Ex-Soldier Guilty In Iraq Rape, Killings

Pfc. Steven Dale Green Faces Possible Death Sentence; Rare Case Of War Crime Tried In Civilian Court

(AP)  A federal jury convicted a former soldier Thursday of raping and fatally shooting a 14-year-old girl after killing her parents and younger sister while he was serving in Iraq.

Pfc. Steven Dale Green faces a possible death sentence when the penalty phase of his trial opens Monday in the unusual case of a crime in a war zone being prosecuted in civilian court.

Green, 24, of Midland, Texas, was being tried in federal court because he had been discharged from the Army for a personality disorder before he was charged with the Iraq crimes. Green stared straight ahead as the verdict was read in U.S. District Court in western Kentucky.

Defense attorney Darren Wolff, speaking afterward, said the defense never denied Green's involvement.

"Is this verdict a surprise to us? No. The goal has always been to save our client's life," Wolff said. "And, now we're going to go to the most important phase, which is the sentencing phase and we're going to accomplish that goal."

The lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford, declined comment.

The trial began April 27, and jurors deliberated for more than 10 hours beginning Wednesday before finding Green guilty. Jurors didn't look at Green as they entered the courtroom before the verdict was read.

Green's defense team had asked them to consider the "context" of war, saying soldiers in Green's unit of the 101st Airborne Division lacked leadership. Defense attorneys also said the Army missed signs that Green was struggling after the loss of friends in combat and that it offered little help to him and other soldiers in his unit.

The prosecution rested six days into the trial after presenting witnesses who said Green confessed to the crimes and others who put him at the home of 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, heard him shoot her family and saw him rape and shoot the girl.

During opening arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Skaret said Green talked frequently of wanting to kill Iraqis, but when pressed, would tell people he wasn't serious. In the weeks before the attack on the family, several soldiers from Green's unit were killed in combat.

In closing arguments, Ford said the March 12, 2006, crime was planned and premeditated. "This was a crime that was committed in cold blood," she said.

Prosecutors told jurors that the plot against the family was hatched among Green and fellow soldiers who were playing cards and drinking whiskey at a checkpoint. Talk turned to having sex with Iraqi women, when one soldier mentioned the al-Janabi family, who lived nearby, Skaret said.

Three other soldiers are serving time in military prison for their roles in the attack, and testified against Green at his trial.

Green's father, John Green, declined to comment on the verdict. But he told The Associated Press that he may testify during the penalty phase of the trial.

[batchitcrazy]

@ tommynutz......
If you really think this is a good person and this is an injustice, then why don't you petition the court for guardianship.
Provide this poor soul with a place to live under the roof of your house. Give him food and nourishment. I am sure he would be oh so grateful to you. He could help you with your household chores and even babysit for your children when you take your wife out to dinner.

[GALANT1721]

Verdicts like this one, are the reason the US is widely admired and respected. Americans still do not realized that we the foreigners would always expect the best comming from the US justice system.

[batchitcrazy]

What a putrid disgusting "nation" the united states is becoming.
Posted by tommynutz at 8:00 AM : May 8, 2009
----------------------------
The only thing putrifying I can see here are your comments. If you don't like the country just leave sparky. Go to any of the foriegn embassies in Washington and ask for political asylum...

[batchitcrazy]

The only thing lower then a person who rapes and kills a child is whale crap at the bottom of the Marianen Trench.

Put him down like a rabid dog, rid the earth of his seed and bury him in an unknown grave.....

[tommynutz]

What a putrid disgusting "nation" the united states is becoming.

[ubrew12]

tommynutz said: "War is war. Let this man go free. "

Join the military, rape a 14 year old, massacre her and her family to shut them up,

and tommynutz will pin a medal on you.

[tommynutz]

War is war. Let this man go free. America is the worlds arm pit and now we are going after the few brave that are left in the service. Soon there will be none.

[shoebox119]

So, when do the Bush and Cheney trials begin in the land that so proudly claims "justice for all"?


That's what I thought.

[jwind1]

People like this person does noting but tarnish the U.S. and the military's reputation around the world. His actions and others like him make it harder and harder for us to remain on good terms with other countries. He deserves the same treatment that him and his comrades gave to the Iraqi family.
Posted by have-a-day at 3:46 AM : May 8, 2009

He should have been a republican, then he wouldn't have a problem as he would be exempt from the law.
Posted by rharrin1 at 5:50 AM : May 8, 2009

only a loser would bring up political party in this story

[rharrin1]

People like this person does noting but tarnish the U.S. and the military's reputation around the world. His actions and others like him make it harder and harder for us to remain on good terms with other countries. He deserves the same treatment that him and his comrades gave to the Iraqi family.
Posted by have-a-day at 3:46 AM : May 8, 2009

He should have been a republican, then he wouldn't have a problem as he would be exempt from the law.

[blindersoff]

Way to treat ....... Posted by tommynutz at 4:27 AM

As if this person would have ever signed up anyway. This case has been ongoing genius. Fellow soldiers testified against this guy, he planned the rape and murder and his own crew turned him in. Read up on the case.

[I_am_me1953]

From the above article, "Green's defense team had asked them to consider the "context" of war, saying soldiers in Green's unit of the 101st Airborne Division lacked leadership."

