[44] After Richardson's retirement in August 2019, his replacement Admiral Michael M. Gilday took ownership of the request. Please check your inbox to confirm. A retired Navy SEALwhose war crimes trial made international news has launched a video attack on former SEAL teammates who accused him of murder, shooting civilians and who testified against him at his San Diego court-martial in June. Clip from Apple TVs documentary The Line featuring Eddie Gallagher, former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, and Navy SEAL Dylan Dille. One aspect of this video that I find really interesting is that it's obviously from a larger-scale project. [18][19] This was the first time a President directly intervened in an imprisonment conditions matter since President Richard Nixon intervened in favor of Lieutenant William Calley, one of the perpetrators of the My Lai Massacre, by ordering him released from a military brig to house arrest in 1971. This was a prosecution witness, not a so, on cross-examination, that's when the defense brought this up. [1] Gallagher also was reportedly known for indiscriminately spraying neighborhoods with rockets and machine gun fire with no known enemy force in the region. [9], A charge of obstruction of justice was brought against Gallagher for alleged witness intimidation. Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. Gallagher went to trial last summer on charges that he murdered an Islamic State prisoner of war and committed other war crimes in May 2017 outside Mosul, Iraq. In addition to being found innocent on the first-degree murder charge, Chief Gallagher was also found not guilty of attempted murder of Iraqi civilians and of obstruction of justice. Once the SEALs reached the other side of the river, there didnt appear to be any options if they got pinned down by insurgent gunfire, the AOIC added. Because of the immunity agreement Scott could not be prosecuted for testifying that he killed the prisoner. We even talked to Jocko Willink about taking pictures just last week. I thought, well hoped after the fact, that these military pardons would lead to something good. (Photo by Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images). The request was initially rejected by Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar. (photos provided). Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher celebrates after being acquitted of premeditated murder at Naval Base San Diego, July 2, 2019, in San Diego. Three other SEALs are slated to say their platoon chief took "random shots, sometimes into buildings, where he claimed to have killed someone, similar filings allege. By Julie Watson, Brian Melley, Associated Press. [44], The clemency decision ended up moot: in November 2019, President Trump announced that Gallagher's demotion would be reversed. Call 1 - 800 - GAMBLER, Best Influencer Marketplace for Advertisers, Best Influencer Marketplace for Influencers & Creators, Best Influencer Marketplace for Agents & Agencies, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Naploetana - Chestnut Hill. His son was 6. I didn't want to spread the names and wanted to see what they thought before even hitting publish but it's out there. For us, this was an easy fight to get behind. So we probably won't see the final outcome for a while. [9], During his eighth deployment in 2017, Gallagher's aggressiveness seemed to be amplified during the Battle for Mosul. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. [8] On March 30, President Donald J. Trump intervened and ordered Gallagher transferred to "less restrictive confinement" after complaints from his supporters, particularly commentators on Fox and Friends, about his detainment. If many of the allegations of the witnesses were untrue or embellished to depose Gallagher, they still worked until the claims hurdled SEAL Team 7 and reached Naval Special Warfare Group 1. Photographic and video images reviewed by Navy Times seem fragmentary and inconclusive. [23][24][25][26], On May 8, 2019, former Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, a Republican, showed combat video footage from a helmet camera to a group of legislators that he said exonerated Gallagher of one of the charges against him. Report: Trump makes SEAL Gallagher a chief again, Committee votes on major defense policy bill expected in May, Military families share workout with first lady Jill Biden, US conducts first evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war, Ukrainian drones strike Crimea oil depot, Russian official says, Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, Understanding the role of artificial intelligence, Mark Kitz keynote speech at the C4ISRNET conference, The latest on software, data and artificial intelligence, Army grounds helicopter fleet for force-wide safety stand down. By that time, government records indicate that Alpha Platoon already