Lewis E. Welshofer Jr.
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| CWO3 Lewis E. Welshofer Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born 1964 (age 43–44) | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Rank | Chief Warrant Officer 3 |
| Battles/wars | War in Iraq |
Lewis E. Welshofer Jr. is an United States Army soldier, convicted of homicide of an Iraqi prisoner of war on November 23, 2003 in al-Qaim.[1] Welshofer was then serving as a Chief Warrant Officer in the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment.
Following a technique he alleged was approved by his superiors, Welshofer placed Iraqi Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush headfirst into a sleeping bag, wrapped the bag tightly with electrical cords, then sat on his chest and held his mouth closed. General Mowhoush had eight broken ribs from an earlier beating, allegedly carried out by CIA contractors under Welshofer's direction. American forces believed Mowhoush, a former high-level officer in Saddam Hussein's regime, was one of the leaders of the Iraqi insurgency. He had voluntarily surrendered to the Americans in hopes of helping free his sons, who were being held by the Americans.
In his defense, Welshofer had stressed that the General was refusing to acknowledge leading the insurgency, and that his superiors were insisting that Army interrogators "take the gloves off" when dealing with Iraqi prisoners. At his court martial a CIA official who observed Welshofer's interrogation techniques, wrote a memo because he was alarmed when Welshofer told him that he violated interrogation rules every day.[2]
On January 17, 2006, military judge Mark Toole rejected the request from attorney Frank Spinner, to dismiss the charges.[3] CWO Jefferson L. Williams and Spc Jerry L. Loper both agreed to testify against Welshofer in exchange for a reduction in their own charges relating to the death. Welshofer claimed he was only following orders which came all the way from the Pentagon and Donald Rumsfeld.
Welshofer was ultimately convicted of negligent homicide, and negligent dereliction of duty on January 21, 2006. The jury took 6 hours of deliberation. Welshofer could have faced a dishonorable discharge as well as up to 39 months in prison, but received only 60 days of barrack confinement and he was ordered to forfeit 6,000 US$ in salary.[4] Critics around the world questioned the verdict's leniency.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] According to an editorial in the Belfast Telegraph: "If ever there was a single moment that illustrates the moral bankruptcy of the US in Iraq it was the trial of Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer."[14]
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[edit] Notes
- ^ "Four face charges in Iraq death: Two are from Fort Carson, Pentagon report confirms" (June 25 2004). Colorado Springs Gazette.
- ^ "Secret witness: Carson interrogator broke rules" (January 19 2006). Colorado Springs Gazette.
- ^ "Carson soldier's charges will stand: Juror worried defense in case of Iraqi's death" (January 17 2006). Rocky Mountain News.
- ^ 404 error. CNN.com. Retrieved on 2006-03-23.
- ^ "Light sentence; wrong message" (January 31 2006). The Grand Rapids Press.
- ^ "The man who holds the CIA accountable doesn't" (January 29 2006). St Petersburg Times.
- ^ "Trial Illuminates Dark Tactics of Interrogation" ([dead link]) (January 30 2006). Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Mild Penalties in Military Abuse Cases: Observers see a variety of reasons for light sentences, even in interrogation deaths -- including shifting rules and CIA involvement" ([dead link]) (January 25 2006). Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Damon, Andre (January 30 2006). Army court martial conceals CIA involvement in death of former Iraqi general. Uruknet.info. Retrieved on 2006-03-23.
- ^ Colson, Nicole (February 3 2006). Slap on the wrist for killing Iraqi detainee. Socialist Worker Online. Retrieved on 2006-03-23.
- ^ "Soldier escapes jail time over prisoner death" (January 25 2006). Gulf Times.
- ^ "Army officer found guilty in Iraqi’s death" ([dead link]) (January 22 2006). Al Jazeera.
- ^ Iraq: The hard work of forming a government. Monday Morning. Retrieved on 2006-03-23. (404 error as of last access date)
- ^ "Abortion practice sounds death knell for womanhood" ([dead link]) (January 30 2006). Belfast Telegraph.
