Posted on 03/30/2005 11:40:48 AM PST by jda
IN THE MILITARY U.S. Army court-martials captain for mercy killing Medic 'spazzed out' over suspected Iraqi terrorist with mortal head wound
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: March 30, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
As brain-injured Terri Schiavo enters her 13th day of starvation in Florida after nearly a decade-long court dispute over her fate, a U.S. Army captain is being court-martialed in Wiesbaden, Germany, and facing 20 years for the mercy killing of a suspected Iraqi terrorist under battlefield conditions.
The tank commander, Capt. Rogelio Maynulet of Chicago, is being tried on a charge of assault with intent to commit murder in the May 21, 2004, mercy killing near Kufa, south of Baghdad.
Defense attorneys at the court-martial maintain that Maynulet, convinced that the man would not live, acted out of mercy. Prosecutors argue he violated military rules of engagement by shooting an Iraqi who was wounded and unarmed.
The medic, Sgt. Thomas Cassady, conceded Monday under questioning by defense attorney Capt. Will Helixon that his failure to treat the man contributed to the shooting.
"You felt guilty, that it was your fault because you didn't do your job," Helixon asked. Cassady responded: "That's correct, sir."
"You felt you should be the one in trouble," Helixon said. "Correct," Cassady replied.
Cassady testified he told Maynulet the man "wasn't going to make it."
Cassady said yesterday he failed to treat the man because he "spazzed out" at the sight of his head wound, which he described as the worst he had seen in four years as an Army medic.
Maynulet's company had been on patrol when it was alerted to a car thought to be carrying a driver for radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and another militiaman loyal to the cleric. They chased the vehicle and fired at it, wounding both the passenger, who fled and was later apprehended, and the driver.
Cassady acknowledged that Maynulet told him to care for the wounded driver.
"You ignored him because you were freaked out, you told him he's going to die?" defense attorney Helixon asked him. Cassady replied: "Yes, sir, that's correct, sir."
The medic said he had spent about one minute with the man and failed to take his pulse or check his breathing all standard practice when examining wounded. Asked why he did not treat him, Cassady said "I spazzed out at that instant." Maynulet was described yesterday by defense witnesses as "a tremendous soldier" and a man who cared about the Iraqi people.
Ironically, as the court-martial continue today, the story dominating the news in the United States continues to be the "right-to-die" case of Terri Schiavo, now in her 13th day of court-ordered starvation.
In that case, which has been the subject of acts of Congress, U.S. and Florida Supreme Court actions, new laws by the Florida legislature and rulings by more than a dozen judges, her estranged husband, Michael Schiavo contends his wife suffered a heart attack triggered by a chemical imbalance brought on by an eating disorder. Her parents, however, Bob and Mary Schindler, suspect oxygen was cut off to the brain because her husband tried to strangle her.
Maynulet, 30, was characterized by one of his superiors as one of the "top three" of roughly 37 officers he oversaw at that time, describing him as "a tremendous soldier."
Col. Bradley W. May told the court in written testimony read aloud yesterday that, while he agreed in principle against firing on the wounded, each case must be considered individually.
"To make that determination, we have to look at all the facts," May said in his statement. "It may be that some make it not as easy to determine as we would all like."
Video from a U.S. drone surveillance aircraft showed the outline of a soldier in a helmet and battle gear, identified by a witness as Maynulet, aiming a weapon at an Iraqi man lying on the ground, followed by a flash.
The man on the ground appeared to be waving his right arm before the shot. Several seconds later, he appeared to twitch as though hit again.
Defense attorneys maintain that Maynulet, convinced the man would not live, shot him to end his suffering.
In addition, Cassady conceded that he had lied during Maynulet's Article 32 hearing – the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury investigation – giving testimony about injuries the man had not suffered because he felt guilty about the incident.
In further testimony yesterday, two Iraqis who worked with Maynulet during his deployment to Iraq described him as compassionate and spoke of his helpfulness to civilians and Iraqi soldiers training for the civilian defense corps.
