[16] The defense argued that Gallagher's text messages merely reflected dark comedy in a stressful situation, and that his more outrageous boasts, such as killing twenty people a day, were clearly impossible. For that, he was demoted one rank. He was slated to be awarded a Silver Star during that fateful deployment in Mosul when the Eddie Gallagher He turned to the jury of all members of the military, Marines and a couple and one SEAL, as a matter of fact, and said, who among us had not had their commander threatened to kill them at one point or another? Gallagher went to trial last summer on charges that he murdered an Islamic State prisoner of war and committed other war crimes in May 2017 outside Mosul, Iraq. After two weeks of testimony, Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. As usual, Fox News figures prominently. Thats something the other medically-trained SO1 also told investigators; He returned to the area and was surprised to find the prisoner dead. Eddie Gallagher and the changing story They appear to have cast doubt on whether Gallagher actually killed anyone during the entire deployment, lawfully or unlawfully. And a fellow sniper intends to tell the panel that Gallagher claimed, he averaged three kills a day over 80 days, according to legal filings obtained by Navy Times. The SO1 told Warpinski that by mid-August of 2018 Portier had become angry at Gallagher for allegedly mischaracterizing incidents that occurred during the deployment, including how Islamic State fighters ended up shooting both an interpreter assigned to the SEALs and an explosive ordnance technician. He added that he was only about a foot away from the prisoner when Gallagher pulled out his knife and stabbed the boy two or three times in the neck. This is the reason that other countries call us to solve their problems. Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. Here, his mission was to serve in an advisory role, versus taking part in direct action. Trump told a rally audience days after his intervention, "I stuck up for three great warriors against the deep state. Chief Gallagher was awarded Sailor of the Year for Naval Special Warfare Group One. | Gallagher was the subject of a number of reports from fellow SEAL team members, stating that his actions were not in keeping with the rules of war, but these reports were dismissed by the SEAL command structure. ", "Trump Orders Navy to Strip Medals From Prosecutors in War Crimes Trial", "The Prosecutors who lost the case against SEAL Eddie Gallagher (who I released from solitary confinement so he could fight his case properly), were ridiculously given a Navy Achievement Medal. [54], At the end of November 2019, Gallagher retired from the Navy with full honors, pension, and medical benefits. Retired SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher sues Navy Gallagher openly discussed topics including his career, the raid upon his home, pre-trial confinement, legal proceedings, acquittal, retirement, and his life and family. The LPO said during his interview that he confronted Gallagher and told him the guys are not good with what happened today. Gallagher asked, who had a problem, and the LPO said that, he personally had a problem with it, according to the report. The SO1 told Warpinski that at first, he thought Islamic State fighters were shooting civilians. He also told NCIS that Gallagher had shot at but missed another young girl in a previous incident. Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. This case was handled very badly from the beginning. [27] Hunter told reporters that he intended to ask for a presidential pardon if Gallagher was convicted. Associates said Spencer would resign if such an order is issued, believing it undercuts his authority and that of Rear Adm. Collin Green, commander of the SEALs. Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. He told NCIS it had a blade a few inches long, although photographs of the weapon make it look stubbier. The decorated Navy Seal was also accused of being reckless with his sniper rifle, and some of his platoon mates alleged that he shot at unarmed civilians. The accusations came from SEALs in Gallagher's own platoon, who said he was also known for taking shots at civilians from his sniper's nest, killing at least two. So, in addition to having those SEALs, who I guess their testimony was simply not believed by the jury, there was also this piece of evidence of texts that Gallagher had sent to a fellow SEAL. Both are expected to testify that it was clear the man was a noncombatant and they made the decision not to shoot, according to a filing provided to defense attorneys. Eddie Gallagher says SEALs lied in The train has left the station and now they cant get off the rails. [44], The clemency decision ended up moot: in November 2019, President Trump announced that Gallagher's demotion would be reversed. Retired SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher sues Navy Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. Two other SEAL petty officers told investigators Gallagher bragged about slaying 10-20 people a day or 150-200 people on deployment, court documents state. The accusations against Eddie were numerous, with the most prominent being the alleged murder of an Iraqi prisoner of war. The sniper whos now a civilian claimed he saw Gallagher shoot an elderly man in his 70s or 80s on Fathers Day, 18 June 2017, a shooting backed up by a first class petty officer now assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group often called DEVGRU or SEAL Team 6, according to NCIS records. Multiple witnesses are expected to testify that they were far less effective in combat because their focus shifted from fighting ISIS to protecting civilians and they lost faith in Gallagher as a platoon chief because he was firing indiscriminately at civilians," a file states. He was the first non-Marine to graduate from the United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper School that he attended. Gallagher had eight overseas deployments, including service in both the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. That SO1 was interviewed by NCIS Special Agent Seth Goodwin shortly after the LPO gave his statement. Gallagher and his wife are authors of the book, The Man in the Arena: From Fighting Isis to Fighting for My Freedom published by Ballast Books (2021) .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISBN9781733428002. I've certainly never heard of anything like this happening. The LPO got the impression that Gallagher had no intention of avoiding committing the same acts again and told NCIS the chief said, They do a lot worse to us.. The SO1 sniper said that the northern tower was occupied by Gallagher and two second class petty officers from SEAL Team 7. So he begins to see things the way theyd want to see them.. His son was 6. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. [1], In March 2019, former Navy SEAL and U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw of Texas and seventeen other Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote a letter to then-Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer asking for Gallagher's pre-trial confinement to be reviewed. "Not a single one of us could have imagined that we would have to report a friend and mentor. The LPO indicated the platoons snipers then began shooting warning shots so that the civilians would run away and (Gallagher) would not kill them," according to the report. Dillon called the arrest a "significant blow to Daesh," using the Arabic acronym for the extremist group. But, the good comes with the bad. We arent lawyers. Gallagher's accusers painted him as a bloodthirsty warrior who was out of control in Iraq in 2017. That's going to have implications on Gallagher's retirement. [1] Gallagher also was reportedly known for indiscriminately spraying neighborhoods with rockets and machine gun fire with no known enemy force in the region. Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher celebrates after being acquitted of premeditated murder at Naval Base San Diego, July 2, 2019, in San Diego. Whats coming is the truth, Parlatore told the newspaper. As for using them as bait, different SEALs appeared to have different ideas about what the concept meant. Former Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Gallagher posted the 3-minute video on both his Facebook and Instagram channels Monday. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. [52], Just before reaching his retirement date and towards the end of the Trident Board proceedings, Gallagher appeared on the Fox News morning show Fox & Friends. Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on June 9, 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. [2], On July 2, 2019, Gallagher was convicted of posing for a photograph with the corpse of an ISIS fighter, but was acquitted of all other charges after Special Operator Corey Scott, a member of Gallaghers team granted immunity as a witness against Gallagher, testified that he had killed the prisoner. I just want to make clear that this small group of SEALs that decided to concoct this story in no way, shape or form represent the community that I have, you know, loved and gave my soul to. Was your sense that this verdict was a surprise? [39][36] President Trump congratulated Gallagher on his acquittal over Twitter. We raise each other up and create a culture of constant improvement and accountability. Support C&L Go Ad-Free Today and blamed his accusers for being the cowards. How did the defense team robot that bit of evidence? WebAnswer (1 of 13): I will admit out right that I havnt liked Eddie since he was my buddy Daves LPO. [31] Scott called it a "mercy killing" and argued that the victim would have been tortured by Iraqi personnel due to his connection to the Islamic State. And when our EOD technician was shot on a rooftop, it was Medic Corey Scott who immediately treated him and formulated a plan to get him off the roof as Lt. Tom MacNeil called in a medical evacuation in defiance of Lt. Jake Portier, our platoon leader, who ordered him not to do so because we were in a restricted area. "[citation needed], Gallagher was one of three military personnel accused or convicted of war crimes on whose behalf Trump had intervened to pardon or promote. Concerns about Gallaghers tactical judgment during the 2017 deployment pepper the NCIS files provided to Navy Times. I mean, if you think about this, this is something that happened in Iraq in 2017. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED (Photo credit should read MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images). [44] After Richardson's retirement in August 2019, his replacement Admiral Michael M. Gilday took ownership of the request. Our Iraqi interpreters told us horrific stories of the acts that ISIS committed. He insisted they all made the story up because THEY were afraid of He handed ISIS propaganda manna from heaven. Photographic and video images reviewed by Navy Times seem fragmentary and inconclusive. How did Gallagher's team rebut those witnesses? The showdown inside Naval Base Coronado with Gallagher didnt appear to mollify his critics within the platoon and he still held his billet teaching tactics. Gallagher Giorgio Kirylo testifying that he saw Gallagher try to save the prisoner, and observed no stab wounds on the dead man. On the stand, his attorney said called them entitled young SEALs. I hoped the men who were acquitted or pardoned would use their platforms to bring awareness about issues facing veterans and active-duty members. (courtesy photo). [9] Khaled Jamal Abdullah, a captured 17-year-old fighter of the Islamic State, was being treated by a medic. NCIS reported that a second class petty officer also saw Gallagher stab the prisoner, but later internal messages shared between defense attorneys and Navy officials appear to indicate that he thought the chief sank his knife into the detainees torso and the boy already had died. He was re-interviewed about five months later on Oct. 12 by Warpinski, the lead agent working the case. During Alpha Platoons deployment, the SO1 had served as the lead petty officer, or LPO, and his initial statement to NCIS took the agent back to Badush a village in the suburbs of Mosul in early May of 2017, when the platoon was conducting an Advise, Assist and Accompany, or AAA, mission with Iraqi coalition forces members. The decorated Navy Seal was also accused of being reckless with his sniper rifle, and some of his platoon mates alleged that he shot at unarmed civilians. Lastly, we know that Gallagher's convicted of this one charge of posing with the photograph. A pirate is someone who is a little bit sloppier, messier, but is still a very effective fighter, Dylan Dille, another SEAL sniper and one of Gallaghers accusers, says in the first episode. After President Trump brought the issue up at a meeting with Chief of Naval Operations John M. Richardson, Admiral Richardson took up the request personally. [28] This potential pardon was hotly criticized in the Washington Post's opinion pages. The lead investigator for Naval Investigations, Joe Warpinski, he had only been with NCIS for two-and-a-half years before he got this incredibly high-profile war crimes case. They mercilessly murdered, raped, and pillaged minority communities throughout the region. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War. The SO1 told NCIS that he observed a Humvee full of ICFM soldiers enter the compounds gate. Chief Eddie Gallagher (right, in cap) takes control of a prisoner (far left), an ISIS fighter who had been wounded. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. Once the SEALs reached the other side of the river, there didnt appear to be any options if they got pinned down by insurgent gunfire, the AOIC added. But, in the meantime, he had already served eight months in the brig. The most prominent accusation and the best-attested to was the murder of a prisoner of war, a war crime. All appear on camera. And as a SEAL who served in Alpha Platoon under the command of now-disgraced Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, those words are what helped push me to report my own chief for his horrific actions in Iraq. We were Navy SEALs fighting ISIS in a battle that has been called the most intense urban conflict since World War II. At one unspecified date, Gallagher announced, We need to cleanse Muslims like the Old Testament," according to the SO1s interview with NCIS. According to Gallagher, Vokey performed no useful services and was bilking him. [36] That charge carried a maximum prison sentence of four months. Well, the way it works in military court, this will go to the convening authority for final approval of this sentence. with killing anybody that was moving," but recanting his testimony during the Gallagher trial, for which he was given immunity,[31] saying he had committed the murder himself, presumably powerfully influencing the verdicts. At first, they say, the anti-Gallagher campaign by the alleged whistleblowers appeared to succeed. Gambling Problem? Recon. One of the SEALs, a second class petty officer, told investigators that Gallagher failed to exercise the discipline to let tactical situations