Reuters: British troops cleared in Iraq death trial

[Eugene]

British troops cleared in Iraq death trial
13 Mar 2007 16:08:19 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Adds verdict)

By Peter Graff

BULFORD, England, March 13 (Reuters) - Two British soldiers were cleared on
Tuesday over the death of an Iraqi prisoner at the end of a six-month trial,
the third long and costly court martial in a row to collapse.

A panel of senior officers cleared Major Michael Peebles and Warrant Officer Mark
Davies of neglecting their duties, three weeks after the judge ordered charges to
be dropped against five other defendants.

The only conviction secured in the longest British court martial in living memory
was against one of those five, Corporal Donald Payne, who had admitted at the
outset to abusing prisoners.

But manslaughter charges against him were among those dropped, meaning no
one will be punished directly over the death of Iraqi hotel receptionist Baha
Musa who died after receiving 93 injuries during two days of beatings in British
custody.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1372557.htm

Yesterday: British judge says headquarters okayed Iraq abuse - Reuters