U.S. soldier pleads guilty in rape, murders in Iraq

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty Tuesday to rape and murder in the death of a 14-year-old girl and her family last year in Iraq. A judge has not yet accepted the plea.

The military court still must decide whether the killings were premeditated and will hear evidence today.

The court will consider whether Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, of Barstow, Calif., should be found guilty of premeditated murder and whether he is guilty of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder, defense lawyer William Cassara said Tuesday.

The March 2006 killing of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, 14, and three members of her family in Mahmoudiya was originally reported to be the work of insurgents. Later, soldiers told their superiors they suspected U.S. soldiers were involved.

The deaths are considered among the worst in a series of alleged atrocities by U.S. military personnel in Iraq. Prosecutors have said the girl was raped and her body set on fire to hide evidence.

Cortez was charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to premeditated murder, rape and conspiracy to rape but pleaded guilty to murder, rape and conspiracy to rape. The judge, Col. Stephen R. Henley, adjourned the case until today.

All the suspected participants are or were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

Spc. James P. Barker, 24, pleaded guilty in November to rape and murder and was sentenced to 90 years in military prison. Pfcs. Jesse V. Spielman, 22, and Bryan L. Howard, 23, await courts-martial.

Steven D. Green, an ex-soldier, is charged in federal court in Kentucky, accused of being the ringleader. He is being tried as a civilian because he was discharged from the Army before his superiors were aware of his suspected involvement.