Posted on 04/11/2005 2:02:59 PM PDT by TexKat
Opening statements began Monday in Sergeant Hasan Akbar's court martial.
This is the first time a soldier has been tried for murdering another soldier in wartime since the Vietnam era.
Military police officers kept close watch outside of the Judge Advocate General Building on Fort Bragg. On the inside, the first day of Akbar's murder trial got underway. The prosecution started with opening statements by Captain John Benson.
Benson said the evidence will show that Akbar is guilty of the premeditated murder of two fellow soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division.
Benson said they were killed and 14 others wounded when Akbar rolled grenades into tents at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait in March of 2003.
Lawyers said Akbar confessed his involvement in the attack.
In the coming days, they said they'll show how he planned the attack before he was deployed.
Akbar's attorneys said he admits his guilt, but maintains the incident wasn't premeditated.
Major Dan Brookhart told jurors during the defense's opening statements that Akbar has a long history of mental illness.
Brookhart said Akbar's younger sister was sexually abused by a family member when they were younger.
He said when Akbar heard fellow soldiers making jokes about raping Iraqi women it really upset him.
Brookhart said that, along with the history of mental illness, caused Akbar to snap.
A number of soldiers who were at Camp Pennsylvania the night of the attack were called upon during the first day of testimony.
They all said they thought the camp was under attack.
Many described hearing gunshots and explosions.
A number of the soldiers who were wounded that day said they didn't even know Akbar.
Testimony will continue on Tuesday. The trial is expected to last for three weeks.
Would you please add (Hasan Akbar) in the title for me please and thank you.
About time.
They haven't hung that POS yet?
Looks like an Army Good Conduct Ribbon on his chest. How long will it be before that baby comes off? What the Army awardeth, the Army taketh away.
April 11, 2005, 03:46 PM
Mental stability at heart of Akbar trial in officer deaths
Fifteen Army officers and senior sergeants heard today that a sergeant charged with murder in Kuwait suffered from mental illness long before he entered the service.
Defense attorney Major Dan Brookhart told the court-martial jury that Sergeant Hasan Akbar couldn't have planned the attack that occurred on the eve of the Iraqi invasion. Akbar is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. His trial is expected to last four weeks.
Brookhart says Akbar has suffered from mental illness for more than 15 years because of the sexual abuse of his sister by his stepfather. He says Akbar committed the attack but couldn't have planned it.
A military prosecutor, however, told the jurors that evidence points to a premeditated attack. If convicted of premeditated murder, he could be sentenced to death.
"Brookhart says Akbar has suffered from mental illness for more than 15 years because of the sexual abuse of his sister by his stepfather."
What the f*%&$ does this guy's sister have to do with his heinous crime? People just grab for straws when it comes to taking responsibility for things, don't they?
If he had such a long history of mental illness, why was he even IN the Army? Something smells.
Thanks for the post -- I'm glad the trial has now started.
No excuse, no how, no way. If he knows right from wrong the defense of mental illness is just pure Bull. Slandering our troops in defense is really not helping any either.
Bump, quite newsworthy!
If I were in the military, I might be inclined to say that he doesn't deserve to wear that uniform, even now.
Just my opinion though.
and that must explain why he fragged his fellow soldiers rather than his abusers...(sarcasm)
My son (101st AB) saw this picture and about lost it...furious this guy is still wearing the uniform...but also said it's SOP- he has to wear it for trial.
Chilling to realize he was p l a n n i n g this all along..
That will be the next one ... it's a racial thing.
Why wasn't he shot within the first 1/2 hour following this murderin' @$$hole's action?
I remember this and a marine was given the job of 'guarding' him while they tried to figure out what was going on.
You said it. If he was really so distraught over his sister's abuse, then why was his first acting-out with violence against the battalion CP rather than one of his fellow squad members? He's a traitorous Religion-of-Peace psycho.
The Army should fire up a Qusay special for this SOB--either wood chipper or acid bath, I don't care which.
Yeah, I don't think anyone is happy about seeing him in uniform. With a guilty verdict I guess he'll be stripped of his rank and medals, etc -- I'm just sorry it had to take this long.
That lawyer of his doesn`t have to much to work with defending that evil killer.
His face to me shows pure hatred.
I hope he doesn`t get his reward from Allah for about 55 yrs.of confinement in a Federal Pen.
Innocent until proven guilty, I guess.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.