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| U.S.
Soldier Pleads Guilty in Iraqi Abuse Case, Receives Maximum Sentence |
Posted:
05.19.04 | |
| The
first courts-martial, or military trials, stemming from the abuse of Iraqi prisoners
in U.S. custody opened Wednesday in Baghdad, with one soldier pleading guilty
and two others appearing in court for the first time. Printer-friendly versions:
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| Army
Specialist Jeremy Sivits, one of seven U.S. soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi
detainees, pleaded guilty to four charges of abuse during a court appearance Wednesday.
The military judge gave him the maximum sentence of one year in prison, a reduction
of his military rank and a bad conduct  discharge. Sivits'
trial, called a court-martial because it was held in a military rather than a
civilian court, was the first that will judge American soldiers on duty in Iraq
who abused and allegedly tortured prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. The
soldiers' trials could rank among the most infamous of courts-martial in U.S.
history. In 1970, more than two dozen American soldiers and officers stood trial
for the massacre of villagers during the Vietnam War. The My Lai Massacre, named
for the village where it occurred, focused world attention on U.S. action in Vietnam,
much like the Abu Ghraib abuse has focused attention on Iraq. "I can't think of
a more important set of courts-martial," Eugene Fidell, president of the
National Institute of Military Justice, told The Washington Post. "[Given]
the extraordinary volatile climate in which these cases are going to play out
domestically and internationally, in political terms, in legal terms and in military
justice terms, this is kind of a perfect storm." | |
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| Types
of courts-martial | |
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what is a court-martial, and how does it differ from a trial of a civilian accused
of a crime? A court-martial is the military's way of investigating and
punishing members of the armed forces who break the law. As opposed to the typical
local or state laws, Congress enacted  the
Uniform Code of Military Justice that outlines the laws governing soldiers and
sailors and punishments they will face if they are convicted of breaking the code. The
three types of courts-martial are summary, special and general, and they differ
depending on the severity of the punishment. A summary court-martial is for lower-ranked
military personnel (non-commissioned officers) and is usually for minor offenses.
The punishment can be no more than 30 days confinement, loss of pay or reduction
in rank. A special court-martial, like the one Sivits just had, is overseen
by a judicial panel of at least three officers and a military judge. Any military
member of any rank can be brought before a special court-martial and it deals
with crimes that would be considered "misdemeanors." The level of punishment
can include a year in military jail, loss of pay and a bad conduct discharge. For
more serious charges there is the general court-martial. It's similar to the special
court-martial except the panel can have as many as 12 members, selected from a
special jury pool of  officers.
The general court-martial includes an investigation, and evidence of the crime
is presented to a military judge, who then decides whether to proceed with the
case. This is similar to the civilian world where a grand jury hears evidence
then decides if a trial is necessary. The general court-martial can impose
severe penalties, including the death penalty, and a guilty verdict here usually
means a felony conviction which can follow the accused throughout his civilian
life. | |
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| Similarities
to civilian trials | |
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are many similarities between military courts-martial and civilian criminal courts.
For example, the accused is presumed innocent and the burden of proof rests with
the prosecution -- in courts-martial, the prosecutor would be a member of the
Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) corps. Except for the summary court-martial,
the accused also gets a military lawyer and can call witnesses (even senior officers)
or  request
documents to support his case. Soldiers can also "plea bargain"
like in civilian courts. A plea bargain is when the accused admits some guilt,
usually to lesser charges, and may agree to help the prosecution in related cases.
In exchange, the accused is given a lighter sentence. This is what happened in
the Sivits case. He pleaded guilty to four charges against him, including maltreating
prisoners and dereliction of duty. He also promised to cooperate with prosecutors
in trying his fellow soldiers. | |
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| Differences | |
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course, there are some differences between courts-martial and civilian cases.
In courts-martial, only two-thirds of the members of the panels, or "juries,"
have to agree on a verdict, unlike in civilian cases where the jury must reach
a unanimous verdict. Also, if the accused is found guilty, sentencing,
which is done by the jury panel, is done immediately. In civilian cases, sentencing
-- done by the presiding judge -- is passed down weeks or even months later. Already,
two of the soldiers involved in the abuse at Abu Ghraib are scheduled to face
the more severe general court-martial. But more could be ordered as the investigation
continues. --
Gregg Wirth, Online NewsHour | |
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I think we've been witnessing violence for years, whether in reality through the media or through video games, and I don't think that's a first-hand effect.