was embroiled in another probe into war crimes allegations. [9][1] This resulted in him being confined in the brig for a time with heavy restrictions on his ability to communicate, although this confinement was later lessened. He wants to help NCIS agents get Eddie, said Parlatore. Whats coming is the truth, Parlatore told the newspaper. That SO1 was interviewed by NCIS Special Agent Seth Goodwin shortly after the LPO gave his statement. | Was your sense that this verdict was a surprise? Gallagher provides audio commentary over some of the video footage, saying that even though he was acquitted of the charges, there are those to this day who do not accept that fact.. But Trump May Get in the Way", "Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher found not guilty on murder and attempted murder charges", "Shocking Revelation In Navy SEAL War Crimes Trial: Witness Says He Is The Real Killer", "Jurors picked for Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher's war crimes trial", "Navy SEAL Chief Accused of War Crimes Is Found Not Guilty of Murder", "Navy dismisses case against SEAL accused of covering up war crimes", "Jury to decide SEAL's punishment for posing with corpse", "Navy SEAL demoted for posing with corpse", "Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. After the platoon rotated home to Naval Base Coronado on Sept. 1, 2017, Gallagher called a meeting in their high bay to confront his fellow SEALs about any problems they had with him, according to several NCIS reports. One other Marine raider who was there also said that he saw no stab wounds on the dead body. But he said Portier wanted to hold off reporting the incident until he determined Iraqi security forces hadnt shot the girl. 2023 Barstool Sports. Our senior leaders created the ethos to address moral failures that were happening at home and overseas during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another sniper who also has indicated he might not testify later told prosecutors that he saw an old man go down, but he didnt see Gallagher shoot him, according to emails to prosecutors provided to Navy Times. Although only convicted of taking a photograph with a murdered teenage prisoner, his charge sheet accused him of shooting civilians on multiple occasions, possessing a controlled substance, torturing and killing a prisoner, and obstructing justice. And still more SEALs say theyll tell the panel that Gallagher attempted to cover up these alleged crimes by threatening to murder witnesses and embarking on a campaign to identify other whistleblowers, get them blacklisted in the special warfare community and ruin their careers. To Parlatore, the concerns expressed by the AOIC and other SEALs less experienced in combat than Gallagher really boiled down to disputes over how special operators should adapt to the 21st century urban battlefield. The most serious allegation against Gallagher, 39, is a premeditated murder charge in connection with the stabbing death of an unarmed and seriously wounded Islamic State fighter near the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2017. Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Now, theyre stuck," said Parlatore, who suspects some accusers lied to investigators. [1] The defense cited two high-ranking Iraqi Army members that the detainee was "barely alive"[1] when he arrived; according to prosecution witnesses, the prisoner's leg injury did not appear serious to the initial medic who treated the prisoner, and that the medic was surprised the detainee was dead when he returned. Giorgio Kirylo testifying that he saw Gallagher try to save the prisoner, and observed no stab wounds on the dead man. A lot of remarkable things happened on that deployment. "Not a single one of us could have imagined that we would have to report a friend and mentor. Click here. To the SO1, it was a sign that Gallagher was putting his beliefs into action. WebEddie Gallagher (Navy SEAL) Edward R. Gallagher (born May 29, 1979) [1] is a retired United States Navy SEAL who was accused of war crimes. In this June 23, 2014, file photo, fighters from the Islamic State group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle on the main road in Mosul, Iraq. [1] Other snipers said they witnessed Gallagher taking at least two militarily pointless shots, shooting and killing an unarmed elderly man in a white robe as well as a young girl walking with other girls. The accusations came from SEALs in Gallagher's own platoon, who said he was also known for taking shots at civilians from his sniper's nest, killing at least two. The video uses footage from those NCIS interviews and highlights the faces of SEALs in the interviews and in a unit deployment photo, giving the name, rank and current position of six SEALs and the NCIS lead investigator. He told NCIS it had a blade a few inches long, although photographs of the weapon make it look stubbier. I mean, he had NEVER TAKEN A PICTURE WITH HIS KID. [54] "The guy is freaking evil," Special Operator First (SO1) Class Craig Miller said. [7], During his service, he was decorated for valor several times, including two Bronze Stars. These werent SEAL tactics. All right, Steve Walsh of KPBS in San Diego, thank you very much. [6] The defense also called eyewitnesses, with Marine Staff Sgt. Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on June 9, 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. And I wanted to read what these texts say. A proffer request from one of the two assistant officers in charge of the platoon indicates hes prepared to tell prosecutors that Gallagher called in false target coordinates to engage a mosque," tried to push his platoon into pointless and potentially catastrophic firefights with insurgents and became so mentally unstable that he shouldve been relieved from duty, but wasnt. Rob Breisch, while we were still in Iraq. Gallagher also was present when the prisoner received a trachea tube, two chest tubes and a Sternal Intraosseous Infusion, which bores through bone to reach veins when other IVs wont work, records indicate. Gallagher and his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jake Portier, then posed for photographs of them standing over the body with some other nearby SEALs. There were differences of opinion about how they should conduct operations. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. (third from right) speaks at a rally on Capitol Hill supporting Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Gallagher, facing war crimes charges for actions in Afghanistan. The LPO got the impression that Gallagher had no intention of avoiding committing the same acts again and told NCIS the chief said, They do a lot worse to us.. I hoped the men who were acquitted or pardoned would use their platforms to bring awareness about issues facing veterans and active-duty members. Not only did they lose the case, they had difficulty with respect to information that may have been obtained from opposing lawyers and for giving immunity in a totally incompetent fashion. That included Gallagher telling another platoon chief that the rest of the platoon were afraid to go out on patrol during the deployment and they were all cowards, according to the NCIS report about the SO1 snipers interview. Military officials shorthand that as ICFM, according to an NCIS investigative action provided to Navy Times. newsletter for analysis you wont find anywhereelse. SEALs. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Analysis of a knife confiscated from Gallagher will only say that it suggests traces of the cells of an Iraqi man, but it cant be linked to any known victim, prosecutors concede. Gallaghers case became a cause clbre in conservative circles, with President Trump championing his innocence. Gallagher was the subject of a number of reports from fellow SEAL team members, stating that his actions were not in keeping with the rules of war, but these reports were dismissed by the SEAL command structure. The plan for the platoon was to have a perimeter around (Gallagher) to prevent this from happening again, he said. Directors Doug Shultz and Jeff Zimbalist secured the participation of Gallagher; his wife, Andrea; and the members of SEAL Team 7 who accused Gallagher of war crimes. Many people have asked why we didnt report these crimes as soon as they happened and instead waited months to report them. The LPO told the agent that an SO1 who remained to assist Gallagher with the medical care was freaking out a little bit over what Eddie just did but there was nothing anyone could do because the subject was dead.. They were looking at an image of what appeared to be a male detainee and Gallagher said, He was on the ground and I just started stabbing him. [19], On November 21, President Trump tweeted, "The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher's Trident Pin. But at the beginning of the probe, two interviews with SEALs still on active duty today seemed to propel the larger NCIS investigation. Scott claimed it was an act of mercy. After two weeks of testimony, Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. Gallaghers SEAL Team 7 superiors in California junked the Silver Star application and he wasnt going to make senior chief before his planned retirement after 20 years of service. Absolutely. Following his Navy career, Gallagher began commercial ventures including an action figure, [45] A week earlier, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer had sent Trump a note asking him not to intervene again. From this clip, it doesnt appear that will be the case. Tamara Lawrence said that, as a practice, the Navy does not identify active-duty SEALs. In the most prominently reported offense, he was accused of fatally stabbing an injured 17-year-old ISIS prisoner, photographing