Christopher Speer

Christopher J. Speer
Born September 9, 1973(1973-09-09)
Died August 6, 2002(2002-08-06) (aged 28)
Service/branch Army

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Christopher James Speer (September 9, 1973 – August 6, 2002)[1] was a combat medic with a Delta Force team who was mortally wounded during a skirmish in Afghanistan, on July 27, 2002. Speer, who was not wearing a helmet at the time because the mission called for indigenous clothing, suffered a head wound from a grenade and succumbed to his injuries approximately two weeks later.[2][3]

Speer was awarded the Soldier's Medal for risking his life to save two Afghan children who were trapped in a minefield, on July 21, 2002, two weeks before his death.[3]

Contents

Death

The incident received attention because of the admitted murder of Speer by fifteen-year-old Canadian citizen, Omar Khadr, in the firefight.[4][5] Khadr was captured and subsequently imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay. He later pled guilty to, among other things, the murder of Speer.[6]

Prior to his plea of guilty to Speer's murder, Khadr became the focus of several legal disputes. On February 4, 2008, US officials accidentally released an unredacted version of sworn testimony which — according to Khadr's lawyers — showed that Khadr was not responsible for Speer's death.[7] In January 2006 Colonel Morris Davis, Khadr's prosecutor, in statements to the press, said that Khadr owed his life to American medics who stepped over the dead body of their colleague to treat Khadr's wounds. Speer died from his wounds on August 6, 2002, at the age of 28.[8][9] However, the accidentally-released sworn testimony revealed that medics dressed Speer's wounds before they dressed Khadr's.[10]

On the second anniversary of Speer's murder, SFC Speer's widow Tabitha and a comrade of his, Layne Morris, initiated legal proceedings to claim compensation from the estate of Omar Khadr's father Ahmed Khadr.

Speer enlisted in the Army in 1992. On the day of his murder he was part of a squad assigned the task of going through the ruins, looking for weapons, and evidence of terrorism.[11]

Combat medic training

Speer received 18 Delta combat medic training at the Joint Special Operations University in Hurlburt Field, Florida.[12]

Christopher J. Speer Medical Clinic

The infirmary at a special forces base in Nangahar Province is known as the "Christopher J. Speer Medical Clinic".[13] The Pak Tribune reported:

"The clinic looks primitive to Americans accustomed to hospitals filled with the latest medical equipment. The four examination tables are litters propped on stands. The roof is made of wood, and the walls are made of mud. Medical supplies are stacked three rows deep in tall wooden shelves."

Khadr pleads guilty to murder of Speer

On October 25, 2010, Khadr pled guilty to murder of Speer in violation of the laws of war, attempted murder in violation of the laws of war, conspiracy, two counts of providing material support for terrorism and spying in the United States.[6] Under the plea deal, Khadr would serve one more year in Guantanamo Bay, and be returned to Canada, but Canadian authorities denied Khadr would be repatriated as part of any agreement.[14] On October 29, 2010 after taking the stand, Khadr apologized to the widow of Speer for the pain he had caused her, further stating that his eight years in prison had taught him "the beauty of life".[15]

See also

Biography portal
United States Army portal

References

  1. ^ "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Defense Motion to Dismiss for Violation of the Sixth Amendment Right to a Speedy Trial". U.S. Department of Defense. 11 July 2008. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Khadr%20-%20D%20-%20068%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss%20Speedy%20Trial.pdf. 
  2. ^ Adrian Humphreys (2006-02-20). "Khadrs must pay $102M". National Post. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalpost.com%2Fstory.html%3Fid%3D43c0864a-c38a-4898-8774-9a6013eb87db%26k%3D76230&date=2010-10-31. "A U.S. civil court has ordered the family of Omar Khadr, the Canadian teenager jailed at Guantanamo Bay, to pay more than $102-million to the widow of an American soldier and a second soldier injured in an attack in Afghanistan." 
  3. ^ a b "Christopher J. Speer". Journal of Special Operations Medicine. fall 2003. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Fall03Vol3Ed4.pdf&page=90. "Six days before he received the wound that killed him, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer walked into a minefield to rescue two wounded Afghan children, according to fellow soldiers. He applied a tourniquet to one child and bandaged the other, they said. Then he stopped a passing military truck to take the wounded children to a U.S. Army field hospital. Speer saved those children, his colleagues said." 
  4. ^ Sheldon Alberts (June 29, 2007). "U.S. Supreme Court reverses stance, will review terror suspects appeal". Ottawa Citizen. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=d23f2f2e-54f9-426a-8f6a-a751e70ec93e&k=68397. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 
  5. ^ Richard Reynolds (January 12, 2006). "Meet terrorism's first family, or so US military prosecutors allege". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/01/11/1136956242159.html?from=top5. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 
  6. ^ a b Meserve, Jeanne; CNN Wire Staff (October 25, 2010). "Khadr plea". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/25/khadr.plea/. Retrieved 29 October 2010. 
  7. ^ "New witness account shows Khadr charges should be dropped: lawyers". CBC News. February 5, 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/02/05/khadr-account.html?ref=rss. Retrieved 2008-02-05. 
  8. ^ "U.S. prosecutor's comments on Khadr reviewed". Toronto Star. January 12, 2006. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1137066011885&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News. 
  9. ^ "Terrorism charges reinstated against Khadr". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 24, 2007. http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/09/24/guantanamo-khadr.html. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 
  10. ^ OC-1 (17 March 2004). "Criminal Investigation Task Force (CITF) Report of Investigative Activity" (PDF [sic] of the compound and was treated by the same 19 SFG physician's assistant and medic and was later transported by a CH-47 to Bagram.). Toronto: Criminal Investigation Task Force. http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/080210_KHADR_Decision.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-29. "[OC-1] went to find SPEER who was a medic. [OC-1] then discovered that SPEER was wounded in the head by the grenade. SPEER was treated by a physician's assistant and a medic from the SFG, and a platoon medic from the 82nd Airborne. SPEER was transported to Bagram Airfield by a UH-60 medevac helicopter. KHADR was pulled out of the alley into the center are" 
  11. ^ (Michelle Shephard (April 29, 2007). "Khadr goes on trial". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/News/article/208502. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 
  12. ^ "Christopher J. Speer" (PDF) (4 ed.). jsopublic. Fall 2003. http://jsoupublic.socom.mil/publications/jsom/jsomq303.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 
  13. ^ "Culture limits medics in Afghanistan". Pak Tribune. September 20, 2004. http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=77761. 
  14. ^ "No Khadr return deal in place: Cannon". CBC News. October 28, 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/10/28/khadr-cannon-canada.html. Retrieved 29 October 2010. 
  15. ^ Montet, Virginie (October 29, 2010). "Khadr says sorry to slain soldier's widow". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/khadr-says-sorry-to-slain-soldiers-widow-20101029-176fg.html. Retrieved 29 October 2010. 

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