Sgt. says he is innocent in Iraqi murder case

[unhappycamper]

Sgt. says he is innocent in Iraqi murder case
By Angela K. Brown - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Apr 30, 2008 21:58:29 EDT

FORT HOOD, Texas — An Army sergeant shot at an unarmed Iraqi insurgent twice, hitting him at least once, but the sergeant was following the rules of engagement because the man was a threat, he testified Wednesday during his court-martial.

During his 2½-hour testimony, Sgt. Leonardo Trevino said he was innocent of premeditated murder, covering up a crime scene and other charges stemming from the June killing after a firefight in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.

Trevino testified that after following a blood trail into a house, he thought the severely wounded insurgent was a threat because the flailing man might be trying to trigger an improvised explosive device.

Trevino said that during the chaotic scene someone yelled that the Iraqi had or was reaching for a gun, so Trevino pulled the trigger. He then asked where the Iraqi’s gun was and one soldier pulled out a gun and placed it on the floor, he said. But Trevino testified that he was disappointed the soldier would try to stage a crime scene and gave him the gun back.

After a medic arrived and said the insurgent was about to die, Trevino said they should hurry but said he scoffed at the medic’s suggestion of suffocating the insurgent. Trevino said he then left the house to give a report to his superior. When Trevino returned, he said, he saw the man’s arm jerk then fired his gun a second time without aiming or looking at the insurgent.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_trevino_043008/