Ex-US Soldier Gets 5 Life Sentences For Iraqi Deaths

PADUCAH, Ky. — A former soldier received five consecutive life sentences Friday for his role in the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the slaying of three of her family members.

"What the defendant did was horrifying and inexcusable," U.S. District Judge Thomas Russell said in sentencing to Steven Dale Green, 24, of Midland, Texas. "The court believes any lesser sentence would be insufficient."

A civilian jury in western Kentucky convicted Green in May of raping Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, conspiracy and multiple counts of murder.

Green shot and killed the teen's mother, father and sister, then became the third soldier to rape her before shooting her in the face. Her body was set on fire March 12, 2006, at their rural home outside Mahmoudiya, Iraq, about 20 miles south of Baghdad.

The panel couldn't reach an unanimous decision about whether Green should get a death sentence, automatically making Green's sentence life in prison. Barring a successful appeal or presidential pardon, Green will not be eligible for release from prison.

Green told the judge he merely followed orders from other soldiers involved in the attack.

"You can act like I'm a sociopath. You can act like I'm a sex offender or whatever," Green said. "If I had not joined the Army, if I had not gone to Iraq, I would not have got caught up in anything."

At a hearing in May, Green repeatedly apologized to the al-Janabi family, saying he knew little about Iraqis and realizes now his actions then were wrong. Green described the attacks as "evil" and said when he dies "there will be justice and whatever I deserve, I'll get."

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During Green's trial, defense attorneys never contested Green's role in the attacks. Instead, they focused on saving his life by putting on witnesses that testified that the military failed Green on multiple fronts – by allowing a troubled teen into the service, not recognizing and helping a soldier struggling emotionally and providing inadequate leadership.

During the sentencing hearing, defense attorney Patrick Bouldin said Green tried to take responsibility for his role in the attacks, twice offering to plead guilty and serve life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford said one offer came on the eve of jury selection, the other two weeks into jury selection.

Green and four other soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, Ky., were investigated after the killings. Three who went to the family's home, along with Green, received lengthy sentences up to 110 years but will become eligible for parole in seven years. Another who had a lesser role was released from military prison after serving 27 months.

All except Green were charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and faced a military trial, known as a court martial. Two of the soldiers who were at the home when Green shot the family pleaded guilty and a military jury convicted a third.

Green said the idea of his co-defendants being out of prison one day is "all right with me."

"They planned it," Green said. "All I ever did was what they told me to do."

Green was the first person charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, a law passed in 2000 that allows U.S. authorities to prosecute former military personnel, contractors and others for crimes committed overseas.

By the time the Army pressed charges in June 2006, Green had been honorably discharged with a personality disorder and returned to the United States. Because Green had been discharged, prosecutors filed an indictment against him as a civilian.

Green's attorneys have 10 days to file notice of an appeal.

Comments

[longtimegone]

I'd wager that this is a more serious crime than anything actually committed by 98% of the detainees at Guantanamo.

[SonnyBono]

While we are in the process of jailing soldiers who commit crimes in Iraq - how about the process of trying and jailing the criminals that put them in that country to begin with? Obama and Holder and the rest of the group currently in power should be looking at the lies and crimes that got us into this mess in Iraq in the first place. Without Cheney and Bush and the rest of the gang - Steve Green would still be back in his double wide in Midland and those innocent civilians in Iraq would still be alive. This is more blowback from the Cheney-Bush decision to illegally invade a country without rhythm or reason - Bush and Cheney not only have the blood of over 4200 dead Americans on their hands - they also have the blood of all the dead Iraqis like Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and her family on their hands.

I'm sure that the current administration is smart enough to multi-task - they can certainly manage health care while they investigate, try and convict the Bush crime family.

[Alarmist]

I think it's noteworthy that the Army does not see fit to educate soldiers about Iraq before they go. He stated he knew little about Iraqis, well that can only be because the Army did not prioritize educating soldiers about foreign cultures, languages and customs

That said, he deserves a harsh sentence, and the others seem to have gotten off lightly.

[Hnorc]

The Army provides plenty of education to soldier before deployment. This guy either did not listen, which is most likely the case or was too stupid to retain it. As you can see by his own words he wants to blame others for his actions. Eventually he will get his in prison as he is a coward.

[pebblesvanpeebles]

I don't think you need to be educated about any culture to know that rape and multiple homicide of innocents is wrong.

[Alarmist]

Obviously not. But in reading the story, it's clear he is essentially blaming the army for making him into a monster, saying "If I had not joined the Army, if I had not gone to Iraq, I would not have got caught up in anything." The story also said "he knew little about Iraqis." I do think our soldiers need to learn the local language of the region we are about to invade. Otherwise, how can we be expected to change things when we don't even know one word of the language.

And no one is saying you need to know that in order not to rape. I think that was a senseless rebuttal. As a side note to the issue at hand, i found it interesting that with all the money spent on the army, a little more could be used for cultural and sensitivity training. Look at all the women saying they were assaulted by fellow solders, it seems that is commonplace. The macho atmosphere needs to be tempered with civility.

[cobraxus]

I have no problem with Green spending the rest of his life in jail(although I do agree that if this doesn't qualify for the death penalty then what does?).But the idea that his fellow soldier/rapists will be out in 7 years disgusts me.If any of these animals so much as spit on the sidewalk it should become national news.BTW:Will they have to register as sex offenders?

[Tony Childress]

The ARMY made me do it. Brings new meaning to "BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE"

[hopefulinflorida]

Does anyone know if this guy is a skinhead white supremacist.?

