• Most Popular
  • Most Shared

U.S. soldier sentenced in accidental shooting

BAGHDAD
Sun Jul 12, 2009 4:39am EDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military sentenced a soldier to three years in a military jail Saturday for the accidental shooting death of a fellow soldier serving in Iraq.

"Sergeant Miguel A. Vegaquinones was sentenced to three years confinement, reduction in rank to private ... and a dishonorable discharge," the U.S. military said in a statement.

Vegaquinones pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after the January 11 incident in which he shot another soldier, Sean McCune, in Samarra, north of Baghdad. The military said Vegaquinones "negligently" fired a round at McCune.

According to the terms of a pre-trial plea arrangement, Vegaquinones will serve only up to 30 months, said military spokesman Major Derrick Cheng.

He said the sentence would automatically be appealed.

(Editing by Sophie Hares)


More from Reuters

Photo

Senate on track to pass healthcare bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democrats moved closer on Monday to passing landmark healthcare legislation by Christmas after scoring a win in the first big test vote and gaining the support of a powerful lobbying group for doctors. | Video

» More Top News
Photo

Political risk clouds Asia

The economic outlook is strong, but the danger of a sudden correction hangs over Asian markets - as political risks could turn sunshine to storm clouds in the blink of an eye.  Full Article 

Global Markets
Two men shake hands in a file photo. REUTERS/File

Let's make a deal

The battered M&A sector will make a tepid recovery in the coming year and three hot sectors will lead the way, according to a Thomson Reuters analysis.  Full Article 

Global Deals Review