as a witness.
>
>Nazar Fadhil, the dead man's uncle and the family lawyer, said the US
>military had ordered Zeidun's body to be exhumed for an autopsy.
>
>He added the family was awaiting the arrival of a forensic pathologist. He
>also said that the American army had offered the family "compensation",
>but that they had firmly refused it.
>
>According to the paper, Zeidun, whose full name is Zeidun Mamun Fadhil
>al-Samarai, had become engaged three weeks before his death, and was
>saving money for his wedding.
>
>The Independent was shown a letter from his mother, Widad, to US President
>George W. Bush and to British Premier Tony Blair in which she demanded a
>full inquiry into her son's death.
>
>Zeidun's mother, in her letter to Bush and Blair, said, "We found his
>jacket in the river. We shall keep it as a souvenir of the justice my son
>got from the American soldiers. They came to Iraq under the slogans of
>democracy and human rights, but in cold blood they wedded my son to death
>even as he was preparing for his marriage.
>
>"I ask you to open an inquiry. Whatever you do will not bring my son back
>to life. But maybe this will stop the pain of the other mothers in my
>country."
(snip)

http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-miami/2004-February/000505.html

Zaydun Ma'mun Fadhil

[saigon68]

6. He's just like these guys

A few of their key leaders felt the noose. But the Average NAZI WAR CRIMINAL THUG slunk off to their work bench in the Black Forest and prayed for their Next Savior to arrive.

SEIG HEIL.!!!!!

[0007]

7. Murder is obstruction of justice?

"Perkins, with 14 years of military service, was found guilty of aggravated assault in connection with Marwan Hassoun, the cousin who survived. Perkins was also found guilty of aggravated assault for ordering a soldier to throw another Iraqi man into the river in December 2003 near Balad."

Perkins was found guilty of obstruction of justice and innocent of making a false statement."

His sentence ranges from no punishment to 11 years.

[leftchick]

11. this is appalling...

and I am sure it will make the Iraqis throw those flowers harder.

:(

[OKNancy]

8. Kick

:kick:

[Guaranteed]

9. No justice. An outrage. nt

[riverwalker]

10. Tracy Perkins

psychopath and sadist. Soon to be living near you, working in your day care, coaching your little league, installing your windows.
This one man tsunami, forcing people into water to watch them drown, will not be punished more than serving 6 months. Martha Stewart was punished more.

[ElectroPrincess]

14. Maybe they'll hire this sociopath as an company level "military adviser"

for FOX cable ... like that Bozo Special Forces Major *Flagg* (a la Col. Flagg in Mash)? Damn, I wouldn't be surprised if some FOX freepers find this an excellent idea. :puke:

... I'm fessing up = can't remember this guy's name but he's a "balls to the wall" and "kill um' all" nut-case types trotted out on FOX cable as a Special Forces Expert.

In general I have the utmost respect for both the US Army Rangers and Special Forces. I trained with many of them during my "paid vacation" as a young cadet at Airborne School, Ft. Benning, GA.

Many of these men were "highly intelligent" and express rational and humane values. Most sane soldiers, EVEN those within the *elite forces* (SEALS, SF, Rangers, Airborne, Air Assault, Pathfinder, etc.), LOVE to train but NEVER in their heart and soul WISH to fight in a REAL WAR. However, there's always an element that attracts those who actually ENJOY tearing ass blowing up sh*t and killing lots of people for sport and yucks. They are the minority and they *usually* are not the Platoon Leaders, Platoon Sergeants or Company Commanders.

In "Rumsfles's War" (thanks to numerous VERBAL *wink winks* by Rummy via legal acrobatics of toadies like Gonzales), a Platoon Leader best not accuse any of his troops of war crimes because it won't go any further than the Company level ... I wouldn't be shocked to later validate that, without PHOTOS in hand, war crime complains will have proved to be a "career ender" for many morally courageous company grade officer.

The people MOST responsible for covertly allowing, and at times seemingly condoning torture are OUR LEADERS in the Pentagon and the Executive Branch.

When you're a soldier and are not given clear guidelines ... add great stress, frustration and long deployments, this (cruelty, war crimes) is EXACTLY what you will produce, i.e., heartless and/or morally disconnected soldiers.

The Buck stops with Rumsfeld and *.

