The soldiers, all from the Fort Campbell, Ky.-based 101st Airborne Division's 187th Infantry Regiment, are accused of killing three Iraqi men taken from a house May 9 on a marshy island outside Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad.
Staff Sgt. Raymond L. Girouard, Spc. William B. Hunsaker, Pfc. Corey R. Clagett and Spc. Juston R. Graber have claimed they were ordered to "kill all military age males" during the raid on the island. According to statements from some of the soldiers, they were told the target was an al-Qaida training camp.
Hunsaker told investigators that he and Clagett were attacked by the three men, who were being handcuffed, and shot them in self-defense. Clagett said he was hit in the face, and Hunsaker claimed he was stabbed during the attack.
Prosecutors argue the soldiers conspired to kill the men and then altered the scene to fit their story. They contend Girouard stabbed Hunsaker as part of the killing plot.
Clagett, Girouard and Hunsaker also are accused of threatening to kill another soldier who witnessed the slayings. Girouard, the most senior soldier charged, faces several additional charges, including sexual harassment and carrying a personal weapon on duty.
It's very doubtful that the death penalty will be the final outcome in this case since it hasn't been used in the arm since the early 1960s. As one who is opposed to capital punishment, I can only hope that these soldiers face sentences of life in prison for what they have allegedly done. There has been no real justice in cases involving the death and torture of Iraqis as most soldiers found guilty have just been given the proverbial slap on the wrist.
The other aspect of this case that's disturbing is the claim that these soldiers were told to kill all military-aged males. That definitely requires more investigation but the defense of "we were just following orders" cannot be allowed to stand.
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