FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) -- One of four U.S. soldiers accused of raping an Iraqi girl last spring and killing her and her family pleaded guilty Wednesday and will testify against the others.

Spc. James P. Barker agreed to the plea deal to avoid the death penalty, said his civilian attorney, David Sheldon.

The killings in Mahmoudiya, a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad, were among the worst in a series of alleged attacks on civilians and other abuses by military personnel in Iraq.

Sgt. Paul E. Cortez and Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, both members of the 101st Airborne Division with Barker, could face the death penalty if convicted in the case in courts-martial at Fort Campbell.


Former Army private Steve Green, 21, pleaded not guilty last week to charges including murder and sexual assault.

Green was discharged from the Army for a "personality disorder" before the allegations became known, and prosecutors have yet to say if they will pursue the death penalty against him.

The indictment accuses Green and others of raping the girl and burning her body to conceal their crimes. It also alleges that Green and four others stationed at a nearby checkpoint killed the girl's father, mother and 6-year-old sister.

Barker has already given investigators vivid accounts of the assault. An investigator testified during a hearing in August that Barker had said the soldiers drank whiskey and played cards while plotting the assault, that Barker, Cortez and Green took turns raping the girl, and that Green shot her and her family.

This is a sad thing, I really am embarrased for the US Army, I would think that they have enough on their plates that rape should not or must not be on that plate also.

Completely agree on that. It is interesting to see how quickly these turds turn on themselves.

Considering how many crazy people as I served with, I cannot imagine anyone like these morons.

This is not a big surprise, im sure cavscout would have pulled guard duty while this went on if he were there, because the iraqi's are pussys and deserve to die. The whole army is full of shit bags, I wouldent be surprised if some people I went to basic with are out there doing similar things. Its all good though right cav just like shooting people on your own side (with different views) in the head because you think there pussys.

Its also unbelivable how many of you turn on your fellow marine (murtha) because he has different political views. So it doesnt really matter if someone served "honorably", if they dont drink the kool aid F'em.

Just because a Marine veteran holds a political office, doesn't mean he is speaking for us. That just means he used his military service to his advantage in getting elected.

I agree with gunny on Murtha, as far as Murtha goes as a political leader, does the FBI sting (ABSCAM) ring a bell with anyone? I don't know if he (Murtha) ever took any money during that sting, I would suggest that the thought that he was there on the audio tape would send the signal that he is as big a crook as the rest of them. Just my thought, rppearso you are as intitled to your thoughts as anyone else.

yeah, the only reason he's still in office after ABSCAM, is they didn't lay down more than 50K on the table. It just wasn't enough money for him and he didn't take the bait. I believe his exact words were,
'I'm not interested.......yet'

with that on tape, they didn't have enough to bring charges against him.

Well only time will tell if he takes any bribes, his party has as many crooks as the next party. If you take bribes and get caught then you pays the price.

They should all hang for this, and if any of them walk away it will be a tragidy. Soldiers should be protected from sketchy calls, like if it wasent clear if the iraqi was a combatant or not, but just straight up murdering a family, they should be put in front of the firing squad. Espesially the NCO in charge, that will be one less cavscout in the world.

Ronald, we talked and: