Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s defense speak to reporters after bombshell testimony from Special Operator 1st Class Corey Scott who said he asphyxiated the ISIS fighter. KUSI’s Ginger Jeffries talked to Defense Attorney Tim Parlatore further about what happened in trial today.
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Shocking news coming out of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s trial in San Diego.
Special Operator 1st Class Corey Scott said Thursday that he asphyxiated the teenage Islamic State fighter after Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher unexpectedly stabbed him.
Scott was in the same deployment as Edward Gallagher in Mosul and had heard radio chatter about an ISIS prisoner. Scott said he arrived on scene, 2 medics already there, Gallagher and Burn. Scott said the prisoner was ‘unconscious but breathing normally with a wound on his leg.” Someone had already performed a tracheotomy, a tube was in his neck. Scott said Burn left the scene and Scott saw “Gallagher pull out his knife and stab the ISIS prisoner underneath the collar bone at least once.” He said he did not see any blood.
Scott froze, was not sure what to do, said he “stayed with the prisoner until he asphyxiated.”
Prosecution cross-examined Scott. He told the prosecution that he never saw any blood after the stabbing. Lawyers asked about asphyxiation and how that happened. Scott said, “I suffocated him. I held my thumb over his trach tube until he asphyxiated.” Prosecution asked “Did Gallagher kill this ISIS terrorist?” Scott answered “no.” Prosecution asked “why did you kill him?” and Scott replied, “Because I knew he was going to die anyway.” Prosecution said, he was a prisoner of the Iraqi forces, not the US forces, so US would treat the prisoner and hand him over. Scott justified that the prisoner was going to be taken to the Iraqis as a prisoner and expressed concern because he said they torture their prisoners.
Scott was not concerned by what Gallagher did to the prisoner, only what the Iraqis would do.
During prosecution re-direct, Scott testified that in none of the previous interviews with NCIS or prosecution, did he say that he asphyxiated the prisoner.ed gallagh
The seven-man jury is made up of five Marines and two sailors — all veterans of war zones. A two-thirds majority — at least five — is needed to convict. Anything less ends in acquittal.
Via Gellerreport
