US soldier arraigned for alleged murder of unarmed Iraqi
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A US soldier pleaded not guilty to charges he shot dead an unarmed Iraqi man last year and ordered a member of his platoon to fire additional rounds at the victim.
Sgt. 1st Class Trey Corrales, 35, appeared in a court-martial for his arraignment. He also took the stand as his lawyers asked the judge to suppress a statement he made to Army investigators three days after the June 23 incident near Kirkuk in northern Iraq.
Corrales has been charged with premeditated murder and with wrongfully soliciting another soldier to shoot the Iraqi man. A third count alleges Corrales wrongfully impeded an investigation into the incident by planting an AK-47 next to the victim after he was shot.
The San Antonio native faces a minimum of life in prison with parole if he is convicted of premeditated murder.
Col. Donna Wright, the judge in the case, said she would rule on the matter later Monday.
Jury selection and the trial phase is due to begin on Wednesday.