[35] On July 2, 2019, they acquitted him on six of the seven original charges but found him guilty of the seventh charge of "wrongfully posing for an unofficial picture with a human casualty". His son was 6. In a statement Thursday, May 10, 2018, coalition spokesman Army Col. Ryan Dillon said that U.S.-backed Syrian forces have captured five senior Islamic State group leaders. The AOIC told Gallagher this sort of training by fire was extremely unnecessary but Gallagher shot back that his junior SEALs were all a bunch of pussies" and needed the experience, the document states, The lieutenant said he became so alarmed by Gallaghers tactical acumen that he began examining the plans for every proposed mission in order to mitigate the risks, and tried to go out on every operation he could to make sure that the lives of his teammates werent being unnecessarily jeopardized.. Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher celebrates after being acquitted of premeditated murder at Naval Base San Diego, July 2, 2019, in San Diego. I mean, he had NEVER TAKEN A PICTURE WITH HIS KID. 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. [23][24][25][26], On May 8, 2019, former Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, a Republican, showed combat video footage from a helmet camera to a group of legislators that he said exonerated Gallagher of one of the charges against him. For us, this was an easy fight to get behind. [18][19] This was the first time a President directly intervened in an imprisonment conditions matter since President Richard Nixon intervened in favor of Lieutenant William Calley, one of the perpetrators of the My Lai Massacre, by ordering him released from a military brig to house arrest in 1971. A retired Navy SEAL acquitted of nearly all charges in a high-profile war crimes case brought on by testimony from his platoon mates released a video identifying some of those same men, calling them cowards and hinting that more information is coming. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. Gallagher was originally accused by fellow SEAL members, members of his own platoon, which, in and of itself, is sort of odd, given the historically tight-knit nature of the SEAL organization. Raiders. Reddit ", Duncan Hunter supports Gallagher, Trump in Navy SEAL controversy, "Trump says he stood up to the 'deep state' by intervening in war crime cases", Anguish and Anger From the Navy SEALs Who Turned In Edward Gallagher, "From the Brig to Mar-a-Lago, Former Navy SEAL Capitalizes on Newfound Fame", "Eddie Gallagher, Navy SEAL acquitted of stabbing wounded ISIS prisoner to death, tells his story", "Eddie Gallagher Limited Series In Works By Will Staples, Working Title & The New York Times", "Navy SEAL cleared of war crimes and reinstated by Trump now says 'we killed that guy', "Eddie Gallagher's shocking claim that SEALs intended for detainee to die", "Eddie Gallagher says he and other Navy SEALs used a dying enemy fighter for medical practice with no intention of saving him", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddie_Gallagher_(Navy_SEAL)&oldid=1152104595, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 06:51. 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. My character and honor are steadfast. The charges were lodged and prosecution depended heavily on statements made against Gallagher by platoon mates who deployed with him to Iraq to fight ISIS in 2017. Not only did they lose the case, they had difficulty with respect to information that may have been obtained from opposing lawyers and for giving immunity in a totally incompetent fashion. He told NCIS that he watched Gallagher and the other SO1 for a few minutes but then returned to his duties as the LPO. They mercilessly murdered, raped, and pillaged minority communities throughout the region. Throughout the trial, Gallagher acted as though it was not he who had been accused of wrongdoing but the investigators, prosecutors and witnesses. Gallagher allegedly told two lieutenants and another chief that he had dirt on all of them and would bring them all down if they reported his war crimes, prosecutors wrote. Gallagher openly discussed topics including his career, the raid upon his home, pre-trial confinement, legal proceedings, acquittal, retirement, and his life and family. Eddie Gallagher [1] Some potential witnesses were non-cooperative, citing the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination when refusing to testify. The LPO told NCIS that he informed both Portier and his assistant officer in charge of the platoon about the alleged murder. Although they had the NCIS hotline number for days, legal files indicate that not one of the SEAL witnesses called it. According to the claim, Gallagher allegedly threatened to kill fellow SEALs if they reported his actions. This is a false narrative peddled by Gallagher and his supporters. [46], On November 24, 2019, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he had learned that Spencer made a private offer to the White House that if the White House did not interfere, he would guarantee that Gallagher would keep his Trident pin. The SO1 told NCIS that he observed a Humvee full of ICFM soldiers enter the compounds gate. Small enough to be transported in a backpack, the quiet, hovering UAVs can unleash tiny, but potent, missiles to blow up enemies, miles away from where operators are remotely piloting the drones. [7], During his service, he was decorated for valor several times, including two Bronze Stars. Eddie Gallagher He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of most charges, but was convicted of posing for a photo with an Isis fighters corpse, a crime for which the jury reduced his rank. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher Releases The Names (Leo Shane III/Staff). 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. 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? Real brothers dont chase medals. Eddie Gallagher Edward R. Gallagher (born May 29, 1979)[1] is a retired United States Navy SEAL who was accused of war crimes. [34], The jury for Gallagher's court-martial was composed of five enlisted men, including a Navy SEAL and four Marines, plus a Navy commander and a Marine chief warrant officer, after the defense had rejected several other candidates. [29][21] During a podcast interview on May 28, 2019 Hunter said that he himself had posed for pictures with a dead enemy combatant and that American artillery fire had killed "hundreds" of Iraqi civilians in and around Fallujah. It appears as though a revenge tour is just getting started and that's a really sobering thought. (photos provided). Another sniper who also has indicated he might not testify later told prosecutors that he saw an old man go down, but he didnt see Gallagher shoot him, according to emails to prosecutors provided to Navy Times. A member of the Iraqi federal police awaits his next movement on the streets of the recently secured airport during the offensive to liberate West Mosul, Iraq, March 2, 2017. [27] Hunter told reporters that he intended to ask for a presidential pardon if Gallagher was convicted. According to Gallagher, Vokey performed no useful services and was bilking him. To the lieutenant, Gallagher was "putting their platoon in an extremely vulnerable position for a mission that was not even authorized, an argument that ended both his conversation with the chief and the proposed raid, according to the letter provided to Navy Times. Tamara Lawrence said that, as a practice, the Navy does not identify active-duty SEALs. On the stand, his attorney said called them entitled young SEALs. Portier, he said, gathered all of the team members together and took a photograph of the team.". Thats because Gallagher who disliked using a spotter tried to keep away from Portier while they were in the sniper positions because (Gallagher) complained that Portier was too controlling and talked too much, according to the report. Dillon called the arrest a "significant blow to Daesh," using the Arabic acronym for the extremist group. New York Times reporter Dave Philipps joins Deadline White House panel to discuss the Navy SEALs' testimony against Eddie Gallagher. On September 11, 2018, Gallagher was arrested at Camp Pendleton and charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, obstruction of justice, and other offenses. 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. The plan for the platoon was to have a perimeter around (Gallagher) to prevent this from happening again, he said. Apparently, he sent a photograph of the captive's body. [5], The case was considered to be a "difficult"[15] one because the Navy did not begin a formal investigation for nearly a year after the reports were made and by then much of the physical evidence, such as the bodies of those alleged to be killed by Gallagher, were not recoverable. To some, it apparently reflected the chiefs drive to have them patrol and conduct raids during the day, much as infantrymen did during the height of the fighting in Iraq. [54] "The guy is freaking evil," Special Operator First (SO1) Class Craig Miller said. He handed ISIS propaganda manna from heaven. [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. Chief Gallagher was awarded Sailor of the Year for Naval Special Warfare Group One. Platoon members said they saw Chief Gallagher shoot civilians and fatally stab a wounded captive with a hunting knife. They were very celebratory. Gallaghers case became a cause clbre in conservative circles, with President Trump championing his innocence. Our deployment to Mosul in 2017 had the potential to be one of the most kinetic deployments in recent Naval Special Warfare history. Rob Breisch, while we were still in Iraq. 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. Chief Eddie Gallagher (right, in cap) takes control of a prisoner (far left), an ISIS fighter who had been wounded. [6] The defense also called eyewitnesses, with Marine Staff Sgt. A lot of remarkable things happened on that deployment. The LPO told the agent that an SO1 who remained to assist Gallagher with the medical care was freaking out a little bit over what Eddie just did but there was nothing anyone could do because the subject was dead.. 