U.S. Army Captain Claims Killing Of Iraqi Was Act Of Mercy

[Nambe]

HANAU, Germany, Sept 8 (AFP)

A US army captain charged with murdering an Iraqi follower of a radical Shiite Muslim cleric has claimed that he shot dead the man as an act of mercy, a military hearing was told Wednesday.

Captain Rogelio Maynulet, 29, is charged with murdering the man on May 21 in an incident during which US troops fired at a civilian vehicle they believed had militia men aboard near the central Iraqi town of Kufa. ..

A witness, 1st Lieutenant Colin Cremin, confirmed that Maynulet and his men told him that the driver "had half his brain hanging out, there was nothing more that could be done for him."

He confirmed that Maynulet said he had stepped back and shot the man in the base of the neck or the back of the head. ..

Prosecutors described him as a soldier who broke the rules of engagement and used illegal weapons. ..

[UpInArms]

1. wouldn't AssKKKrap resist this "mercy killing"?

he doesn't believe there is such a need.

here's a link to this story stateside:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/iraqchi08.html

Witness: Civilian's death was mercy killing

excerpt:

Cremin confirmed the statement. At another point, he described the act as a mercy killing.

"It was something he didn't want to do, but it was the compassionate response. It was definitely the human response," Cremin said.

He testified that it was impossible to transport the injured man to get medical care, because "it would have compromised the lives of the soldiers."

Prosecutors cited other incidents in which, they maintained, Maynulet broke military rules.

<snip>

An unmanned military aircraft caught the killing on tape and that recording was introduced into evidence Wednesday, military spokesman Maj. Michael Indovina said.

Reporters were asked to leave as an expert witness in neurosurgery viewed the tape because the hearing officer, Maj. Michael J. Fadden, said it might show the capabilities of U.S. technology in Iraq.

...more...

[mike_c]

2. does anyone else see the hypocrisy here?

This guy's defense is that the Iraqi civilian was already beyond help, BUT SOMEBODY MADE HIM THAT WAY! If the coup d'grace was not murder, then shooting him in the first place was.

:mad:

[lanparty]

3. I'm with the captain on this one ...

He saved the man suffering. Though, conservatives might be a little squeemish at the idea of termitating a life in mercy to avoid further terrible suffering.

[JSJ]

4. an easy kill- something to tell the grandkiddies n/t

[DoNotRefill]

5. It'd depend on how severe the injuries were....

It could have been a war crime, but it could have been a true act of mercy.

One person's euthanasia can be another person's murder. If I'd been shot in the head and half of my brain was hanging out, I surely do hope somebody would put me out of my misery.