U.S Soldier Receives 100 Years in Prison for the Rape and Murder of a 14 Year Old Iraqi Girl and Her Family

Sgt. Paul E. Cortez,24, of the Fort Campbell-based 101st Airborne Division has received a 100 years in prison for his part in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family. During his sentencing hearing Thursday he wept and apologized.

Cortez, had pleaded guilty to four counts of felony murder, rape and conspiracy to rape in the deaths of 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi and her family. By pleading guilty Cortez was spared the death sentence.
He will be required as part of his plea agreement to testify against others charged in the case.

Spc. James Barker,24, had said in a sworn statement that the soldiers drank whiskey and played cards while they were plotting the assault. Cortez also testified that the soldiers tried to burn the girl's body. They did burn their own clothes and threw the murder weapon, an AK-47, into a canal in an attempt to dispose of the evidence. Despite all of this Cortez was still found not guilty of more serious charges of premeditated murder and conspiracy to premeditated murder.

Spc. James Barker, who had plead guilty in November to the rape and murders was sentenced to 90 years in military prison.

Cortez testified that after raping the girl while Barker held her hands down with his knees, that he and Barker switched spots. Another soldier, former Pfc. Steven D. Green, shot the father, mother and younger sister in the bedroom according to Cortez. Green had then raped the girl in front of Cortez, after which Green shot her in the head multiple times.

Cortez could offer no explanation for his involvement in the rape and murders. He had to the judge that he still don't have an answer on that he wished he hadn't and that he wanted to apologize for all the pain and suffering he cause the al-Janabi family.

Cortez had showed very little emotion during the rest of his trial. He didn't even look up when Spc. Christopher Till, testified that Cortex had told him about the killings in June.