Tuesday, March 22, 2011 | 9:23 a.m.
A U.S. soldier court-martialed in the murder of three Afghan civilians will plead guilty Wednesday following the release of incriminating photos of the killings that threaten to further damage already strained U.S-Afghan relations, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Army Spc. Jeremy Morlock, 22, has agreed to admit to three counts of murder, one count of conspiracy to commit assault and battery, and one count of illegal drug use, according to his lawyer, Geoffrey Nathan. Nathan has said his client hopes a guilty plea will earn him a reduced sentence.
Morlock is seen in the photos posing and smiling next to a victim’s body with others in the 5th Stryker Brigade who allegedly were part of a rogue "kill team." Despite exhaustive efforts by the Army to keep the photos secret, copies were leaked to the German magazine Der Spiegel, which published them Sunday and made them free online Monday. Now, U.S. officials are bracing for the aftermath, which will likely include upped tension between the Taliban and the Kabul regime, and more Afghan dissatisfaction with a U.S. presence in the wake of other, accidental, civilian deaths.
“The photos appear in stark contrast to the discipline, professionalism and respect that have characterized our Soldiers’ performance during nearly 10 years of sustained operations,” the Army said in a statement.
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