Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher hugs his wife as he walks free after being found NOT GUILTY of
murdering ISIS fighter despite being convicted of one war crime - posing with a corpse.
Edward 'Eddie' Gallagher has been acquitted on murder and attempted murder charges on Tuesday
in a military court on Naval Base San Diego.
Gallagher was accused of murdering the 17-year-old militant in Mosul in 2017 and also accused
of firing his weapon at innocent civilians in Iraq.
The 40-year-old was convicted of posing with the corpse of an ISIS fighter - he is expected to
be spared jail as the maximum sentence for the crime is four months and he spent longer in
confinement awaiting trial.
He maintained his innocence throughout and said he was being set up by a group of younger,
less disciplined men who did not like his leadership style.
The jury was made up of five Marines and two sailors, including one SEAL - the prosecution needed
five of the seven jurors to convict.
The turning point in the court martial was when one of the SEALs, Corey Scott, who had been expected
to testify for the prosecution took responsibility for killing the boy Gallagher was alleged to have
murdered.
Scott now faces perjury charges from the Naval prosecutors he blindsided - they say he made it up to
protect Gallagher after being granted immunity for his own war crimes.
Outside the court Tuesday Gallagher greeted the media alongside his wife and lawyers - he spoke briefly
saying: 'I'm happy and I'm thankful.'
murdering ISIS fighter despite being convicted of one war crime - posing with a corpse.
Edward 'Eddie' Gallagher has been acquitted on murder and attempted murder charges on Tuesday
in a military court on Naval Base San Diego.
Gallagher was accused of murdering the 17-year-old militant in Mosul in 2017 and also accused
of firing his weapon at innocent civilians in Iraq.
The 40-year-old was convicted of posing with the corpse of an ISIS fighter - he is expected to
be spared jail as the maximum sentence for the crime is four months and he spent longer in
confinement awaiting trial.
He maintained his innocence throughout and said he was being set up by a group of younger,
less disciplined men who did not like his leadership style.
The jury was made up of five Marines and two sailors, including one SEAL - the prosecution needed
five of the seven jurors to convict.
The turning point in the court martial was when one of the SEALs, Corey Scott, who had been expected
to testify for the prosecution took responsibility for killing the boy Gallagher was alleged to have
murdered.
Scott now faces perjury charges from the Naval prosecutors he blindsided - they say he made it up to
protect Gallagher after being granted immunity for his own war crimes.
Outside the court Tuesday Gallagher greeted the media alongside his wife and lawyers - he spoke briefly
saying: 'I'm happy and I'm thankful.'