himself with the corpse, and sending the photo to friends. Truth be known, I fucking hate talking about this kinda shit in the military community. But, on this last charge, the least serious of the seven charges, the jury decided to give him the maximum sentence, which is this four months in jail, and they reduced him in rank from a chief petty officer to a petty officer 1st class. Two other SEAL petty officers told investigators Gallagher bragged about slaying 10-20 people a day or 150-200 people on deployment, court documents state. [14], According to the original Navy prosecutor Chris Czaplak, "Chief Gallagher decided to act like the monster the terrorists accuse us of being. They mercilessly murdered, raped, and pillaged minority communities throughout the region. He added that he was only about a foot away from the prisoner when Gallagher pulled out his knife and stabbed the boy two or three times in the neck. The guy is freaking evil, Miller told the investigators. [41][42], After the closure of the case, Gallagher and his initial lawyer entered a dispute in August 2019. Due to the charged nature of the case, this request went high up the chain of command. Support C&L Go Ad-Free Today and blamed his accusers for being the cowards. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. [39][36] President Trump congratulated Gallagher on his acquittal over Twitter. Spencer responded that terminating this probe could only be done via an official written order from the White House. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. Gallagher was originally accused by fellow SEAL members, members of his own platoon, which, in and of itself, is sort of odd, given the historically tight-knit nature of the SEAL organization. What is next for Chief Gallagher? Iraqi security forces distribute food to refugees from Badush outside of a patrol base near Al Tarab, Iraq during the offensive to liberate West Mosul from ISIS, on March 10, 2017. ", Duncan Hunter supports Gallagher, Trump in Navy SEAL controversy, "Trump says he stood up to the 'deep state' by intervening in war crime cases", Anguish and Anger From the Navy SEALs Who Turned In Edward Gallagher, "From the Brig to Mar-a-Lago, Former Navy SEAL Capitalizes on Newfound Fame", "Eddie Gallagher, Navy SEAL acquitted of stabbing wounded ISIS prisoner to death, tells his story", "Eddie Gallagher Limited Series In Works By Will Staples, Working Title & The New York Times", "Navy SEAL cleared of war crimes and reinstated by Trump now says 'we killed that guy', "Eddie Gallagher's shocking claim that SEALs intended for detainee to die", "Eddie Gallagher says he and other Navy SEALs used a dying enemy fighter for medical practice with no intention of saving him", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddie_Gallagher_(Navy_SEAL)&oldid=1152104595, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 06:51. Joseph Warpinski is the lead NCIS special agent assigned to the Gallagher probe. To the lieutenant, Gallagher was "putting their platoon in an extremely vulnerable position for a mission that was not even authorized, an argument that ended both his conversation with the chief and the proposed raid, according to the letter provided to Navy Times. The SO1 sniper said that the northern tower was occupied by Gallagher and two second class petty officers from SEAL Team 7. He's been following the story for KPBS Public Media in San Diego, and he was there for the verdict and sentencing today. with killing anybody that was moving," but recanting his testimony during the Gallagher trial, for which he was given immunity,[31] saying he had committed the murder himself, presumably powerfully influencing the verdicts. Army and Marine grunts braved small arms fire and improvised explosive devices to draw out insurgents and overwhelm them with superior firepower, which explained their high rate of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. Parlatore said that information in the video about the SEALs was already known. Eddie was definitely a pirate.. (Leo Shane III/Staff). Because many of the SEALs who became witnesses against Gallagher are in operational units or expected to return to overseas work, officials asked Navy Times to withhold naming them, at least until theyre called as witnesses in a public trial. The decorated Navy SEAL had been accused stabbing the wounded teenage captive back in 2017. The guy is freaking evil, Miller told the investigators. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. Gallagher's accusers painted him as a bloodthirsty warrior who was out of control in Iraq in 2017. SEAL Team 1, SEAL Team 3, SEAL Team 5. "The guy was toxic," said SO1 Joshua Vriens. