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U.S. soldier sentenced to death


__Kratos__

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FORT BRAGG, North Carolina (AP) -- A military jury sentenced a soldier to death Thursday for a grenade and rifle attack on his own comrades during the opening days of the Iraq invasion, a barrage that killed two officers and that prosecutors said was driven by religious extremism.

Sgt. Hasan Akbar, who gave a brief, barely audible apology hours earlier, stood at attention between his lawyers as the verdict was delivered. He showed no emotion.

He could have been sentenced to life in prison with or without parole for the early morning March 2003 attack, which also wounded 14 fellow members of the Army's 101st Airborne Division at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait.

The 15-person military jury, which last week took just two and a half hours to convict Akbar of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, deliberated for about seven hours in the sentencing phase. After jurors reached a verdict, they voted on whether to reconsider the decision after one juror asked that they do so.

The sentence will be reviewed by a commanding officer and automatically appealed. If Akbar is executed, it would be by lethal injection.

"I want to apologize for the attack that occurred. I felt that my life was in jeopardy, and I had no other options. I also want to ask you for forgiveness," Akbar told the jury before it deliberated in the sentencing phase.

Akbar, 34, spoke for less than a minute, delivering an unsworn statement that could not be cross-examined. He spoke in such a low voice that even prosecutors sitting nearby had trouble hearing, with one lawyer even cupping his ear.

While the defense contends Akbar was too mentally ill to plan the attack, they have never disputed that he threw grenades into troop tents in the early morning darkness and then fired on soldiers in the ensuing chaos. Army Capt. Chris Seifert, 27, and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, were killed.

Prosecutors say Akbar launched the attack at his camp -- days before the soldiers were to move into Iraq -- because he was concerned about U.S. troops killing fellow Muslims in the Iraq war.

"He is a hate-filled, ideologically driven murderer," chief prosecutor Lt. Col. Michael Mulligan said. He added that Akbar wrote in his diary in 1997, "My life will not be complete unless America is destroyed."

Akbar is the first American since the Vietnam era to be prosecuted on charges of murdering a fellow soldier during wartime.

Defense attorney Maj. David Coombs told jurors that a sentence of life without parole would allow Akbar to be treated for mental illness and possibly rehabilitated.

"Death is an absolute punishment, a punishment of last resort," Coombs said.

A defense psychiatrist testified that although Akbar was legally sane and understood the consequences of his attack, he suffered from forms of paranoia and schizophrenia.

Akbar's father, John Akbar, has said his son complained in vain to his superiors about religious and racial harassment before the attack. The defense never introduced any witnesses to testify about any such harassment.

John Akbar was not in the courtroom for the verdict. He emerged from a meeting with his son in tears and declined to comment.

If given a death sentence, Hasan Akbar would join five others on the military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The last U.S. military execution was in 1961.

Source

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To bad its a quick death for him...

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I'd like to know why this guy was even in the military if he has mental issues. Don't they screen for that sort of thing?

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G. Bush and D. Rumsfeld provided the motivation and should share the guilt for the death of those Officers. I kind of feel sorry for the fellow as the assualt on his sensibilities was horrendous and he broke down and reacted in a soldierly fashion to the brutality of Bush's Blood Bath.

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G. Bush and D. Rumsfeld provided the motivation and should share the guilt for the death of those Officers. I kind of feel sorry for the fellow as the assualt on his sensibilities was horrendous and he broke down and reacted in a soldierly fashion to the brutality of Bush's Blood Bath.

Idiocy on parade! wacko.gif

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G. Bush and D. Rumsfeld provided the motivation and should share the guilt for the death of those Officers.  I kind of feel sorry for the fellow as the assualt on his sensibilities was horrendous and he broke down and reacted in a soldierly fashion to the brutality of Bush's Blood Bath.

603914[/snapback]

Man, I am glad I don't live in your little world. He acted alone, to kill his comrades. He should be brutally tortured with no mercy for this disgusting act. But no, they are only going to stick him with a needle and let him die quickly. mad.gif

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G. Bush and D. Rumsfeld provided the motivation and should share the guilt for the death of those Officers.  I kind of feel sorry for the fellow as the assualt on his sensibilities was horrendous and he broke down and reacted in a soldierly fashion to the brutality of Bush's Blood Bath.

