James P. Barker (born 1982) is a former specialist in the U.S. Army who pleaded guilty on 15 November 2006 to the rape of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi, and of helping murder her and her family.[1]
Barker told Army criminal investigators that he poured kerosene on the girl's bullet-ridden body after the killing, according to testimony given at a military hearing in August.[2] The girl's father, mother and five-year-old sister were also killed.[2] Barker further told an investigator in a sworn statement that on the day of the attack he and fellow accused soldiers Cortez, Jesse Spielman and Steven Dale Green were drinking whiskey mixed with an energy drink and hitting golfballs.[3]
In November 2006, the soldier pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 years in prison.[4] Several members of his contingent are eligible for the death penalty. He has no chance of early release until November 2026.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ US soldier admits Iraq girl rape — BBC News
- ^ a b US soldier pleads guilty to raping Iraqi teenager | Iraq | Guardian Unlimited
- ^ CBS News, Whiskey And Golf Before Rape-Murder?, August 7, 2006.
- ^ Iraq rape soldier given life sentence, Guardian Unlimited, Nov 17, 2006.