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. The LPO told NCIS that he informed both Portier and his assistant officer in charge of the platoon about the alleged murder. [28] This potential pardon was hotly criticized in the Washington Post's opinion pages. How did Gallagher's team rebut those witnesses? The fourth girl, who was wearing a blue dress, helped the girl in the grey dress to her feet and helped get her over the berm.. Directors Doug Shultz and Jeff Zimbalist secured the participation of Gallagher; his wife, Andrea; and the members of SEAL Team 7 who accused Gallagher of war crimes. Another SEAL told investigators that he saw Gallagher shoot the elderly man in the back and watched him drop to the ground and saw blood on his back, but its unclear if hell testify. Yet few people heard about the lives saved, people liberated, or hope restored in Mosul. Three months ago, prosecutors argued that Gallagher spread numerous rumors about his teammates to members of the SEAL community, describing them as cowards who were afraid to go out on missions during deployment and went so far as to tell the new chain of command for teammates who had transferred, according to a filing provided to Navy Times. I mean, that's got to do something to your case, if your key witness sort of says, actually, the guy you think killed it didn't do it, I did it. So he begins to see things the way theyd want to see them.. Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. Green ordered Gallagher's case to be investigated by the Trident Review Board, in order to determine whether Gallagher should be stripped of his SEAL Trident insignia, the official symbol of certification within the Naval Special Warfare SEAL community. [22] The judge later ordered that the chief prosecutor, Commander Christopher Czaplak, be dismissed from the case and replaced as a result of the incident. There is a digital trove of evidence a mile long where Eddie violated dozens of articles of the UCMJ. This is a false narrative peddled by Gallagher and his supporters. "[citation needed], Gallagher was one of three military personnel accused or convicted of war crimes on whose behalf Trump had intervened to pardon or promote. We know that mistakes and accidents happen on deployment and innocent people always die in war. To Gallaghers legal team, theres a problem with these alleged motives. It will mark a sea change in the sea services clandestine and close-knit cadre of SEALs, a secretive and elite military force that rarely testifies against each other, especially in war crimes probes attracting an international audience. This offer contradicted Spencer's public position and was kept secret from Esper. My brothers are barrel-chested freedom fighters that go to the ends of the earth to carry out our nations foreign policy, fighting our nations enemies and liberating populations of people along the way. [38] The jury gave Gallagher, who had already served the maximum prison time for this charge, a demotion from Chief Petty Officer (E-7) to Petty Officer First Class (E-6); this was lighter than other potential punishments, such as an Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge, which were not handed down. After two weeks of testimony, Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty yesterday of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. And as a SEAL who served in Alpha Platoon under the command of now-disgraced Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, those words are what helped push me to report my own chief for his horrific actions in Iraq. Instead, most only heard about Gallagher committing the same kinds of horrific acts as the people we were sent to fight. Coming out during the day can draw out the enemy, who can be overwhelmed with firepower, said Parlatore, a former Navy surface warfare officer. The problem was one mans insecurities, greed, and addiction. Support C&L Go Ad-Free Today and blamed his accusers for being the cowards. He recalled no injuries to his neck and that the prisoner was unarmed, conscious and not combative.". Others closer to planning operations inside the platoon expressed deeper concerns about Gallaghers tactical competence and what bait really meant. So Gallaghers trial ultimately will ask a panel of officers and senior enlisted sailors to weigh the credibility of witnesses mostly junior SEALs testifying about what they allegedly saw or heard, and then evaluate their possible motives for expressing their recollections that way. We should all know who we are fighting, why we are fighting, and the rules that we have to abide by. [12] According to two SEAL witnesses, Gallagher said "he's mine" over the radio, then walked up to Abdullah and allegedly proceeded to stab him with his hunting knife without explanation. Two other SEALs who also deployed with Gallagher but did not testify in his trial told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday speaking out against the retired Chiefs identifying currently serving SEAL Team members. It appears largely stitched together from interviews with 11 Alpha Platoon members