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Court-martial for soldier accused of shooting Iraqi

A platoon sergeant accused of shooting an unarmed Iraqi and then ordering another US soldier to "finish him" faces a court martial this week for premeditated murder.

  • AP
  • Published: 12:38 April 20, 2008
  • Gulf News

Honolulu: A platoon sergeant accused of shooting an unarmed Iraqi and then ordering another US soldier to "finish him" faces a court martial this week for premeditated murder.

Sergeant 1st Class Trey Corrales, of San Antonio, faces a minimum of life with parole if convicted.

The Iraqi man was shot multiple times in the head and chest near the town of Kirkuk when Corrales' platoon raided a suspected insurgent hide out on June 23. The US military hasn't been able to identify the man by name.

Private Christopher Shore, the soldier Corrales allegedly ordered to fire additional shots at the man, was found not guilty of third-degree murder in a February court-martial but convicted of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 120 days in prison and a two-grade reduction in rank.

Shore, 26, admitted he shot at the man but said he intentionally missed. He said he fired his weapon because he was afraid of outwardly disobeying Corrales, a soldier his defense team portrayed as abusive and prone to violence.

Shore is expected to testify at Corrales' court-martial.

Besides premeditated murder, the Army is charging Corrales, 35, with wrongfully soliciting another soldier to shoot an unarmed, wounded Iraqi. A third charge alleges Corrales planted an AK-47 rifle next to the victim after he was shot.

Frank Spinner, Corrales' lawyer, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

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