"Capt. Maynulet has compassion toward the Iraqi people," Maj. Yehay Haider, said in written testimony read before the court. "Capt. Maynulet cares for the Iraqis."
Such testimony plays an important role in a court-martial, where the six-member panel – the equivalent of a civilian jury – must also weigh whether the actions of the accused damaged the Army's reputation.
Maynulet's command was suspended May 25, but he has remained with his Wiesbaden-based unit.
The U.S. military has referred to the Iraqi driver only as an "unidentified paramilitary member," but relatives named him as Karim Hassan, 36. The family does not dispute that he was working for al-Sadr.
The court-martial is to continue today.
Meanwhile, a pre-trial, or Article 32, hearing next month will determine whether 2nd Lt. Ilario G. Pantano will face a court-martial that could lead to the death penalty. He is accused of killing two suspected Iraqi terrorists who, he says, refused to follow orders after their capture and made threatening moves.
Enough. To even compare the actions of a soldier on the battlefield with the sad circumstances in Florida is sickening.
Moral to the story...do not show "mercy" to one of Mookie's goons. Let the filthy bastard wiggle till he stops.
yeah....because we can compare ANY story to Terri Schiavo...
WORLDNUTDAILY never ceases to amaze....
"I think there is but how many on FR would stand for a recommendation to convert to Christianity? "
Convert whom to Christianity? Your message is far from clear. Can you restate what you said in clearer terms. Who is it that you want to convert to Christianity, and why wouldn't Freepers want to do that? Most Freepers actually are Christians.
Enough is right. Love your tagline :-)
In what way does the comparison sicken you?
The Soldier on the battle field, put a suffering, dying , mortally wounded enemy out of his misery in as painless a way as was available to him. For his actions he is to be court martialed, and the punishment could be severe.
In Florida, we have an innocent woman, with many years ahead of her possible and probable, before those who she should have been able to trust and depend on, decided to put her to death in the most sadestic way they could think of. For their actions they will likely find themselves richly rewarded. And the pro-death (except for convicted murderers) liberal left and their MSM, will do everything in their power to convince us they are angels of mercy and selfless, heroes.
When good is called bad and bad is called good, we are in serious trouble as a nation.
I just heard on Fox, that the 11th has turned down the appeal.
For this reason I will do my best to keep my sons from EVER joining the US Military. There are far too many of these "Feel Good" Courts Martials going on.
Someone needs to give those perfumed princes a lobotomy so that our troops on the ground can get their jobs done without having to worry constantly about whether or not they are going to be charged with murder!
Either that or we need to make all of our Military Men and women Judges so that they can kill at will because they have "made a decision"
As expected.
"As expected." Exactly.
Similar results as would be expected from the 9th Circuit.
Why does the ninth and the eleventh seem such tragic numbers?A plain ol' 9 and an 11..........911.
My sentiments, exactly.
""As expected." Exactly.
Similar results as would be expected from the 9th Circuit.
"
Actually, the same results would come out of any of the Circuit courts, I expect.
I guess I may be a little oversensitive- aren't all soldier's mothers? :)
I'm a pro-life FReeper. I'm also doing my best to wade through all the legal and medical information on the case of Terri Schiavo and am learning every day.
My point was simple- the circumstances between the two situations seem to be incomparable.
Mark, what you are not making clear, is whether you are upset with those claiming to be Christians who, are perfectly happy with killing Terri or with those who abhor the idea that this woman is being starved to death, because she is unable to feed herself or argue with those who say she wants to die.
Enough. To even compare the actions of a soldier on the battlefield with the sad circumstances in Florida is sickening.
=======
I don't see it that way. I see it as a comparison of the absurd thought process that flops around in the minds of people who suffer from the mental disease known as liberalism !!!
Which is to say, glorify those who murder a helpless innocent woman, but vilify the soldier who is doing his sworn duty to protect those who are vilifying him !!!
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