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U.S. Soldier Gets 110 Years for Role in Mahmoudiya Rape and Murders

Jesse Spielman, a 23 year old Army private, was sentenced to 110 years yesterday for his part in the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and killing of her family members.

Spielman will be eligible for parole in ten years. The case was filed as a capital murder case, making the death penalty possible. Private Steven Green, believed to be the ringleader, will be tried in federal court where the Government is likely to seek the death penalty.

Spielman was convicted Friday of rape, conspiracy to commit rape, housebreaking with intent to rape and four counts of felony murder.

Military prosecutors did not say Spielman took part in the rape or murders but alleged that he went to the house knowing what the others intended to do and served as a lookout.

This was the ugliest singular atrocity I can remember coming out of the Iraq War. LNILR wrote it should have been considered a war crime.

The AP reported that the Army knew that Green had homicidal tendencies. The killings may have been the reason for the the June, 2006 kidnappings and beheadings of U.S. soldiers in Yousifiya. Shorter version of the crime:

More....

There were four soldiers who went to the residence, knowing that the plan was for the girl to be raped. They are referred to in the affidavit as SO12, SO13, Green and KP1. You can read the affidavit for Green's arrest here. Page 6 lays out the events and players.

Amid the more disgusting details, provided by S012 and SO13 who have cooperated with authorities: They go to the house, SO13 stays in front on guard, the other three go in the house. K1 smacks the girl down in the living room, Green goes in the bedroom, shoots and kills her three family members. SO13, hearing the shots, comes in the house. Green comes back out to the living room where Green and KP1 rape the girl, after which, Green shoots her and kills her. SO12 tells SO13 to get rid of the AK-47 Green used to kill them all.

At Spielman's trial, the cooperating convicted soldiers, Barker and Cortez, gave conflicting testimony as to whether Spielman knew in advance of the rape plan.

One more thing to make you sick about this case. Read about the web sites raising money for these and other soldiers who commit the atrocities.

But in more than a dozen interviews, organizers and contributors said they were motivated by anger at the Bush administration and the military for prosecuting combat troops and commanders just for doing their jobs, they say, in life or death circumstances, as they were trained.

As if rape, murder, setting a body on fire to cover up the crime and lying about it are all just part of day's work for our troops.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Parole in 10 years? (none / 0) (#1)
    by txpublicdefender on Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 12:56:21 PM EST
    Can someone explain how you are eligible for parole in 10 years on a 110 year sentence, or is the "110 year" part not really accurate, and it was several sentences that total 110 years, but are ordered to run concurrently?

    I agree that it is ridiculous to categorize this with other prosecutions that may involve overreacting to hostile action.  This was a premeditated rape and mass murder that had nothing whatsoever to do with their mission.