Slain capt. mulled taking job from suspect

[unhappycamper]

Slain capt. mulled taking job from suspect
By Estes Thompson - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Nov 7, 2008 17:24:51 EST

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A sergeant testifying in the murder trial of a New York soldier said Friday the suspect’s superior officer was killed a day after he asked about removing the soldier from his duties.

Sgt. 1st Class Ashvin Thimmaiah testified that Capt. Phillip Esposito asked him for a list of “potential candidates to take over the supply room” from Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez, who oversaw the room and the distribution of its equipment.

Earlier witnesses have said Martinez and Esposito’s relationship was tense because Esposito wanted all equipment accounted for in the supply room, but Martinez didn’t believe the paperwork was necessary.

Martinez, 41, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of Esposito, 30, of Suffern, N.Y., and 1st Lt. Louis E. Allen, 34, of Milford, Pa. Both men died after an antipersonnel mine detonated outside their room at a U.S. military base in Iraq in 2005.

Thimmaiah, an administrative sergeant in Esposito’s company, said he was in the officers’ room the night of the explosion playing the board game Risk, but left the room after he was eliminated. He said he was in the shower when the explosion occurred. He ran back to the room and saw the window had been blown in.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_fraggingrtrial_110708/%2e