Posted on 04/27/2005 9:25:29 AM PDT by 68skylark
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Facing a possible death penalty for his fatal attack on fellow soldiers, Sgt. Hasan Akbar will make an unsworn statement to the jury in his own defense, a lawyer said Wednesday.
The statement by Akbar is to come Thursday, the fourth day of the sentencing phase of his court-martial, said the defense lawyer, Maj. David Coombs. Akbar was convicted last week of premeditated murder and attempted murder in the March 2003 attack on the 101st Airborne Division at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait.
Akbar will speak from the witness box, and prosecutors will be able to call witnesses to rebut what he says, but will not be able to cross-examine him. Jurors will be warned that he is not speaking under oath.
The defense contends Akbar was too mentally ill to plan the attack, although they have not denied that he threw grenades into tents, then fired on soldiers as the division, camped in the Kuwait desert, prepared to join the invasion of Iraq.
Army Capt. Chris Seifert, 27, of Easton, Pa., and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, were killed and 14 soldiers were wounded.
Earlier Wednesday, Akbar's former platoon leader testified that officers had discussed removing Akbar from the Army before the attack but failed to act.
Capt. David Storch said Akbar's superiors in the 101st Airborne Division had talked about removing him through administrative procedures. He said they decided that such a move was too complicated to handle in a war zone, and there wasn't enough written documentation of Akbar's shortcomings.
"What he lacked was leadership," Storch said. "It took specific instructions. You really had to sit down and explain to him, do this and then do that."
However, he said he saw no signs of mental illness.
Prosecutors have said Akbar, 34, launched the attack because he was concerned about U.S. troops killing fellow Muslims in the war.
On Tuesday, prosecution witnesses gave the jury tearful testimony about how the officers' deaths affected them.
"A sacred trust was broken that evening at Camp Pennsylvania," said Seifert's widow, Terri Seifert of Clarksville, Tenn. "I am terribly lonely."
Clutching a tissue and occasionally wiping away tears, she spoke of the irony of her husband's death because he was the type of man who "would have jumped on a grenade to save his buddies."
ping
Did he extend a like courtesy to his victims?
The bureaucratic, PC, CYA mentality imposed by morons from above, stopped Capt. Storch from doing what needed to be done. Now people are dead because of it.
String him up at Ft Campbell and let them use him
as a bayonet dummy...
Hang him near the Allah Snackbar
This man should have been court-martialed and executed in Iraq. I don't believe that panel has the courage to execute him here in the US.
CPT Seifert and MAJ Stone could not be reached for comment.
I'll take "Things All Traitors Feel" for a thousand Alec
I know this case generates strong feelings, my friend. But the judge and jury are soldiers, and I don't think you should accuse any U.S. soldiers of a lack of courage -- that's just not right.
Hang him near the Allah Snackbar
Don't forget the blood from a pig as the special treat for the SOB!
Any logic to him pleading guilty?
I think rambling excuses will probably piss off the jury more than help this murderer.
If this SOB doesn't get the death sentence- then NO ONE should. Period. If there was EVER a case for it- this is it.
I agree -- his actions were no ordinary murders. This case cries out for the death penalty.
Hopefully, when he opens his mouth, the true rot in his heart will come pouring out, and will add the final nail.
I'm not sure I understand your question. Before the trial I think his plea was "not guilty" or "not guilty due to insanity."
Now that he's in the penalty phase, though, it's probably in his interests to admit responsibility and try to show as much remorse as he can muster. It's probably his only hope. Wouldn't you agree? (In most trials, I think remorse can win some leniency for a criminal -- I'm not sure why. But in this case, all the remorse in the world probably won't help him.)
I agree. Of course, I suspect the jury is plenty pissed-off already -- I doubt there's much he could say to make them feel any more OR less angry.
Wouldn't a death sentence make him a "martyr", according to his "religion"? Does he NOT believe there are 78 virgins waiting for him in paradise?
I believe that I know the answer, but, if he is as bad off as the defense claims, how did he make the rank of Sergent?
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