The prosecution accused Scott in court on Thursday of lying to protect Gallagher, and said his testimony contradicted his previous statements to them and the testimony of other SEALs. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The seven-sailor jury at the court martial must decide whether the fighters death was murder as alleged by the prosecution or a mutiny by sailors under Gallaghers command in Iraq, as the defense contends. Then they can go fuck themselves with the pussy footing bullshit.. Weeks before the trial, Dalton Tolbert, who was accepted into the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up Former SO1 Dylan Dille, who was also in the south tower that day, This article by Paul Szoldra and Jared Keller, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Dalton Tolbert, testified last week that he watched an old man die from a sniper shot on Father's Day, 7 Veteran-Friendly Manufacturers That Are Hiring, The 6 Types Of Contractors You Encounter Overseas, Heres How Marines Fared On The New Physical Fitness Test. Tolbert confirmed in courtroom testimony that he was now assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group, a classified unit commonly known as SEAL Team 6. Gallagher also took photos of himself with the corpse. 'Hes got a wife and family,' Scott added on the stand about Gallagher. NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO Testimony in the military trial of Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher earlier this week revealed that an active-duty member of SEAL Team 6 had disparaged the judge overseeing the trial and said many of his colleagues in the elite unit did not care about killing civilians. Its been lies, half-truths and cover-ups till now.. Scotttold the court he covered the hole because he thought the boy would be killed by Iraqi forces anyway and he didn't want him to be tortured. On cross-examination, Parlatore asked Vriens about the type of ammunition the SEALs used in their sniper rifles. However, the immunity agreement covers only truthful testimony, and is void if he is found to have lied under oath. Parlatore also said Tolbert had disparaged defense attorneys and the judge in text messages, though he did not go into specifics. Gallagher, 40, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher walks into military court on Friday. Over the radio, he said he heard Gallagher tell the other snipers, "you guys missed him but I got him.". After plans were discussed about going to the commodore, an investigation was opened and Gallagher was arrested. The WhatsApp group would eventually lead to formal allegations that Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher fatally stabbed a wounded Islamic State captive in his care and shot civilians in Iraq in 2017. Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. He told the court his dream of doing covert operations with Team 6 is likely over now that hes been publicly identified in the case. 'This is a group of young disgruntled sailors that didn't like being told that they were cowards,' the lawyer said and added they made the story up. It has pitted veterans against each other both inside the courtroom and out in a fierce debate over brotherhood, morality and loyalty. People who are okay with war crimes, Dille said. Most were granted immunity to protect them from being prosecuted for acts they described on the stand. On Friday, Special Warfare Operator First Class Dalton Tolbert testified that on the day of the alleged stabbing, a group of petty officers first class met together to discuss it. Vriens testified that he immediately mentioned the incident to his platoon commander, Lt. Jacob Portier, though he did not mention Gallagher. FILE - In this Thursday, May 30, 2019, file photo, Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher leaves a military courtroom on Naval Base San Diego with his wife, Andrea Gallagher, in San Diego. Prosecutors also asked him about his previous statements to NCIS, in which Graffam said of Miller that "he has good character" and was "a good guy." Prayer, revival and Jesus Revolution: Is our rotting culture on the verge of something big? The government will not be dropping premeditated murder charges against Chief Petty Officer Gallagher, despite petty officer Scotts testimony, the Navy said in a statement. Seven SEALs said Gallagher unexpectedly stabbed the prisoner on May 3, 2017, moments after he and the other medics treated the 17-year-old boy. Dille admitted that Navy SEAL sniper Special Operation 1st Class Dalton Tolbert who had deployed with Gallagher and was slated to testify against him on Friday had sent a message to the group chat that said he worked with a bunch of people who dont care about killing civilians.. - 7 Veteran-Friendly Manufacturers That Are Hiring, - The 6 Types Of Contractors You Encounter Overseas, - Heres How Marines Fared On The New Physical Fitness Test, Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, "He ran north to south across the road," Tolbert. Of the zig zag pattern, Tolbert said he had "misspoke" then and explained that his testimony on Friday was truthful because he "had more time to remember" what happened. A Navy prosecutor immediately leapt from his chair in the courtroom and angrily accused Special Operator Scott of lying, saying that on one crucial point after another, his testimony contradicted what he had told Navy criminal investigators and lawyers in at least five interviews. Another SEAL, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Dalton Tolbert, had previously testified under direct examination by prosecutors that, while stationed in the south tower of a bombed-out building in June 2017, he had observed Gallagher shoot and kill an elderly civilian. Prosecutors say Gallagher, 39, who began his 18-year career as a medic, briefly treated the young Islamic State fighter, then pulled out his knife and stabbed him in the neck. If convicted of perjury, Special Operator Scott, a SEAL medic, could face up to five years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. "The people you're lying about are your current teammates, correct?" Naval Special Warfare Development Group is the name of the classified unit of SEALs commonly referred to as SEAL Team 6. To hear today that somebody finally had the bravery to stand up for the truth was refreshing after all of these years, she said. But he didn't see Gallagher shoot her. - Its a f------ joke., Tolbert said on the stand, I think this is a very fair trial. The scandals have prompted a review by the Navys top commanders. The lead prosecutor was removed after allegedly tracking the defense teams emails to find a news leak, and the lead investigator acknowledged on the stand making mistakes. 