Italy Opens Murder Trial of U.S. Soldier

[bemildred]

Source: AP

ROME (AP) -- An American soldier is being tried in absentia Tuesday for the killing of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Iraq two years ago - a case that has strained relations between Italy and the United States.

Spc. Mario Lozano is accused of shooting Nicola Calipari on March 4, 2005, while the Italian agent was on his way to the Baghdad airport shortly after securing the release of a kidnapped Italian journalist, Giuliana Sgrena.

Sgrena was wounded, as was an agent who was driving the car.

Lozano was indicted in February on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ITALY_IRAQ_US?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-04-16-09-19-13

[gratuitous]

1. Someday, perhaps, we'll be as brave as the Italians

And face up to the fact that our military sometimes commits crimes.

[saigon68]

2. Never here

</sarcasm>

[gratuitous]

3. Yeah, what was I thinking?

It does strike me as mickle odd, though, that we're real pointed about making sure the Germans take responsibility for the Nazi regime, and that the Japanese take responsibility for their attack on Nanking or the use of the so-called comfort women, but we're remarkably slow about even acknowledging any wrongdoing by our own military. The recent confirmation of the civilian massacre at No Gun Ri in 1950 is just the latest case in point. Will there be a formal governmental apology? Will we offer reparations? I'm not holding my breath.

[Heidi]

4. Kick.

:kick:

[MGD]

5. Trial of U.S. soldier to open in Rome

Source: The Associated Press.

ROME (AP) — A U.S. soldier is being put on trial in absentia Tuesday for the alleged murder of an Italian intelligence agent at a checkpoint in Iraq two years ago.

In a case that has strained relations between Rome and Washington, Spc. Mario Lozano will be tried in a maximum-security courtroom on the outskirts of the Italian capital.

The agent, Nicola Calipari, was shot on March 4, 2005, on his way to the Baghdad airport shortly after securing the release of a kidnapped Italian journalist, Giuliana Sgrena. Another agent, who was driving the car, and Sgrena were wounded.

Lozano was indicted in February on charges of murder and attempted murder.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-04-16-soldier-rome-trial_N.htm?csp=34

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Well, there it is. They did it absentia. As far as I'm concerned, Lozano is innocent and was simply doing the best that he could under the most difficult of circumstances. There's very little chance that he's actually guilty of murder or attempted murder.