The American GI accused of killing Afghan citizens in early 2010 has pleaded guilty to the charges, his defense attorney says. Spc. Jeremy Morlock of the U.S. Army copped to three counts of murder and other crimes for which the United States Government apologized early this week after Der Speigel, the German news magazine, published photos of Morlock posing with dead bodies as if they were hunting trophies.
Morlock is accused of murdering three Afghan men in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in January, Feburary and May 2010, and is one of five defendants in the case. Morlock is the first to step forward and admit guilt, The Associated Press reported.
According to a copy of the plea agreement, which was obtained by The Associated Press, Morlock has agreed to testify against his co-defendants. In his plea deal, Morlock said he and others slaughtered the three civilians knowing that they were unarmed and posed no legitimate threat.
He also described taking a lead role in the January incident — lobbing a grenade at the civilian while another soldier shot at him, and then lying about it to his squad leader.
Beastly Photos
Early this week, the U.S. Government was forced to apologize for the appalling photos that depicted Morlock and another GI posing with the dead bodies of the civilians they killed.
An Army spokesman said the photos are “repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States Army. We apologize for the distress these photos cause.”
As well, the Army said, Morlock’s actions should not reflect upon the Army.
“These court-martial proceedings speak for themselves. These photos appear in stark contrast to the discipline, professionalism and respect that have characterized our soldiers’ performance during nearly 10 years of sustained operations.
Army officials were worried about the photos becoming public because of the controversy caused when the infamous photos of the torture occurring at Abu Ghraib military prison surfaced. Those photos depicted American GIs, men and women, torturing and humiliating Iraqi prisoners.
Der Speigel said it published only three of 4,000 photos it received because it needed only to depict what Morlock and his accomplices had done for readers to understand what had happened. The photos have been a matter of speculation for some time, but a judge put them under protective order so they would not be released to the media.
Der Speigel has not said how it obtained them.
Morlock and his men also collected body parts such as fingers from dead insurgents and civilians as trophies.
According to The Associated Press, “hashish smoking was rampant in the unit.” Morlock and his cohort also face a drug charges.
The Seattle Times reported that the plea deal will likely end in a prison term of 24 years and possible parole. He has agreed to testify against his former comrades.
Photo: Spc. Jeremy Morlock: AP Images
