Sergeant Accused of Killing Fellow Soldier While Serving in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBQJBIZ7AE.html

FORT SILL, Okla. (AP) - An Army sergeant is accused of shooting to death a fellow soldier in Iraq after an argument in February, military officials said.

Sgt. David Freyaldenhoven, of the 39th Infantry Brigade in Arkansas, was charged with murder, aggravated assault and consuming alcohol in a war zone following a four-month military investigation.

Freyaldenhoven, 25, listened to hours of testimony Monday during a special hearing at Fort Sill. Investigating officer Maj. Mark LaFlamme oversaw the hearing and will decide if the case goes forward to a court-martial trial.

Witnesses were instructed not to talk to anyone about their testimony, but details from Monday's hearing were reported in Tuesday's editions of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

[Catch22Dem]

1. Freyaldenhoven couldn't possibly be a common name...

I went to school with a Freyaldenhoven. Wonder if they're related. Maybe her brother or something.

[TalkingDog]

3. Freyaldenhoven???

Wouldn't that mean something like: The Confused Goddess? or The Rushing Headlong Goddess?

Anyway...just an interesting name.

[saigon68]

2. Freedom on the March in Iraq

Thanks to Sgt. David Freyaldenhoven </sarcasm>

[UpInArms]

4. I guess this was a "non-hostile" death?

:sarcasm:

[Minnesota_Lib]

5. How dare the lefty, anti-American media denigrate our brave fighting men..

...by claiming they are all...ALL!!! shooting each other and are no better than...than murdering non-white, non-Christian thugs....

Oops, sorry...I just suffered from a momentary demonic right-wing, logic-deprived possession. It has now been exorcized by a kindly but gruff French street mime whom happened to be passing by ...nothing to see here...go about your business... :D

[gratuitous]

6. Well, I'm sure the military will thoroughly investigate one of its own

Too bad the Sergeant shot another soldier; if he'd just gunned down an Iraqi civilian, his airtight defense would be that he felt threatened, all other extenuating circumstances (such as whether the civilian was armed or not, bound or free, docile or hostile) become immediately irrelevant, and the soldier goes free. But shooting another soldier, he might actually be in peril of loss of rank or time in grade or something.

[rainbow4321]

7. Now they are trashing the victim...

http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=85292


At a special hearing at Fort Sill, Okla., Monday, Sgt. David Freyaldenhoven, 25, of Morrilton was formally charged with murder, aggravated assault and consuming alcohol in a war zone following a four-month military investigation.

Witnesses detailed how Freyaldenhoven argued with Staff Sgt. Terry Robbins, 31, of North Little Rock on Feb. 10 about drinking at the Iraqi national guard training base where they worked, then shot Robbins to death.

<snip>

She testified that Robbins, who was 11 days shy of completing his tour in Iraq, was about to drive her back to her barracks when he ``said he was going to grab another drink.'' He left Parker in the Humvee, she said, and went to the vehicle behind them, in which Freyaldenhoven, Staff Sgt. Gene R. Coffren and Sgt. Timothy Newman, had been joyriding and carrying alcoholic punch. That's where the argument unfolded, she said.


LaFlamme asked witnesses about Robbins' demeanor, and one said Robbins had threatened to shoot the Iraqis they were training if they didn't listen or perform better.