seven first class petty officers, two second class petty officers and a lieutenant a group that comprises about half of the force on the deployment, including their attachments from other Navy units, the Air Force and Marine Corps. After two weeks of testimony, Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. On May 28, a panel of Gallaghers peers will start determining whats true about the allegations. And while press reports suggested Scott could conceivably be charged with perjury, the Navy dropped their investigation into his statements shortly after Gallagher's acquittal. [9] By 2015, Gallagher had acquired a reputation as someone who was more interested in "fighting terrorists", but less interested in complying with rules. So he served none of this four-month sentence, so he was able to drive off right after the right after his case was over today. Thank you. He was the subject of an investigation into the shooting of a young girl in Afghanistan in 2010, but was cleared of wrongdoing after being investigated by close comrades who had deployed with him. We act on the information that we have on hand. The first NCIS interrogation kicked off on April 16, 2018, with a first class special warfare operator an SO1. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-navy-seal-eddie-gallagher-was-found-not-guilty-of-murdering-iraqi-captive, Navy SEAL acquitted of killing says he made tactical, ethical, moral mistakes, Navy SEAL Gallagher cleared of most charges, Medic in Navy SEAL case takes blame for killing Islamic State fighter, Trial of Navy SEAL charged with war crimes set to begin, Lawyers for freed Navy SEAL want war crime case dismissed. All appear on camera. [17] For the most serious charge of murder of a prisoner, according to the defense, Gallagher stabbed a corpse and embellished a story out of misplaced bravado; the prisoner had already died of his wounds. Gallaghers case became a cause clbre in conservative circles, with President Trump championing his innocence. "The platoon wasnt doing what SEALs like to do. His actions are everything ISIS says we are. Instead, he remembered the other girls looking in the direction of the SEALs right after the girl was shot.. He emerges in the reams of testimony as the most prominent SEAL pushing superiors to block his former platoon chiefs advancement and Silver Star and terminate him from his training assignment. You've seen the picture featuring operators with black bars over their eyes and faces. They trust us with the lives of their people because of the standards to which we hold each other. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. [50] Also on November 25, Trump told reporters that Gallagher "was one of the ultimate fighters". The decorated Navy Seal was also accused of being reckless with his sniper rifle, and some of his platoon mates alleged that he shot at unarmed civilians. (screen shot of YouTube video used as evidence in criminal hearing), The lead petty officer told NCIS that he went and found the officer in charge of the platoon, Lt. Jacob X. [5][6] He was trained as a medic, a sniper, and an explosives expert. ", A picture taken on March 14, 2017, in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul shows a drone carrying two grenades flying in a test flight by Iraqi forces which aim to use it against Islamic State (IS) group fighters. It was only later, the SO1 said, that he learned his platoon chief took the shot, but it remains unclear why he came to believe it was Gallagher. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. Two of the other girls ran away and over a berm out of sight. One of those incidents allegedly occurred on the day after he left. Was always a jerk. Theyre like thoroughbred stallions. We do our best but cant control the outcome. He was slated to be awarded a Silver Star during that fateful deployment in Mosul when the By early 2019, however, the prosecution had settled on a narrative about what began going wrong in Iraq two years earlier, according to legal filings and internal correspondence provided to Navy Times. [9] Gallagher goes by the nickname "Blade". Robert Breisch the commander of SEAL Team 7 during the 2017 deployment members of Gallaghers platoon were interviewed by investigators about the drone strike, but its unclear why the SEALs didnt tell them about Gallaghers alleged war crimes then. As it was supposedly being handled, we took matters into our own hands to attempt to stop our chief. Truth is our best defense and we think that once everyone hears what really happened, Eddie will be exonerated.. Text messages and other digital conversations involving Gallagher can appear damning at times, but theyve been described by the chiefs supporters as dark humor, the talk of rough men who have experienced a great deal of combat, maybe the voice of an exasperated SEAL who believes hes being railroaded by accusers and superiors.