U.S. Soldier Get 24 Year Prison Sentence For Murdering Unarmed Afghan Civilians For Sport

[Charleston Chew]

Run time: 04:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78jCY25Vr14   Posted on YouTube: March 24, 2011 By YouTube Member: MoxNewsDotCom Views on YouTube: 36   Posted on DU: March 24, 2011 By DU Member: Charleston Chew Views on DU: 932

 
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Soldier gets 24 years in prison for Afghan murders

REUTERS - The first of five U.S. soldiers charged with killing unarmed Afghan civilians last year was sentenced on Wednesday to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of premeditated murder.

The guilty plea and sentencing of Army Specialist Jeremy Morlock, 23, of Wasilla, Alaska, marked a turning point in the most serious prosecution of alleged U.S. military atrocities during 10 years of war in Afghanistan.

Under questioning by the judge, Morlock recounted his role in the deaths of three unarmed Afghan villagers whose slayings by grenade blasts and rifle fire were staged to appear as legitimate combat casualties.

"I knew what I was doing was wrong, sir," he said, adding that, contrary to his lawyers' suggestions, his judgment was not impaired by drugs. He admitted smoking hashish three or four times a week during his deployment in Afghanistan.

German magazine Der Spiegel this week published several photos related to the killings, one showing Morlock crouched grinning over a bloodied corpse as he lifted the dead man's head by the hair for the camera.

http://www.france24.com/en/20110324-us-soldier-sentenced-prison-afghanistan-murders-war-hashish-morlock
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[stlsaxman]

1. Excellent. Now if we can just make laws apply to the State Dept. contractors.

[grntuscarora]

2. Morlock will be eligible for parole

in just 7 years?! I think I understand how plea deals work, but that still seems extremely light considering the heinousness of the crime.
And whistle-blower Bradley Manning, who killed no one, is looking at a life sentence or death????
This is so screwed up.

[Aerows]

4. Apparently killing is a lesser crime...

...than embarrassing powerful people.

[tavalon]

7. Welcome to the new boss

Same as the old boss. It's still topsy turvy world here at the end of empire.

[Butch350]

3. Only 24 years?

The innocent Afghans will be dead forever!

[VWolf]

5. Yeah, but they're brown people

so they don't matter

:sarcasm:

[emanymton]

6. The Question Not Being Asked, "At What Level ...

.

of government service, is a person above the law?" USA is saying admitting to war-crimes by senior USA government officials will not be subject to legal actions by USA.

The chain of command does have responsibility for having known about the actions. Commanders are responsible for what their soldiers do and do not do.

It is time for a complete legal investigation of official government actions and behaviors; from the top down..

Ema Nymton
~@:o?
.

[tavalon]

8. Well, it's not being asked any more

We asked it repeatedly when there was a Republican in the Whitehouse, but now that it's a Democrat, well, different rules apply to us. Situational ethics and all that. Try saying that the buck stops with Obama and watch the heads explode around here.

[SylviaD]

11. You just said a mouthful.

Bravo.

[WingDinger]

9. War loses your moral compass. Stop frivolous wars.

[spooked911]

10. EXACTLY!!!

the military and these fucked up wars turn people into amoral killers