develop," according to one of the legal filings obtained by Navy Times. Chief Eddie Gallagher (right, in cap) takes control of a prisoner (far left), an ISIS fighter who had been wounded. If many of the allegations of the witnesses were untrue or embellished to depose Gallagher, they still worked until the claims hurdled SEAL Team 7 and reached Naval Special Warfare Group 1. [31][37] The same jury that tried Gallagher sentenced him on July 3, 2019, for posing with the corpse. [40] Four weeks later, President Trump announced over Twitter he had directed the Secretary of the Navy to revoke Navy Achievement Medals given to members of the prosecution team that oversaw Gallagher's case. To Gallaghers legal team, theres a problem with these alleged motives. Eddie Gallagher All Rights Reserved. Eddie Gallagher Following his Navy career, Gallagher began commercial ventures including an action figure, But Trump May Get in the Way", "Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher found not guilty on murder and attempted murder charges", "Shocking Revelation In Navy SEAL War Crimes Trial: Witness Says He Is The Real Killer", "Jurors picked for Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher's war crimes trial", "Navy SEAL Chief Accused of War Crimes Is Found Not Guilty of Murder", "Navy dismisses case against SEAL accused of covering up war crimes", "Jury to decide SEAL's punishment for posing with corpse", "Navy SEAL demoted for posing with corpse", "Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. Gallagher and his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jake Portier, then posed for photographs of them standing over the body with some other nearby SEALs. That's how protective some of these folks are. Was always a jerk. As far as we knew, the ball was in their court and our officers would do the right thing. Other records provided to Navy Times show that the SO1 remembered that the girls faces were uncovered and the one who was shot also wore a flower-print hijab. Yet few people heard about the lives saved, people liberated, or hope restored in Mosul. Please check your inbox to confirm. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher, Committee votes on major defense policy bill expected in May, Military families share workout with first lady Jill Biden, US conducts first evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war, Ukrainian drones strike Crimea oil depot, Russian official says, Interior designers remodel Jack Teixeiras camo bedroom monstrosity, Understanding the role of artificial intelligence, Mark Kitz keynote speech at the C4ISRNET conference, The latest on software, data and artificial intelligence, Military sex assault reports rise, even as Army numbers fall, Zero trust could have limited Pentagon leak, Navy CTO says, Taliban kill mastermind of suicide bombing at Kabul airport, Ship fires cost the Navy dearly, but lessons still need learning, Russian spy intrigue fizzles in Coast Guard vet, wife ID theft case. Real brothers dont chase medals. Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. Eddie Gallagher [45] A week earlier, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer had sent Trump a note asking him not to intervene again. Parlatore said that information in the video about the SEALs was already known. Eddie Gallagher says SEALs lied in [7], During his service, he was decorated for valor several times, including two Bronze Stars. Gallaghers SEAL Team 7 superiors in California junked the Silver Star application and he wasnt going to make senior chief before his planned retirement after 20 years of service. [3] Following Scott's confession, prosecutors canceled other witnesses they had planned to call, fearing their testimony would further undermine their case. [8] He received positive evaluations from his superiors within the SEALs, and served as an instructor in the SEALs BUD/S program for recruits. To Parlatore, the concerns expressed by the AOIC and other SEALs less experienced in combat than Gallagher really boiled down to disputes over how special operators should adapt to the 21st century urban battlefield. [1] Other snipers said they witnessed Gallagher taking at least two militarily pointless shots, shooting and killing an unarmed elderly man in a white robe as well as a young girl walking with other girls. The accusations against Eddie were numerous, with the most prominent being the alleged murder of an Iraqi prisoner of war. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. I have directed the Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer & Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson to immediately withdraw and rescind the awards", "Lawyer for Eddie Gallagher Says Acquitted Navy SEAL Owes Him Up to $1 Million", "Navy Reduces Punishment for SEAL in War Crimes Case", "Report: Trump makes SEAL Gallagher a chief again", "Navy secretary strongly considering resigning over Trump's meddling in SEAL case", "Trump ordered Gallagher be allowed to retire as Navy SEAL, defense secretary says", "Esper says Trump ordered him to stop SEAL review board", "Eddie Gallagher controversy: Esper fires Navy secretary, SEAL will keep Trident pin, Pentagon says", "Esper says Trump ordered him to allow Gallagher to keep his Trident pin and remain a SEAL", "Does Trump's Navy SEAL pardon undermine military justice? Gallagher was charged with murdering 17-year-old Khaled Jamal Abdullah in 2018, along with other charges. They yanked an injured boy the SEAL estimated he was 16 years old, but others thought him younger off the hood, near where Gallagher was standing. