The Gun Counter

Defense: Rush to judgment in fragging case

By Estes Thompson - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 23, 2008 12:54:22 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Military prosecutors argued Wednesday the first soldier accusing of killing a direct superior in Iraq — a crime known as “fragging” during the Vietnam war — told other soldiers he hoped his company commander would die in action and he wanted to “burn” him.

New York National Guard Staff Sgt. Alberto B. Martinez was frustrated with Capt. Phillip Esposito’s strict oversight of the supply room where Martinez worked, prosecutor Capt. Evan Seamone told jurors during opening arguments of Martinez’s court-martial. Charged with two counts of premeditated murder, Martinez could be sentenced to death if convicted.

More of this story..............

Fingerprint testimony heard in fragging trial

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 30, 2008 12:57:20 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — An Army investigator said he looked for fingerprints on pieces of hand grenades and a grenade container after an explosion killed two officers on a U.S. military base in Iraq.

But investigator Paul Comesanas testified Wednesday that he didn’t know whether any prints belonged to New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez, who is on trial for murder in the officers’ deaths. He has pleaded not guilty.

The Fayetteville Observer reported that Comesanas said some areas defense attorneys wanted tested were largely public, where items could have been handled by many people. But defense lawyers for Martinez, 41, of Troy, N.Y., contend the Army didn’t conduct a thorough investigation.

More of this story..............

CByrneIV wrote:

Mud_Dog wrote:First case? I thought they had one when the war first started, in Kuwait by some f*cknut who tossed a frag into the officer's tent.

That was an act of terrorism, not a fragging.

Mud_Dog wrote:

CByrneIV wrote:

Mud_Dog wrote:First case? I thought they had one when the war first started, in Kuwait by some f*cknut who tossed a frag into the officer's tent.

That was an act of terrorism, not a fragging.

I thought the bastard was a U.S. soldier though, with the 101st Airborne. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong...

Mistrial motion dismissed in fragging case

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 31, 2008 6:37:29 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The judge in the case of a New York National Guard soldier on trial for the deaths of two officers killed in Iraq by an antipersonnel mine Thursday dismissed a defense request for a mistrial over a witness statement during testimony.

Military judge Col. Steve Henley had earlier informed defense and prosecution teams that a black bag collected from Staff Sgt. Alberto B. Martinez would be allowed as evidence, but statements about Martinez and the black bag would not be permitted at his court-martial.

Martinez, 41, of Troy, N.Y., is the first soldier from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to be accused of killing a direct superior. Prosecutors allege he planted the mine that detonated June 7, 2005, in a window of the officers’ room at Saddam Hussein’s Water Palace in Tikrit.

More of this story..............