Finally, I personally implore you as a vet and concerned American to please consider regularly visits to TruthOut.org ... and to also consider donating time and/or some spare change to their support of the troops ... promoting their mental/moral wellbeing ... and just being there for troops upon return from combat.

http://www.truthout.org/

On edit: Excuse my error above. I confused two sites that I visit often. What site I was referring to above is Operation Truth.

http://www.optruth.org/main.cfm

Sorry for the error and possible confusion ... Yes! TruthOut is IMHO an excellent site too ... "Hey Will Pitt." <blush>

[anarchy1999]

28. Your post just commited us to donating to TO. Thank you.

n/t

Will and TO get x dollars thanks to you.

Now support RB Ham and Jackson Thoreau.

[Cheswick2.0]

12. but was the victim in pain equal to organ failure?

If not, Gonzales says it's okay.

[pdxmom]

13. If this had happened here...

the Repubs would be screaming about stupid juries and activist judges. Think there will be an outcry about this result from them? (I've got to stop posting rhetorical questions.)

[AlbizuX]

15. NO JUSTICE.

No justice...a man forces an Iraqi to fall into a river, and gets charged with Assault...but no involuntary manslaughter...even though the Iraqi man died as a result.

What's involuntary manslaughter if not the unintended result of someone dying?

So much for military justice in the United States....

SHAME....

[Karenina]

16. Americans WILL be held accountable.

One way or another.

[Solly Mack]

25. Yes!

Pity few understand that fully

[anarchy1999]

17. How would you feel if this were your brother or cousin? How would

you feel if you were the cousin that survived? Anyone here think the cousin may have joined with "Rummie's "dead-enders" "?

What would you do? How would you feel? Put yourself in this family's place.

[Sterling]

19. I would kill ten Americans in revenge.

If it were Iraqi's in Brooklyn I would be making IED's and placing them near the invaders truck routes.

[anarchy1999]

20. Sterling, I never thought to see you weigh in on this one. Whoa.

10 is a little harsh, don't you think? I'd just be with the resistance in ending the occupation. I'd be reading lots of history, re: the end of the British occupation.

[leesa]

18. Well, this seems like a mighty irrational decision.

Why on earth would he not be convicted of manslaughter?? He forced the guy into the water and watched him drown.

[Guaranteed]

24. Apparently, the jury wasn't convinced that the guy really died.

Although, of course, the guy's cousin hasn't seen him since.

Funny, eh?

Also funny that they didn't use DNA or something to that effect to identify the body that they did find.

[rainbow4321]

27. Attorney says Iraqi body not yet exhumed in drowning case

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D87GR8L81.html


Despite a judge's order, the Army has made no steps toward exhuming the body of an Iraqi who allegedly drowned after being forced into the Tigris River by armed U.S. troops, a soldier's attorney said Sunday.

Frank Spinner said that raises questions about how the government will proceed in its case against his client, Army 1st Lt. Jack Saville. He faces trial in March on charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and making a false statement


Defense lawyers contend the victim, 19-year-old Zaidoun Hassoun, is still alive. During Perkins' trial, an Army investigator testified that she never saw Zaidoun's body, allegedly found in the river 12 days after the incident, and did not have it exhumed because of security concerns.

A forensic expert testified that a corpse shown in a funeral videotape provided by Zaidoun's family showed no signs of being in water for nearly two weeks. Last month, a judge approved Saville's request to have the body exhumed to determine identification and cause of death. The judge also told the Army to provide a forensic pathologist to discuss the procedure before they start.

[peacebird]

21. so much for my belief in the system or that there were still

SOME honorable people in the military. i am sick about this. and to think i took HOPE in the fact this case was going to trial? i am a fool.

:wtf:

he murdered this man, LAUGHING as he sent him to drown in the Tigris river - and gets OFF?

IS THIS SOMEONE YOU WANT LIVING NEXT DOOR?

[anarchy1999]

22. Coming home soon, to a "theater" near you.

n/t
Sorry.

[moobu2]

23. He was crying because

he didn't want to lose his job...disgusting!

[primavera]

26. What a shock

The US Army aquitting yet another of its own of criminal misconduct, gosh, I didn't see that one coming. :eyes: Face it people, our military would give Adolph Eichmann a free pass.