Green Beret arraigned in desecration of body

[unhappycamper]

Green Beret arraigned in desecration of body
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Sep 21, 2008 9:55:36 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A Special Forces soldier will be court-martialed early next year on charges that he killed an Afghan civilian and cut off his ear near a remote village, the Army said Thursday.

Master Sgt. Joseph D. Newell, 38, of Tecumseh, Mich., was arraigned Wednesday on charges of murder and desecration of a body.

Prosecutors say Newell shot an unidentified man his team encountered during a convoy March 5 near the village of Hyderabad in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

Officials at Fort Bragg held a hearing last month to determine whether there was enough evidence to formally charge Newell.

His attorney, Todd Conormon, argued that evidence against Newell was weak and charges should be dismissed. He said Newell was being “treated like a terrorist” and was a victim of a conspiracy among some soldiers on his team to get rid of him.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/ap_soldier_afghandeath_091808/%2e