Soldier to face court martial for alleged role in sport killings

Military officials have referred charges against Staff Sgt. David Bram - in relation to a larger case involving five soldiers accused of killing Afghan citizens for sport - to a general court martial, officials at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington said Monday.

Bram is charged with conspiracy to commit assault and battery, unlawfully striking another soldier, violating a lawful order, dereliction of duty, cruelty and maltreament and endeavoring to impede an investigation. He is not accused of murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

Bram faces 9 1/2 years in prison if he is convicted of all charges, the military said.

In addition to Bram, Staff Sgt. Robert Stevens, Sgt. Darren Jones, Cpl. Emmitt R. Quintal, Pfc. Ashton A. Moore, Spc. Adam Kelly and Spc. Corey Moore face similar conspiracy-related charges.

Pfc. Andrew Holmes of Boise, Idaho; Spc. Adam Winfield of Cape Coral, Florida; Spc. Michael Wagnon of Las Vegas, Nevada; Spc. Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska; and Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs of Billings, Montana, all face murder and conspiracy to murder charges. All 12 soldiers are from the 5th Stryker Brigade, which is based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The alleged killings took place at or near Forward Operating Base Ramrod in southern Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.

In June, the five were charged with murder. Holmes was accused of killing Afghan civilian Gul Mudin in January with a grenade and a rifle. Winfield is accused of killing civilian Mullah Adahdad in May in a similar manner. Wagnon is accused of shooting to death Marach Agha in February.

Morlock and Gibbs each were charged with three counts of murder and one count of assault involving the same victims as in the cases against Holmes, Wagnon and Winfield.

Morlock and Holmes have faced preliminary hearings to determine if enough evidence exists for a court martial, but military officials have yet to render a decision.