Defense wraps up in fragging court-martial
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:33 am
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Defense wraps up in fragging court-martial
By Estes Thompson - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Nov 24, 2008 16:55:35 EST
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The New York soldier accused of killing two superior officers in Iraq said Monday he won’t testify in his own defense during his court-martial at Fort Bragg.
The defense team for Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez wrapped up its case Monday morning after the judge asked Martinez “was it your decision not to testify?” Martinez answered: “Yes sir. Not to testify.”
Prosecutors planned to call rebuttal witnesses later Monday.
The New York Army National Guard soldier is charged with premeditated murder in the deaths of Capt. Phillip Esposito, 30, of Suffern, N.Y., and 1st Lt. Louis Allen, 34, of Milford, Pa. Both men died when a Claymore mine detonated near their room in 2005, on a U.S. military base in Saddam Hussein’s Water Palace in Tikrit.
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