Army Captain Gets 45 Days in Iraq Assaults

FORT CARSON, Colo. (AP) - An Army captain convicted of assaulting Iraqis was sentenced Thursday to 45 days in military prison and fined $1,000 per month for a year, but will retain his rank and be allowed to remain in the military. snip

Martin, who had been accused of terrorizing residents of the Iraqi town of Ar Rutbah with threats, a pistol and a baseball bat, could have faced up to 44 1/2 years in prison on the eight counts of assault he initially faced.

A jury of officers Wednesday convicted Martin of three counts but acquitted him of the rest, including charges stemming from an alleged assault of one of his own soldiers. snip

Witnesses testified that Martin kicked and screamed at Iraqi civilians, threatened to shoot detainees, pointed a gun at the head of one of his sergeants and told another soldier not to discuss what he had seen.

more