JAG CENTRALThe world's first weblog devoted to military justice and military law issues.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
TUESDAY'S NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
From the NY Times: Sudan Arrests 15 Accused in Darfur Crimes ("Sudan has made its first arrests of military and security forces accused of raping and killing civilians and of burning villages in the Darfur region of western Sudan, Justice Minister Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin said Monday. Mr. Yassin said that a government committee had arrested 15 members of the police, military and security forces in Darfur in connection with human rights abuses and that they would immediately be sent to court.").
From the Washington Post: U.S. Soldier Pleads Not Guilty in Iraqi Man's Death ("A U.S. military court was shown shaky video from a surveillance drone aircraft as a court-martial began Monday for a U.S. tank commander accused of killing an Iraqi man who witnesses have said was already critically wounded. Capt. Rogelio Maynulet, 30, of Chicago, pleaded not guilty. He could face a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted of assault with intent to commit murder. Wearing full dress uniform, he stood as his attorney, Capt. Will Helixon, entered the plea.") ANALYSIS: This case involves the issue of "double-tapping", a prohibited practice in which a soldier walks up upon a wounded, now-unarmed soldier and "finishes them off." According to international law and military policy, once a combatant becomes injured to the point of where they cannot fight anymore, that combatant can no longer be engaged with lethal force. Instead, our forces must take that soldier into custody and render proper military aid. In return, we get to make sure they are out of the fight for the rest of the war. If the allegations are true, CPT Maynulet didn't listen very hard in his Rules of Engagement briefings.
From the Washington Post: U.S. Soldier Pleads Not Guilty in Iraqi Man's Death ("A U.S. military court was shown shaky video from a surveillance drone aircraft as a court-martial began Monday for a U.S. tank commander accused of killing an Iraqi man who witnesses have said was already critically wounded. Capt. Rogelio Maynulet, 30, of Chicago, pleaded not guilty. He could face a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted of assault with intent to commit murder. Wearing full dress uniform, he stood as his attorney, Capt. Will Helixon, entered the plea.") ANALYSIS: This case involves the issue of "double-tapping", a prohibited practice in which a soldier walks up upon a wounded, now-unarmed soldier and "finishes them off." According to international law and military policy, once a combatant becomes injured to the point of where they cannot fight anymore, that combatant can no longer be engaged with lethal force. Instead, our forces must take that soldier into custody and render proper military aid. In return, we get to make sure they are out of the fight for the rest of the war. If the allegations are true, CPT Maynulet didn't listen very hard in his Rules of Engagement briefings.
