Sergeant convicted of three counts of negligent homicide, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice

March 17, 2007

Sergeant convicted of three counts of negligent homicide, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice

FT. CAMPBELL, KY. — An Army squad leader accused of ordering his soldiers to kill three unarmed Iraqi detainees in May was acquitted Friday of premeditated murder and murder conspiracy. A court-martial panel convicted him of three counts of negligent homicide as well as obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Staff Sgt. Raymond L. Girouard, 24, had faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted on the murder charges. His attorney said he now faced a maximum of 21 years in prison, with the opportunity to argue for a lower penalty at a sentencing hearing scheduled for Monday.