Second U.S. Soldier Gets Hearing on the Slaying of an Iraqi Civilian

A second U.S. soldier faced a military court Thursday on charges that he murdered an Iraqi civilian during fighting in Baghdad’s impoverished Sadr City neighborhood.

Sgt. Michael P. Williams, 25, of Memphis, Tenn., is charged with premeditated murder, obstruction of justice and making a false official statement.

Two witnesses gave evidence during the Article 32 hearing, which is the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing. The hearing will continue today.

Military officials declined to say whether Williams entered a plea.

Williams and Spc. Brent May, 22, of Salem, Ohio, are charged in the August killing of an Iraqi man in Sadr City, the scene of fierce clashes this year between coalition forces and Shiite Muslim fighters allied with anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada Sadr.

In continuing violence, insurgents killed a U.S. Marine on patrol in Al Anbar province Thursday, the military said today. The Marines did not release details.

In the court case, both soldiers, who are attached to Company C, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, from Ft. Riley, Kan., were charged in September with three counts of premeditated murder of three Iraqis.

But military officials in both cases have decided to try them on one murder count each.

During a two-day hearing this week, May did not enter a plea or give testimony. He is awaiting a ruling on whether he will be court-martialed, receive a lesser penalty or be acquitted. Six members of his unit testified in his case.