Post by Moses on Dec 29, 2004 18:11:41 GMT -5
A North Carolina National Guard member thought to be the first United States soldier convicted of murdering an Iraqi said he “snapped” and shot the 17-year-old boy after they had consensual sex, The News & Observer reported. Pvt. Federico Merida, 21, of Biscoe, pleaded guilty during a court-martial in Iraq to shooting the Iraqi national guard private, whose name the Army withheld. The “gay panic” motive was the third that Merida offered after saying that the boy attempted to rob him and that they boy forced him to have sex. In an agreement with the Army that limited his prison sentence to no more than 25 years, Merida pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder but guilty to murder without premeditation. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of giving false statements in his initial explanations. He was found not guilty of dereliction of duty for having consensual sex while supposedly guarding the camp. -- Windy City Times