(Baghdad, Iraq-AP, July 10, 2006 12:21 PM) _ Two sergeants are among five American soldiers facing charges in the alleged rape-murder of an Iraqi teenager and the killing of three family members, the U.S. military said Monday.
The military announced Sunday that four soldiers were accused of rape and murder and a fifth with dereliction of duty for failing to prevent or stop it. No names were released.
On Monday, the military identified the others as Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe, Spc. James P. Barker, Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, and Pfc. Bryan L. Howard.
Yribe was charged for his failure to report the attack but is not alleged to have been a direct participant, the military said. The others face more serious charges as participants.
The five will face an Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a grand jury proceeding, to determine if they should stand trial.
They are charged with conspiring with former Pfc. Steven D. Green, who was arrested last month in North Carolina. Green has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and four counts of murder and is being held without bond.
Sgt. Paul E. Cortez
Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe SOI4
Spc. James P. Barker
Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman
Pfc. Bryan L. Howard.
God I HATE this. IF...they did this- they have made the mission of our soldiers in Iraq a lot tougher. It's easy for one bad event to overtake the good in the minds of people...
It's so hard to believe.