US Soldier Steven Green Faces Death for Iraq Gang Rape, 4 Murders

A former US soldier, Pfc. Steven Dale Green, was convicted last week of orchestrating the gang rape of Abeer Qassim Hamza, a 14 year old girl, and the brutal murder of her and her entire family; 5-year old sister Hadeel Qassim Hamza, mother Fakhriya Taha Muhasen, and father Qassim Hamza Rasheed, while serving in Iraq.  Steven Green now faces the death penalty for his horrific crime.  The sentencing phase of his trial began May 11, 2009.

If Green is given the death penalty he will be the first US soldier ever tried for war crimes in a civilian court to be sentenced to execution.  Four of his co-conspirators are now serving multiple life sentences after three confessed and the other was convicted in a separate trial.

Three of the other convicted soldiers also participated in the gang rape of Abeer Qassim Hamza.  Spc. James Barker was given 90 years, Sgt. Paul Cortez was sentenced to 100 years, and Pfc. Jesse Spielman was hit with 110 years in prison.  All three directly men participated in the rape and murders that Steven Green planned.

A fourth soldier, Pfc. Bryan Howard, was given a 27-month sentence.  Howard did not actively participate in the planning of the crime and did not commit rape or murder, but he did act as a look out for the others.   Charges were dropped against a fifth participant, Sgt. Anthony Yribe, who also had no prior knowledge of the crimes and was not an active participant until the cover up.

In the trial against Steven Green evidence was entered and testimony was given that proved he stalked Abeer Qassim Hamza and her family for some time before the crime.  The rape and murders were fully premeditated by Green and the others and the family, living in a rural area in Iraq, was targeted well in advance of the date of the 2005 crime.