Navy Seal Acquitted
[Guest post by DRJ]
The last of three Navy SEALs charged with abusing or failing to report abuse of a prisoner has been acquitted:
“A decorated Navy SEAL was acquitted Thursday afternoon of punching an Iraqi terrorist after his capture by a trio of American commandos.
The case involved Ahmed Hasim Abed, the suspected mastermind of the 2004 capture of four civilian Blackwater guards, their torture, mutilation and murder (see photo above). Last yea, in a mission codenamed Operation Amber, a team of SEALs captured Abed and turned him over to Iraqi authorities.
Abed later claimed to Iraqis that he had been punched by the Americans after his capture, receiving a bloody lip.
Three SEALs were then charged in a case that aroused intense emotion stateside as a modern-day story of political correctness gone awry:
In Norfolk, Va., on Thursday, it took the jury less than two hours to find Petty Officer 2d Class Matthew McCabe not guilty of assault, dereliction of duty and lying to investigators.
Defense attorney Haytham Faraj suggested Abed used a standard terrorist technique of biting his own lip to produce blood and feign injury from his captors.
“We’re here,” Faraj said, “because a mass murderer, a vile person cloaked in a human body, claims he was beaten.”
Other reports detail problems with prosecution witnesses that likely produced reasonable doubt.
H/T MD in Philly.
— DRJ
People may or may not know (and some may know details better than I), that these SEALS were first recommended for some sort of administrative discipline, but instead requested that they be tried under courts martial, as they claimed they had done nothing that warranted discipline. It is good they’ve been exonerated.
MD in Philly (ea3785) — 5/6/2010 @ 9:20 pmThe main prosecution witness wants to be a CHP officer. I don’t think admiting to obstruction of justice will help him in his background investigation. But if he ever gets hired, I hope my CHP friends are very cautious around him. Not exactly a trustworthy fellow.
Pat (366dd8) — 5/6/2010 @ 10:49 pmSometimes the system grinds very slowly and stalls out before totally demolishing the selected scapegoats. They’re better off than if they’d just accepted the Article 15s, but only just barely; they’re now going to be considered “trouble makers” by some for not going along to get along. Glad they came out with no convictions for anything.
htom (412a17) — 5/6/2010 @ 10:59 pmPerhaps Petty officer 3rd Class Kevin Demartino should be assigned to christen the Navy’s new ship, the John P Murtha. The two men have much in common. Demartino, a Navy man accused the SEALS of abusing a captured terrorist, and Murtha, a Marine accused Marines of intentionally killing innocent civilians in Haditha.
When SecNav, Ray Mabus, announced the new ship, a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) would be named after John Murtha, I had to double and triple check to see if the news was actually true. Such a stain on the honor of the naval services was unimaginable to me. Yet, it’s true. Barack Obama is Commander-in-Chief now, and the world is turned upside down.
A fighting ship named after a lying crook should be christened by someone uniquely qualified to perform the abomination, and Demartino it that man. Although it’s usually a women now who christens ships, it won’t be a problem in this case, Demartino can wear a dress.
ropelight (2b194e) — 5/7/2010 @ 6:54 amIt still boggles my mind that the military was willing to sacrifice 3 Navy Seals over a terrorist’s fat lip, even if they did do it. What the hell is happening to this country?
Cmate (960e00) — 5/7/2010 @ 7:08 amOT question – But why does the description of the link in your last lins say “navy-seal-guilty-assualting-suspected-terrorist”?
(Bolding is mine.)
Have Blue (854a6e) — 5/7/2010 @ 7:37 amGreat News to see these military professionals acquitted
Bob Moylan (352e34) — 5/7/2010 @ 7:43 amCongratulation to all three sailors from a Navy Viet Nam Vet
The military is really showing a frightening degree of PC sensitivity. I watched General Casey being interviewed on the Fort Hood massacre and he is really worrisome. That general who prosecuted the SEALs should be watched, too. Next thing we know, he’ll be a Democratic candidate for Congress like Sestak.
All these flag officers who turn out as Democrats have all been relieved. Isn’t that interesting?
Mike K (2cf494) — 5/7/2010 @ 8:15 am