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트럼프가 비무장 이라크 남성을 살해한 병사를 사면하다.
지난 월요일, 미국 대통령 도널드 트럼프는 비무장 이라크 남성 살해로 유죄판결을 받은 전직 육군 중위에 대한 특별 사면을 승인했다.
2009년, 마이클 비헨나는 사적 심문 끝에 알리 만수르를 “우발적으로 살해”한 혐의로 유죄 판결을 받았다.
비헨나의 차량행렬이 바그다드에서 습격당한 후, 미군 병사들은 만수르를 체포했다. 처음에 그는 알카에다와의 연관 혐의를 받았다. 만수르를 심문했지만, 미군은 베헤나의 두 친구를 앗아간 폭발과 만수르와의 관련증거를 찾지 못했다.
그 후 비헨나는 만수르를 마을에 데려다 주라는 명령을 받았다. 하지만 그는 만수르를 외딴 곳에 데려가 개인적으로 심문했다. 만수르를 발가벗겼고 나중엔 총으로 머리와 가슴을 쐈다.
비헨나는 만수르가 자신에게 콘크리트 덩어리를 던지며 총을 빼앗으려 했기 때문에 정당방위라고 주장했다.
군사법원은 그에게 유죄판결을 내렸고 25년 형을 선고했다. 그러나 형량은 나중에 15년으로 줄었고 2014년에 급기야 가석방으로 풀려났다.
월요일 성명에서 백악관은, 비헨나가 “군대, 오클라호마 선출 공무원들 그리고 대중들로부터 광범위한 지지를 받고 있다. 게다가, 형을 사는 동안 비헨나씨는 모범수였다. 이런 사실들에 비추어봤을 때 사면을 받을 충분한 자격이 있다.”라고 말했다.
오클라호마 법무장관은, 비헨나가 “‘살인자’ 혹은 범죄자라는 오명을 쓰거나 종신형에 처해져서는” 안 된다고 말했다.
The U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned a former soldier convicted by a military court for murdering an unarmed Iraqi man.
The U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned a former soldier convicted by a military court for murdering an unarmed Iraqi man.
United States President Donald Trump granted a full pardon Monday to a former army lieutenant who was convicted of killing an unarmed Iraqi man.
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In 2009 Michael Behenna was convicted for “unpremeditated murder in a combat zone” of Ali Mansur during an unauthorized interrogation.
Mansur was detained by U.S. soldiers after Behenna’s convoy was attacked in Baghdad. Initially, he was accused of being linked to al-Qaida. A military interrogation did not find any evidence to link Masur to the explosion which cost Behenna two friends.
The soldier, later, was ordered to deliver Mansur back to his village. Instead, he took the man in a secluded area to interrogate him. Mansur was stripped naked and shot by Behenna in the chest and head.
He claimed self-defense and said that Mansur had thrown a piece of concrete at him and reached for his gun.
A military court found him guilty and gave him a sentence of 25 years in prison. His sentence was later reduced to 15 years. However, he was released on parole in 2014.
The White House, in a statement Monday said that Behenna “has attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public.”
“Further, while serving his sentence,” it continued, “Mr. Behenna was a model prisoner. In light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving of this Grant of Executive Clemency.”
The Oklahoma attorney general said that Behenna did not deserve “the label ‘murderer,’ or the lifelong punishment and stigma that come with being a federal criminal.”
After killing Mansur, the former soldier told his companions that “he would do it again, and did not feel bad about it because he just lost two guys” according to a military court filing.