'The younger millennial SEALs were just there to say they were SEALs,' the lawyer claimed. Special Warfare Operator First Class Joshua Vriens said that he was viewing a photo of the stabbed fighter on a laptop with some other SEALs when Gallagher walked in. I aimed to the side far to the side and fired, he said, He ran from the river bank to a building, but the door was locked, Tolbert said. This is the pattern with these prosecutors, Mr. Parlatore told the jury. One SEAL claimed that he tried to justify it by calling him 'just an ISIS dirtbag' once he had died. "That part remains unchanged, correct?" Graffam further testified that he didn't see Gallagher take any shots that he shouldn't have on that day or any other. The Marine Corps also pulled a deputy prosecutor from the case. Special Operations Chief Craig Miller, who was also part of The Sewing Circle, testified that he saw Gallagher stab the captive multiple times with a custom-made knife Gallagher would carry in the belt loops of his pants. Weeks before the trial, Tolbert, who was accepted to the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up no matter what was at stake. He told the court that he believes he will probably be cut from SEAL Team 6 because of his part in the trial and the public attention it has drawn. Chief Craig Miller, he said, asked him at one point whether he would "cooperate" with others in reporting him. A U.S. Navy SEAL last month pleaded guilty to hazing and assault charges for his role in the 2017 strangulation of a U.S. Army Green Beret in Africa. (AP Photo/Julie Watson, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. SEALs, it seems to me, have been seeing themselves as God-like on the battlefield and there is a real danger in taking that view of ones unit or ones self, said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown University. Christopher Czaplak, after he sent defense attorneys and Prine emails with tracking software, which the defense successfully argued was akin to warrantless surveillance and violated Gallaghers constitutional rights. Dalton Tolbert, another witness, said he fired a warning shot at an old man during a sniper mission with Gallagher. Testimony will resume Friday when two more SEALs Petty Officers First Class Dalton Tolbert and Joshua Vriens are expected to testify. Graffam testified that Gallagher was essentially justified in the shooting of a man he is accused of unlawfully targeting, stating that "based off everything I had seen so far in my opinion, they were two sh*theads moving from one side of the road to the other.". Special Operator Scott, who made eye contact with Chief Gallagher and with Timothy Parlatore, the chiefs defense lawyer, several times during his testimony, seemed unshaken by the accusation. Gallagher has claimed he only tried to give him help. 'This is not a murder this is a mutiny,' Parlatore charged. Vriens also claimed to investigators that Gallagher had been "stalking" him, though Parlatore mentioned that both SEAL teammates lived near each other and would normally pass by each others' homes. "That's when I saw the red mark on his back and I saw him fall for the first time. Those shootings are included among the charges in the war-crimes trial, charges that the chief denies. 'I dont think he should spend the rest of his life in prison.'. Defense attorney Timothy Parlatore shot back that maybe the Real Brotherhood are older guys who dont like you and other SEALs who tell lies.. Anyone can read what you share. "I work with plenty of guys that don't." He later boasted in a text, got him with my hunting knife. Defense lawyers say it was just a warriors attempt at dark humor. Scott said Gallagher did stab the boy in the side. When asked whether he would like to serve with Miller again in a SEAL platoon, Graffam said, "I don't feel as confident about it." A San Diego judge had a defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. Lt. Jacob Portier, the officer in charge, has been charged separately for overseeing the ceremony and not reporting the alleged stabbing. How fitting! Parlatore said Graffam had also said at the time that Gallagher was a good leader. The Islamic State fighter had been captured by Iraqi forces following house-to-house fighting in Mosul and dumped on the ground at a base outside the Iraqi city, the prosecution said in its opening statement on Monday. A number of special forces members are on trial this year. As Ive said since the beginning of this case, the best defense for Chief Gallagher is the truth. ", Seeking to challenge Vriens' credibility, Parlatore brought up text messages and his previous statements to investigators. "That's when I saw the red mark on his back and I saw him fall for the first time. Gallagher interrupted the meeting, Tolbert said, and told the group, I thought you guys were cool with it. Prosecutors, on redirect examination, read some texts Parlatore did not. SEAL sniper Dalton Tolbert told the court he did not recall who started the chat group but that the intent was to talk with others who were disturbed by what they saw on the deployment and decide what to do. Rugh on Thursday. But he is ready to fight and kill.. He testified that he did not see anything like Dille had described. The Sewing Circle members tried to distinguish themselves as the True Brotherhood vs. the Real Brotherhood, which supporters of Gallagher have coined for themselves. He said the man was hit in the upper torso and ran away. Weeks before the trial, Tolbert, who was accepted to the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up no matter what was at stake. The Navy has said its considering perjury charges against Scott. Either way, our position is we maintain there was no stabbing.. Parlatore also questioned Tolbert on differences between his statements to NCIS agents and what he testified to in court more than a year later. The scandals have prompted a review by the Navys top commanders into the behavior of the special warfare teams. The medic testified under the protection of a sweeping grant of immunity from the Navy, shielding him not just from criminal prosecution but also from other consequences, like being stripped of his elite assignment with the SEALs or being given a less-than-honorable discharge. He has pleaded not guilty. I see an issue with that, Tolbert texted others. 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