Soldier pleads guilty in blindfold deaths

[unhappycamper]

Soldier pleads guilty in blindfold deaths
By George Frey - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 3, 2008 5:46:19 EDT

VILSECK, Germany — A U.S. soldier has been sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of accessory to murder in the killings of four Iraqi prisoners who were bound, blindfolded, shot and dumped in a canal in the spring of 2007.

Army Spc. Steven Ribordy will also have his rank reduced to private and receive a bad-conduct discharge.

The sentence at a court-martial came as part of a plea agreement Thursday that will see the 25-year-old from Kansas testify for the prosecution against others in his unit who are alleged to have carried out the shootings.

Ribordy was a member of the patrol accused of being responsible for the killings and testified that he stood watch as they were carried out. All seven soldiers allegedly involved in the case were assigned to 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq. They are now part of the Germany-based 172nd Infantry Brigade.

Another soldier, Spc. Belmor Ramos, 23, took a plea deal last month in exchange for testimony and was sentenced to seven months in prison and a dishonorable discharge.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_blindfolddeath_100208/%2e



uhc comment: Isn't it amazing that no one above the rank of Lt. or Cpt. is not responsible? Or ever will be?