Soldier Gets 18 Years For Detainee Murder

(AP)  A 101st Airborne Division soldier was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to murdering an Iraqi detainee and taking part in the killings of two others, saying he went along with a plan to make it look like they were escaping.

Pfc. Corey R. Clagett, 22, was one of four soldiers from the division's 3rd Brigade "Rakkasans" who were accused in the detainees' deaths during a May 9 raid on the Muthana chemical complex in Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad.

In an agreement with prosecutors, Clagett pleaded guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Prosecutors dropped a second obstruction charge and charges of disrespecting an officer and threatening.

Clagett will also be demoted to private and dishonorably discharged. If he does not cooperate with prosecutors, he could be sentenced to life in prison with a chance at parole.

The soldiers first told investigators they shot the detainees because they were attempting to flee — a story they now say they made up — and that commanders had given them orders to kill all military-age males on the mission.

Two of those soldiers, Spc. William B. Hunsaker and Spc. Juston R. Graber, have changed their stories and pleaded guilty. The squad leader, Staff Sgt. Raymond Girouard, is awaiting his court-martial.

"(Sgt. Girouard) said we were going to cut the zip ties loose and kill the detainees," Clagett told the military judge, Col. Theodore Dixon, on Thursday. "I knew it was an unlawful order. I just went along with it."

The judge asked Clagett what his intention was when he shot at the detainees.

"To kill them, your honor," Clagett said.

Prosecutors said Clagett fatally shot one detainee and seriously wounded another. Official say Graber then killed the wounded detainee, and Hunsaker killed the third.

Clagett's lawyer, Paul Bergrin, has insisted Clagett was following orders, but sought the plea agreement after Hunsaker, 24, told a military judge that Clagett helped him shoot the detainees.

"My client was 100 percent convinced at all times that the individuals that were killed were terrorists," Bergrin told reporters after the sentencing. "His heart is bleeding that he can no longer serve his country."

Military prosecutors would not discuss the case.

Hunsaker pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder and obstruction of justice this month and was also sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Graber, 21, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon as part of his agreement to cooperate with prosecutors. He was sentenced to nine months in military jail.

Hunsaker testified that Girouard cut him on the face and arm to make it appear there was a struggle after he and Clagett killed the detainees. Clagett repeated that story to the judge Thursday.

"Just like anyone, we didn't want to get caught," Clagett said.

The case is one of two involving soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division accused of killing Iraqis during a deployment to the Middle Eastern country that ended in September.

Four other soldiers from the division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team are accused of raping and killing an Iraqi teenager and killing three others in her family last March. A former Army private also faces murder and rape charges in federal court for the same incident.

[sarah-lou-sweet-11]

Don't get me wrong-I totally 100% support the US military. But i don't support them murdering anyone-what this guy did was wrong. I think he should pay for what he did. He wasn't trying to keep the detainee from escaping, they did it just because. Every person has a story-and his is WRONG!Don't free this guy.

[randalds]

On one hand I feel sympathy for a soldier placed in an unwinnable war and being controlled by a corrupt government. On the other I feel nothing but contempt for anyone who dishonors the uniform and the service. I guess striking a balance, 18 years is just about right.

[deathtoallah]

teeus said "There have been rules of combat for decades, and some things are against the rules".

I guess you think it is ok for all those we are at war with to blow our choppers out of the sky, blow up our tanks with soldiers in them, torture and execute our soldiers and behead innocent civilians that went over there to just help out. I think it is time to take off the kid gloves and end this thing. With all the success of the insurgents and militants in Iraq, there will soon be no civilians in Iraq to save so I think we need to set aside some of the "rules" and stop prosecuting our soldiers for doing what they were taught to do and for trying to save their own skins, and bring this thing we call "war" to an abrupt and immediate end.

[annd2302]

Hoo! Haaa!
I second that motion !!!!!

[feelfree1]

Support Our Troops!

Let me just point out that even our most murderous service men and women, even the U.S. military trained terrorists who gang-raped the 14 year old girl, executed her and her family, and burned her corpse in a cover-up effort, evven they deserve a minimal level of support.

These soldiers were brainwashed into fighting an illegal war, based on a pile of lies, floating in a sea of greed, hatred, and fear. Even the most disturbed U.S. soldier deserves an apology from those who put them there.

What's more, I am in favor of leiency towards lower-level soldiers who provide evidence against superior officers, leading to convictions, for war crimes ordered or condoned by them.

[jabberwock11]

"Just maybe if our soldiers starting raping, killing, slaughtering just plain beating the hell out of our enemy, man, woman or child(who by the way are volunteer bombs)the Islamic terrorists might just retreat and stop all this crazy war ***."

Or we could just leave and save ourselves the trouble. Let's see: no WMDs, check, no Saddam, check, Democratic elections, check. Looks like we are done. Let's go home. But you might we right about one thing. If we allow our soldiers to rape, the recruiting problem might be solved. We could put it on a recruiting poster. %u201CJoin the US armed forces, we kill, slaughter AND NOW EVEN RAPE! Hoo! Haaa!

[aisat2666]

jabberwock11

I agree, %u201CThe soldier should get the Medal of Honor."


Just maybe if our soldiers starting raping, killing, slaughtering just plain beating the hell out of our enemy, man, woman or child(who by the way are volunteer bombs)the Islamic terrorists might just retreat and stop all this crazy war ***.

We need to take up for our soldiers during the time of war and give them the free reign to accomplish the mission, and the mission is to WIN at whatever cost. The terrorists did this to themselves, no apology from me if their family is dusted

Don%u2019t expect our military not to have a few casualties to get the job done. *** sure don't convict them and send them to prison for doing what they are told. Rules of engagement, survival rules, they all play an important part, everyone needs to understand that.

[jabberwock11]

"these Men and Women should not be admonished or convicted by the news media..."

I agree, however I don't think they are being convicted in the media. In fact the guy who just got sentenced plead guilty, and two others plead guilty too. It sounds like they got their day in court.

bush/cheney should get life X 600,000

[teeus]

"otherwise the media is used as a soapbox for the islamic terrorists!!!!"

Sorry, no, I don't buy that. There are more colors than black and white, and there shades in looking at the conduct of our soldiers, too. It is not admonishing or convicting to report it. There have been rules of combat for decades, and some things are against the rules. I like to think that as a society we're big enough and brave enough to stand by our principles and not cower in ignorance for fear of saying something that might be construed as a soapbox for terrorists.

We can do both.