1st court-martial begins in Tigris River death:Army sgt. faces charges in

[Judi Lynn]

Jan. 4, 2005, 10:02PM

1st court-martial begins in Tigris River death
Army sergeant faces charges in Iraqi's drowning
By JOHN W. GONZALEZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

FORT HOOD - The first of seven courts-martial of Army troops accused of abusing Iraqi civilians and detainees got under way Monday with allegations that a soldier conspired to punish a curfew violator by forcing him to jump to his death into the Tigris River.

Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Perkins is accused of manslaughter and other offenses in connection with events that occurred a year ago this week. But while prosecutors painted him as a man who set out to make Iraqis "get wet" for wrongdoing, his defense attorneys asserted the Army has yet to prove he caused anyone's death or ordered harm done to them.

Several eyewitnesses to the late-night events at a Tigris River dam near Samarra said two Iraqis were forced at gunpoint to leap about 12 feet into the Tigris, where one allegedly drowned. But accounts varied about who other than the commanding officer ordered the punishment and what the intent was. One soldier said they were not trying to kill the Iraqis but merely wanted to "show them a lesson not to pass curfew."

Witnesses said Perkins never left his Bradley Fighting Vehicle to participate in the punishment of the two men who had been stopped in a suspicious vehicle. Although it contained plumbing supplies that could be used in bombs, the vehicle had no contraband. Its occupants claimed they were out late because of mechanical trouble while returning from Baghdad with the plumping supplies.

Hours before the two occupants were detained, however, soldiers said they heard radio chatter in which Perkins said "somebody is going to get wet" if any curfew violators were found on their routine patrol that night.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2978362



The drowned 19 yr. old Iraqi worker, Zaydun Fadhil.

[LiberalVoice]

1. Manslaughter my ass!

That piece of shit soldier should be tried up on 1st degree murder!