Alaska News

Army urged to drop murder charge against Stryker soldier

SEATTLE -- A report forwarded to Joint Base Lewis-McChord commanders recommends that the Army drop a murder charge against Spc. Michael Wagnon, one of five soldiers accused of killing unarmed Afghan civilians while serving with the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

In the weeks ahead, the Army leadership at the base will decide whether to accept that recommendation or reject it and continue the prosecution of a murder charge in a general court-martial trial.

Prosecutors allege that Wagnon conspired with other soldiers to murder an Afghan in February 2010 and then helped two other soldiers -- Spc. Jeremy Morlock, who is from Wasilla, and Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs -- carry out the crime. That is one of three murders prosecutors allege were carried out by rogue members of a Stryker infantry platoon during a 2009-10 deployment.

But Maj. Michael Liles, an investigating officer who presided over a November hearing, found no evidence that Wagnon was involved in the conspiracy. He also did not find sufficient evidence that Wagnon was aware of the murder plot when he opened fire on the Afghan man while on patrol.

"Spc. Wagnon's justification in my opinion is that he was coming to the aid of SSG. (Staff Sgt.) Gibbs, whom he believed was in contact with an enemy combatant," Liles wrote in his investigative report. Liles also recommended that several other charges, including illegal possession of a human skull, be dropped.

But Liles did find sufficient evidence to move ahead with a charge that Wagnon was involved in another incident, conspiracy to open fire on unarmed farmers in a field in spring 2010. The farmers were not injured in the attack but Wagnon, if convicted of the conspiracy charge, could face a maximum of eight years in prison, according to his defense counsel, Colby Vokey.

Liles is an officer who, under the military justice system, was assigned to review the evidence against Wagnon, preside over the November hearing and make recommendations.

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Army commanders at Joint Base Lewis-McChord will decide whether to accept or reject each of Liles' recommendations on specific charges.

Wagnon is the father of three children and has been in pretrial confinement since returning from Afghanistan last summer.

Vokey seeks Wagnon's pretrial release.

"This has created an incredible amount of stress and hardship on his family," Vokey said.

Army officials are unable to comment on the report because it is part of an ongoing investigation, according to Sgt. 1st Class Ernest White, who serves in public affairs.

By HAL BERNTON

The Seattle Times

Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times

Hal Bernton is a former reporter for The Seattle Times and the Anchorage Daily News.

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