____________________________

What the heck does "lacked leadership" have to do with raping and killing a 14-year-old girl and her family?

Shouldn't this actually say that Green and his fellow criminals lacked moral self control and common sense?

[jincstress]

These things happen. Green is an example made to the Iraqis and the world that the U.S. is genuine in our disgust for these acts. There are other cases that will never see a courtroom- but this one has. I dont believe he is deserving of the death penalty however because of the circumstances surrounding the crime and his mental instability. Life w/out parole is more fitting. I'm glad the little girls family will see some measure of justice- most families of the Iraqi war dead won't.

[tommynutz]

Way to treat our military President Osama.

Let this be a lesson, DONT SIGN UP.

[skyk-2009]

Because, Paddy, our government is a two-party system and we need the Republicans.
Posted by nancy_naive


Yea, and you need medication.
Posted by Honorplease at 3:40 AM : May 8, 2009

How's that? Pretty common sense statement to me... what's your problem with it?

[skyk-2009]

The real criminals are Bush/Cheney and the rest who caused us to go into the wrong war. They should be on death row. Green was not prepared to go top war - especially a phony war that has wrecked this country. At the same time we need to chop the heads off of those Right Wing Talking Point Clowns - Sean & Rush - they cheered on these clowns and this country went to hell ever since. And, Sean ducked the waterboarding challenge. Surprised? What do you think of a coward who goes back on his word?
Posted by davidjones11 at 11:06 PM : May 7, 2009

I think EVERY Combat Vet finds those who defend Bush/Cheney to be cowards without honor. No leader, regardless of Party, should ever send our youth into a war without a clear mission and without good reason. It is a shame that we see troops being tried for crimes while those who ordered those crimes, those who put them in those positions, continue to walk around free.

[Honorplease]

Because, Paddy, our government is a two-party system and we need the Republicans.
Posted by nancy_naive


Yea, and you need medication.

[barbaraf4]

I guess we no longer perform psychological testing/screening on those to whom we give a gun and a license to kill. He volunteered for the military at a time when the war was already in progress (based on his age), so surely he knew soldiers die.

They say his company had no leadership. The individuals also had no core values.

[clancy49]

I agree with everything you say bdbeans except your last two lines. We are not too fat or too lazy. My God, you can't fly on a plane if you're too fat and if you are too fat you are the target of everyone's hostility and humor. The facts are we have been manipulated and controlled for so long by the media we are now the Wall_E zombies portrayed on the ship in the movie. Yeah, it shows them all fat and useless, but it shows more of the zombie control. We are mesmerized by electronic information and have forgotten how to think. We have been propagandized into prisons of hysteria and fear that we cannot escape. We are no different from the North Koreans in our worship of the Leader and absolute fear of the Leader. Why do you think a person will spend 1 billion dollars for a 2 hundred thousand dollar a year job? The American is completely controlled and terrorized by a new crisis every week. If it isn't terrorists, it's pirates. If it isn't pirates it's a pandemic. If it isn't a pandemic, it is the weather, a hurricane, a tornado, earthquake, or tsunami. If it isn't mother nature, it is ecomonic downturns, collapse, recession, or depression. Then the cycles begin over and over again. Americans are so terrified of their Federal Government but desperately need it like an alcoholic needs liquor or a drug addict needs cocaine. Americans do not take responsibility for their lives and their own actions. It is easier to have some one else take care of us and we are so very very afraid. We are kept in fear of everything. We are afraid to age. We are afraid of every disease from the common flu to cancer. We are afraid of getting to fat, but never too thin even if we kill ourselves doing it. We are afraid of each other, and act in culture diversity but it is division and segregation. Americans are the most terrorized specie on the globe today and we don't even live in the nightmares. The people that live in the nightmares don't seem to be as afraid as we are.

[delturge]

The tactic of attempting to discharge people through the "back door" by claiming a personality disorder is common in the 101st Airborne Division. The real story here is the corruptness of discharging the PFC, knowing he was involved in war crimes.

Who were his company, battalion, and brigade commanders? Who was the
Division Commander at that time? Who authorized the discharge, and who
let him go free once he got back to the United States?

I served in C-Co, 501st Signal Battaltion, 101st Airborne Division in Iraq during 2003-2004, and I fought against a rogue command that tried to eliminate me from the service
by claming a "mental health medical emergency," when in fact defense of racism was
the disease in the unit. Army Regulation 600-20, 5-4 outlines a commander's
authority on mental heatlh, and AR-635-200 provides guidence on active duty
enlisted separations. My command invented an emergecy, and in doing so
violated DOD Directives 6490.4. After reporting their actions to the 101st
Inspector General, I was transfered from my job as reprisal in violation of
DOD Directive 7050.6 (Military Whistle Blower Protection).

Ultimately, I was discharged with a General Discharge to keep things quiet
because I had a secret clearance (see AR 635-200 for the significance of
that). With the assistance of Rick Santorum and Kurt Weldon, I fought to
undo this injustice, and my discharge was changed to fully honorable.

So, you see, with this PFC, the 101st had experience with getting rid of
people....a pattern.