603914[/snapback]

Man, I am glad I don't live in your little world. He acted alone, to kill his comrades. He should be brutally tortured with no mercy for this disgusting act. But no, they are only going to stick him with a needle and let him die quickly. mad.gif

603959[/snapback]

I guess I will break the news, you never die quickly from a lethal injection. First, your muscles shut down, you fall into convulsions. Then your nervous system goes, you drool and breath is cut short, before you die, your inner body feels like it is on fire, melting from the inside out... it is no quick death.

Edited by Zackery00
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guess I will break the news, you never die quickly from a lethal injection. First, your muscles shut down, you fall into convulsions. Then your nervous system goes, you drool and breath is cut short, before you die, your inner body feels like it is on fire, melting from the inside out... it is no quick death.

They should hook electrodes up to his testies for what that savage did. thumbsup.gif

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G. Bush and D. Rumsfeld provided the motivation and should share the guilt for the death of those Officers.  I kind of feel sorry for the fellow as the assualt on his sensibilities was horrendous and he broke down and reacted in a soldierly fashion to the brutality of Bush's Blood Bath.

603914[/snapback]

Man, I am glad I don't live in your little world. He acted alone, to kill his comrades. He should be brutally tortured with no mercy for this disgusting act. But no, they are only going to stick him with a needle and let him die quickly. mad.gif

603959[/snapback]

I guess I will break the news, you never die quickly from a lethal injection. First, your muscles shut down, you fall into convulsions. Then your nervous system goes, you drool and breath is cut short, before you die, your inner body feels like it is on fire, melting from the inside out... it is no quick death.

604318[/snapback]

Really? hmm... I feel a little better now. tongue.gif still... they should take their time with him.

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Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make the victims feel better yes.gif

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I'd like to know why this guy was even in the military if he has mental issues. Don't they screen for that sort of thing?

603282[/snapback]

This is the US Military, you know? Were you thinking of another...?

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Personally I believe he should be left to rot in a prison for much of his natural life then when it looks liek hes close to dying execute him. He should suffer for what he did, but not with torture thats just sinking too low.

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I'd like to know why this guy was even in the military if he has mental issues. Don't they screen for that sort of thing?

603282[/snapback]

This is the US Military, you know? Were you thinking of another...?

604629[/snapback]

They actually give you a huge form to fill out on your medical history at MEPS. Then, if you have any "red flags" they will question you to death. I had minor foot surgery, and they made me get x-rays, doctor notes, more forms to fill out saying I was fine, a review of the surgery it's self and another mound of crap. You would have though I had my foot cut off then put back on, while my heart was taken out of my chest and I was dead for 40 mins, the way they questioned me. I believe all mental illnesses are a "red flag". Don't want someone with invisible friends playing with a M-16, do we?

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Although I am not a fan of capital punishment, I feel that if anyone deserves to die for a crime; this is the guy...

The military doesn't screw around in criminal matters either; jail is not a vacation like civilian prisons are. You get up at 4 in the morning and get handed a sledgehammer; you stand around and make boulders into gravel until bedtime... Lather rinse and repeat every single day...and a 30 year sentence is a 30 year sentence, no time off for good behaviour...

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Where Cap'm Fluffy is right. And to me, that's worse than death. yes.gif I can't stand boredom.

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FORT BRAGG, North Carolina (AP) -- A military jury sentenced a soldier to death Thursday for a grenade and rifle attack on his own comrades during the opening days of the Iraq invasion, a barrage that killed two officers and that prosecutors said was driven by religious extremism.

Sgt. Hasan Akbar, who gave a brief, barely audible apology hours earlier, stood at attention between his lawyers as the verdict was delivered. He showed no emotion.

He could have been sentenced to life in prison with or without parole for the early morning March 2003 attack, which also wounded 14 fellow members of the Army's 101st Airborne Division at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait.