[Paula Ann]

some months ago in an interview that was posted here, he said he wanted to join the army so that he could kill people; if he is not a supremacist, he is a psychopath

[longtimegone]

A psychopath, to be sure. Once in prison though, I'd bet he finds a niche high in the white supremacist ranks. There were many comments to this effect back in May, when the good folks of Paducah, being sensitive to Green's childhood difficulties, just could not bring themselves to see how this crime warranted the death penalty. Many here thought he deserved death, rather than being sent to prison where white supremacists would greet him as a conquering hero, which we can assume is happening even now.

[Academic]

I've abhorred the death penalty all my life, not least because miscarriages of justice do occur and if it's later discovered that an innocent person has been executed there's no restoring their life.

The US public relish the death penalty, so it seems contrary to me that a man found to have premeditatedly carried out such heinous crimes is given life and not sentenced to death. Inconsistency; or are Iraqi lives worth nothing? Had an Iraqi done the same to a 14 year old white US female what do you think the verdict would have been? And what would you all have been clamouring for?

A US judge recently ruled that an innocent man can be executed so long as the trial was shown to be “fair.” On both counts there’s a perversity of thought involved.

Professor Dr. Stanley Collymore.

[Faelsun]

Oh its easy to talk down to the United States, given your name I imagine your a fan of the Soccer and also a Brit if not only European.

But it's funny you failed to mention Corporal Donald Payne a British soldier who murdered two Iraqi children, it's also funny the Huff doesn't find it newsworthy. Maybe it's this belief that the Europeans are somehow more educated or civilized which is in my opinion a self serving myth. I know one thing in American football games black players don't have to worry about racists tirades and the chanting of monkey from the rafters, I cant say the same for British soccer.

[pebblesvanpeebles]

Although I believe the death penalty, I understand being against it, especially in regards to innocents being put to death. However, I think that monsters disguised as humans walk this earth: rapists, child molesters, serial killers... you want to pay taxes so that these people can live? So that they get health care? If someone raped and murdered your child as Green did to Abeer, you would want/tolerate that man to live? If someone harmed my child I'd want him dead.

[LLfrombflo]

About time- now thats good as a showpiece, but there are more important issues here (not to detract from that).

There is a reason why war, especially in contemporary times, should be avoided when possible (which is 99% of the time): because aggression by a nation (in this case US) is not only a deplorable war crime in and unto itself, but expands to much more severe levels because the crime includes all those that pretty much necessarily follow. All of the civilian death, military deaths (of Iraqis trying to protect their country), rapes, unjustified murder, permanent emotional and psychological trauma of the civilian population, infrastructure loss etc etc are a result of and included in the original act. In this case that act is unjustified, illegitimate US aggression, which tops the list of war crimes and is prosecutable using the Nuremburg statutes.

And lastly- in this context, apathy = complicity. If everyone, or even a good % of people were to rise up against this using civil disobedience, it would not have happened in the first place. But they've provided us with such excellent distractions! Who wants to get up off their fat american ass, turn off 'survivor" and actually do something? Maybe a few, but not enough apparently.

[Altruth]

Justice DONE!

[ailbhe]

The poor girl and her poor family. I cannot imagine the suffering and terror they endured before they died. All those involved should spend the rest of their lives in prison.

[SwingingFromCenter]

I'm certainly not saying he doesn't deserve the sentence.

But I can't help but look at this and think that he was treated more harshly than other soldiers (who were just as reprehensible) simply because he had a diagnosed disorder. If anything, that made him the least bad o the bunch.

[Altruth]

No excuses! He got what he deserved!

[Paula Ann]

the others probably got lighter sentences because they provided the testamony to make the case for the prosecution

[sanekook]

I think we see the same thing here, but from a different perspective. I more upset by their lesser sentences than I am by his harsher one. Instead of feeling he was treated unfairly, I feel he's the only one who WAS treated fairly. If they get out on parole after 7 years that is sick.

[SwingingFromCenter]

We're in agreement there. Every last one of them should get life w/o parole. I'm just suggesting that if *anybody* out of the group was going to get a lesser sentence, it should be the guy with the clinically diagnosed disorder.

[incognito101]

The NY Times did not thnk this was important enough to be reported. A 14 year old girl gets raped by 4 soldiers, and killed, she was alive, being raped when she heard the shots that killed her parents and sister. A jury earlier in may could not come to a decision. Remind me not to ever go to KY.

The actions of these 4 jerks, resulted in the death of two innocent U.S. Soldiers by Iraqui civilians who were in rage. Green even used lust after the girl and her parents tried to keep her away. I'm tired of some jerks making excuses for their actions. They've seen terror, guess what? what do you think the civilians have seen, the children. Soldiers from other countries? All the British papers carried the story of his sentencing, but only the evil AP carried it. NTY and all those papers that blamed AP for publishing the picture of the dead marine.

I wonder what would happen if another nation invaded us and raped our children like that?

[sanekook]

Agreed.

[piul05]

He should serve his sentence in Iraq.

[pfrogger]

"Green shot and killed the teen's mother, father and sister,"
"then became the third soldier to rape her"
"before shooting her in the face."
"become eligible for parole in seven years."
"Another who had a lesser role was released from military prison after serving 27 months."

but I thought they hated us for our freedoms? it couldn't be because we INVADED THE WRONG COUNTRY. or how about abu ghraib?
so this is JUSTICE for Americans? if a group people of people are involved in the murder of an entire family. he was the THIRD to rape her! before he SHOT HER IN THE FACE!
and justice is what? life in prison? eligible for parole in 7 years?
just ask yourself how you would feel if that was your family? your sister? your mother and father?
then tell me this is justice?

[kareemachan]

"I was only following orders."

The most-used, worst excuse ever.

[ImissBush]

not
the dog ate my HW?

[Macdaddy10]

He needs to pay the ultimate price instead of soaking up our tax dollars in a cell.

[johnrandall]

The death penalty costs a lot more.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty