Former airman charged in soldier’s death

[unhappycamper]

Former airman charged in soldier’s death
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 9, 2009 5:59:49 EST

NORFOLK, Va. — A former Air Force senior airman has been charged in a federal indictment with a count of second-degree murder in the 2005 beating death of an Army sergeant outside a base in Germany.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said an indictment unsealed Friday that 31-year-old Rico Rodrigus Williams also is charged with three counts of tampering with a witness. Williams was arrested Friday in Chesapeake and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bradford Stillman in Norfolk.

Stillman set a removal-detention hearing for Wednesday. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison if Williams is convicted.

The indictment alleges that Williams and others beat and kicked Sgt. Juwan Johnson of Baltimore at a park pavilion in Hohenecken, Germany, where U.S. forces have a base. Williams also is accused of threatening others to keep quiet about Johnson’s death.

Johnson’s mother, Stephanie Cockrell, told The Associated Press in 2005 that she had spoken to her son the day before his death and he told her he was coming home in two weeks after completing an 18-month tour of duty in Iraq.


Rest of article at: http://airforcetimes.com/news/2009/02/air_vasoldierbeating020609/%2e