A military jury found a soldier guilty of armed robbery Thursday for taking an Iraqi sheik's sport utility vehicle at gunpoint, but concluded he did not deserve prison. The panel also convicted Sgt. 1st Class James Williams of willful dereliction of duty for allowing his soldiers to consume alcohol in Iraq. Williams, 37, of rural Westmoreland County, Va., maintains he helped take the SUV only because his lieutenant ordered him to procure a vehicle and because he did not think it was a criminal act, but the prosecution alleged he was simply after a "sweet ride." Williams, a soldier with the 101st Airborne Division, declined to comment to reporters after the ruling, but his civilian defense attorney, Bernard Casey, said he plans to appeal. "Where was the evidence this constituted a crime?" Casey said.
| Right in front of the military court. |
The jury recommended a reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge, but no prison time. The commanding general of the 101st, Maj. Gen. Tom Turner, will decide Williams' sentence. With tears rolling down his face when the sentence was read, Williams put his chin down and nodded his head back and forth. The prosecution had recommended a four-year prison term. "We're lucky that he got this sentence," said Williams' wife, Kim. "It could have been a lot worse." Said his sister, Russell Perry: "At least he won't be going back to Iraq."
Army prosecutor Capt. Howard Hoege said Thursday that Williams helped take the SUV at gunpoint from the sheik's son, who was driving the vehicle. Williams then helped orchestrate a cover-up story that the vehicle was found abandoned, Hoege said. |