BAGHDAD — A U.S. Army sergeant who testified last month that he executed an Iraqi on orders from his platoon’s senior sniper told officials at the soldier’s court-martial hearing Wednesday that he now remembers little about the incident.
The witness, Sgt. Evan Vela, and the defendant, Staff Sgt. Michael Hensley, stand at the center of the controversy over the murders of three Iraqis south of Baghdad in the spring.
Testifying Sept. 27 at another colleague’s trial, Vela gave a chilling account of how he had shot two bullets into the head of the Iraqi man, saying he was following Hensley’s orders.
The testimony helped the defendant in that case, Spec. Jorge Sandoval, win acquittal on murder charges, although he is serving 44 days in detention for planting bomb wiring on an Iraqi he had killed.
However, those earlier statements are not admissible in Hensley’s court-martial or in Vela’s upcoming trial.
It was not clear Wednesday why Vela changed his account. One hearing observer said Vela pulled off badges from his Army uniform outside the courthouse before taking the stand.
Los Angeles Times