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Published Jan 25, 2022 9:00 AM EST. Jake Portier, and told him they needed to get out of the area.". Absolutely. "The platoon wasnt doing what SEALs like to do. [58], In 2021, Gallagher said on the podcast The Line, although he did not stab the ISIS fighter, "[the ISIS fighter] was killed by us, and that nobody at that time, had a problem with it", and the group performed medical procedures on the prisoner which killed him (including inserting an emergency airway into the ISIS fighter's throat, "just for practice"). Former SEAL Eddie Gallagher attacks his accusers in He was slated to be awarded a Silver Star during that fateful deployment in Mosul when the But piecing together all the interviews in mid-2018 and a round of re-interviews in October of the SEALs reveals multiple, sometimes competing, reasons for bringing Gallaghers alleged actions to the attention of his superiors and, later, law enforcement. After two weeks of testimony, Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. Advertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyMessaging Terms, AppAdvertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyCookie PolicyBest Sports Betting SiteMessaging TermsSubscription Terms. All appear on camera. Former SEAL Eddie Gallagher attacks his accusers in In this June 23, 2014, file photo, fighters from the Islamic State group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle on the main road in Mosul, Iraq. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. Eddie Gallagher Over the years here and Barstool and my time in the Marine Corps, I got to know several SEALs and other members of "special units." The SO1 told Warpinski that five or six hours later he watched people emerging from nearby buildings and, maybe, fellow snipers engaging a few Islamic State fighters near there. [47][48] Esper immediately fired Spencer for going outside the chain of command. [15] As a result of the spying controversy, the judge ordered Gallagher freed from prison while awaiting trial as a remedy to interference from the prosecution. Eddie Gallagher So Gallaghers trial ultimately will ask a panel of officers and senior enlisted sailors to weigh the credibility of witnesses mostly junior SEALs testifying about what they allegedly saw or heard, and then evaluate their possible motives for expressing their recollections that way. According to an April 20, 2018, NCIS interview with Lt. Cmdr. He will serve no further jail time. [9] By 2015, Gallagher had acquired a reputation as someone who was more interested in "fighting terrorists", but less interested in complying with rules. Thats the line of thinking seized by Gallaghers attorney, Parlatore. [50] Also on November 25, Trump told reporters that Gallagher "was one of the ultimate fighters". This would result in an improvement to Gallagher's pension and retirement benefits. Another text said: "Good story behind this. One of the SEALs is particularly prized by prosecutors because he allegedly was an eyewitness to the murder, but hes prepared to go to the brig rather than testify in Gallaghers trial, according to an email provided to Navy Times. He told Warpinski he saw four girls walking along it, toward the river, away from ISIS territory. They also have other texts where he threatens to kill his platoon. Reddit Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. Robert Breisch the commander of SEAL Team 7 during the 2017 deployment members of Gallaghers platoon were interviewed by investigators about the drone strike, but its unclear why the SEALs didnt tell them about Gallaghers alleged war crimes then. Raiders. [49] The next day (Nov. 25) Esper said that Trump had ordered him to allow Gallagher to keep his Trident Pin, so that Gallagher remained a SEAL until his retirement at the end of November 2019. Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. It will mark a sea change in the sea services clandestine and close-knit cadre of SEALs, a secretive and elite military force that rarely testifies against each other, especially in war crimes probes attracting an international audience. Retired SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher sues Navy But justified or not, whats clear to everyone is that they didnt like the mission. The guy is freaking evil, Miller told the investigators. It was as simple as the banner that hung on my seventh-grade teachers desk: The right choice isnt always popular, and the popular choice isnt always right. My only regret is not doing more.
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