Fort Carson – A Fort Carson officer on trial on a murder charge was under pressure to extract information about Iraqi insurgents when he put a dirty sleeping bag over the head of an Iraqi general, tied it to him with electrical cord, then sat on his chest and covered his mouth, according to testimony Tuesday.
Gen. Abed Mowhoush, who weighed about 270 pounds, suffocated in a sleeping bag on Nov. 26, 2003, prosecutor Capt. Elana Matt said in opening statements Tuesday.
In the days before Mowhoush died, Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer Jr. had received a memo from Army Capt. William Ponce, a member of Gen. Ricardo Sanchez’s intelligence staff, indicating that the insurgency was getting stronger and it was “time to take the gloves off,” said Frank Spinner, attorney for the defense.
Welshofer is on trial on charges of murder, dereliction of duty and assault in connection with the death of Mowhoush and the assault of an unknown Iraqi. Mowhoush’s death occurred two days after Mowhoush was beaten by civilians identified as CIA agents.
Spinner, in opening statements, said Mowhoush did not suffocate but died of complications from an enlarged heart. Spinner said forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht will testify that Welshofer died “from a weak heart and not any unlawful activity engaged in by Chief Welshofer.”
On Tuesday, Chief Warrant Officer Jefferson Williams, Welshofer’s right-hand man in Iraq, testified under immunity after the Army dropped murder charges against him this month. Williams said that on the morning of Nov. 26, 2003, he got a cup of coffee and went to an interrogation room in the Blacksmith Hotel in Qaim, where detainees captured by their regiment were held. Welshofer asked a few questions, wasn’t happy with the answers, then picked up a sleeping bag.
Williams went for another cup of coffee, and when he came back to the interrogation room, Mowhoush had the foot end of a sleeping bag over his head, he said. The bag was tied with electrical cord at the shoulders and knees because it only went halfway around Mowhoush.
When Williams returned, he said, he helped Welshofer lay Mowhoush on his back on the ground. Welshofer straddled Mowhoush, but Williams said he couldn’t tell how much weight Welshofer was putting on the general.
Welshofer also placed his hand over Mowhoush’s mouth for 15 seconds at a time, Williams said. Mowhoush answered questions but then went silent, causing the tension in the room to rise, Williams said.
“Is he not responding because he’s playing a possum game, or is there something wrong?” Williams said he wondered.
Within one to two minutes, the soldiers heard a large gasp from Mowhoush. Welshofer said, in effect, “I thought I killed him” or “At least he’s not dead,” Williams testified.
Welshofer straddled Mowhoush again and asked questions for two to three more minutes, until Mowhoush went silent again, Williams said. When Williams removed the sleeping bag, he said, Mowhoush was dead.
Maj. Jessica Voss, Welshofer’s company commander, testified that she approved of covering a detainee’s head with a sleeping bag but did not approve of sitting on a detainee’s chest or covering his mouth.
Col. Mark Toole, the military judge, closed part of the trial to allow witnesses with classified information to testify.
Staff writer Erin Emery can be reached at 719-522-1360 or eemery@denverpost.com.