The 15-person military jury, which last week took just two and a half hours to convict Akbar of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, deliberated for about seven hours in the sentencing phase. After jurors reached a verdict, they voted on whether to reconsider the decision after one juror asked that they do so.

The sentence will be reviewed by a commanding officer and automatically appealed. If Akbar is executed, it would be by lethal injection.

"I want to apologize for the attack that occurred. I felt that my life was in jeopardy, and I had no other options. I also want to ask you for forgiveness," Akbar told the jury before it deliberated in the sentencing phase.

Akbar, 34, spoke for less than a minute, delivering an unsworn statement that could not be cross-examined. He spoke in such a low voice that even prosecutors sitting nearby had trouble hearing, with one lawyer even cupping his ear.

While the defense contends Akbar was too mentally ill to plan the attack, they have never disputed that he threw grenades into troop tents in the early morning darkness and then fired on soldiers in the ensuing chaos. Army Capt. Chris Seifert, 27, and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, were killed.

Prosecutors say Akbar launched the attack at his camp -- days before the soldiers were to move into Iraq -- because he was concerned about U.S. troops killing fellow Muslims in the Iraq war.

"He is a hate-filled, ideologically driven murderer," chief prosecutor Lt. Col. Michael Mulligan said. He added that Akbar wrote in his diary in 1997, "My life will not be complete unless America is destroyed."

Akbar is the first American since the Vietnam era to be prosecuted on charges of murdering a fellow soldier during wartime.

Defense attorney Maj. David Coombs told jurors that a sentence of life without parole would allow Akbar to be treated for mental illness and possibly rehabilitated.

"Death is an absolute punishment, a punishment of last resort," Coombs said.

A defense psychiatrist testified that although Akbar was legally sane and understood the consequences of his attack, he suffered from forms of paranoia and schizophrenia.

Akbar's father, John Akbar, has said his son complained in vain to his superiors about religious and racial harassment before the attack. The defense never introduced any witnesses to testify about any such harassment.

John Akbar was not in the courtroom for the verdict. He emerged from a meeting with his son in tears and declined to comment.

If given a death sentence, Hasan Akbar would join five others on the military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The last U.S. military execution was in 1961.

Source

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To bad its a quick death for him...

603079[/snapback]

I remember hearing about that, I didnt know it was an "american". THAT ****ING PUKE STAIN SON OF A B**CH!!! THEY SHOULD TORTURE THAT PIECE OF FILTH IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE!!! THEY SHOULD MAKE THAT b****** SORRY HE WAS EVER BORN!! angry.gifangry.gif

sorry, s**t like this p***es me off!

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I'd like to know why this guy was even in the military if he has mental issues. Don't they screen for that sort of thing?

603282[/snapback]

I agree with Lila. Why in the world did they even let him into the military if he was coo-coo?

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Sad indeed...as sad as seeing little Iraqi children with heads blown off or little girls feet blown off from grenades...war is horrible. Is Bush an ideologically driven murderer too then?

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the funny thing is, this guy would get a medal and be considered a hero if he killed 100 iraqis

604593[/snapback]

I know exactly what you mean, but you have to consider the matter. Every soldier around this guy had to trust him with their own lives. Thats a heavy trust, something you don't just up and break.

Killing is killing, yes, but the iraqis know its coming- they know to fear. As a soldier, you can't fear your allies- you'd get nothing done. Its a matter of honor, principle. Of course, I know that there is truly nothing honorable about war- I wish it didn't happen- but the fact of the matter is that you don't get away with intentionally killing a comrade.

Kill the poor, deranged b****** and be over with it. no.gif

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the funny thing is, this guy would get a medal and be considered a hero if he killed 100 iraqis

604593[/snapback]

I know exactly what you mean, but you have to consider the matter. Every soldier around this guy had to trust him with their own lives. Thats a heavy trust, something you don't just up and break.

As a soldier, you can't fear your allies- you'd get nothing done. Its a matter of honor, principle. Of course, I know that there is truly nothing honorable about war- I wish it didn't happen- but the fact of the matter is that you don't get away with intentionally killing a comrade.

Kill the poor, deranged b****** and be over with it. no.gif

609418[/snapback]

lol, thats what my father would say.

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