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. Gallagher, 40, was acquitted of murder and nearly all related charges in a court martial trial last year. As usual, Fox News figures prominently. But, the good comes with the bad. Anguish and Anger From the Navy SEALs Who Turned Eddie Gallagher ", "Trump's war-crime pardons could be his most Nixonian moment yet", "Military judge frees Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher in advance of murder trial", "Judge Removes Prosecutor in Navy SEAL's War Crimes Court-Martial", "Judge removes prosecutor from Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher's war crimes case", "Trial of Navy SEAL accused of killing prisoner set for June", "Navy SEAL's trial for war crimes begins in San Diego", "Rep. Duncan Hunter says footage exonerates accused Navy SEAL, vows to seek Trump pardon", "Trump May Be Preparing Pardons for Servicemen Accused of War Crimes", "Trump's war-crime pardons would insult millions of service members", "Duncan Hunter's defense of accused Navy SEAL brings new scrutiny", "Navy SEAL Whose Testimony Roiled War-Crimes Trial May Face Perjury Charge", "The Navy Wants to Push Out Problem SEALs. In fact, we were expecting Gallagher to come out and talk to us after the sentencing, but, instead, he and his wife got in the car and they drove away. 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. Gallagher was hugging his wife. Now, of course, there was some conflicting testimony. 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. They don't want this sentence of confinement on his record, if they can possibly avoid it. To Gallaghers legal team, theres a problem with these alleged motives. [9][1] This resulted in him being confined in the brig for a time with heavy restrictions on his ability to communicate, although this confinement was later lessened. Two other SEALs who also deployed with Gallagher but did not testify in his trial told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday speaking out against the retired Chiefs identifying currently serving SEAL Team members. 2023 Barstool Sports. Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve is the global Coalition to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. [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. But at the beginning of the probe, two interviews with SEALs still on active duty today seemed to propel the larger NCIS investigation. One of those incidents allegedly occurred on the day after he left. It was Gallagher a Navy corpsman assigned to Marines before he became a SEAL who began treating the wounded Iraqi, which the SO1 assumed was a shrapnel wound. After two weeks of testimony, Chief Edward Gallagher was found not guilty of murdering a suspected ISIS prisoner in Iraq. Platoon members said they saw Chief Gallagher shoot civilians and fatally stab a wounded captive with a hunting knife. He watched as the SO1 inserted a chest tube while Gallagher, using a special kit, performed a cricothyroidotomy or cric" a simple and rapid surgical method for opening up a blocked airway by inserting a tube through an incision in the cricothyroid ligament, according to records provided to Navy Times. Process should move quickly! Advertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyMessaging Terms, AppAdvertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyCookie PolicyBest Sports Betting SiteMessaging TermsSubscription Terms. But I guess the evidence citing if Gallagher has a text that says, "I can't wait to tell you the story about this, I got him with my knife," how did Gallagher's team push that off? (screen shot of YouTube video used as evidence in criminal hearing), The lead petty officer told NCIS that he went and found the officer in charge of the platoon, Lt. Jacob X. This was a prosecution witness, not a so, on cross-examination, that's when the defense brought this up. Since Gallagher had already served more time during his pre-trial confinement, he was released. We didnt focus on keeping evidence that would hold up in court. According to an April 20, 2018, NCIS interview with Lt. Cmdr. 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. SEAL Eddie Gallagher was found not guilty Gallagher Absolutely. WebAnswer (1 of 13): I will admit out right that I havnt liked Eddie since he was my buddy Daves LPO. He told NCIS it had a blade a few inches long, although photographs of the weapon make it look stubbier. He insisted they all made the story up because THEY were afraid of It has been speculated that this image was intended to find leakers violating the judge's gag order, as reporters (including Prine) have repeatedly scooped private documents related to the case. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. [8] He received positive evaluations from his superiors within the SEALs, and served as an instructor in the SEALs BUD/S program for recruits. [9], During his eighth deployment in 2017, Gallagher's aggressiveness seemed to be amplified during the Battle for Mosul. Anguish and Anger From the Navy SEALs Who Turned But, in the meantime, he had already served eight months in the brig. He told Warpinski he saw four girls walking along it, toward the river, away from ISIS territory. One of them said: "I have got a cool story for you when I get back. Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward Eddie Gallagher in Iraq in 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED (Photo credit should read MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images). I think part of this comes out of a misunderstanding about the mission, he told Navy Times. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Gallagher repeatedly sent us to positions where SEALs and our Iraqi partner forces were wounded or killed by small arms and rockets. Gallagher Eddie Gallagher "The guy was toxic," said SO1 Joshua Vriens. They appear to have cast doubt on whether Gallagher actually killed anyone during the entire deployment, lawfully or unlawfully. [5] Some of these charges, such as flying a drone over a corpse, were dismissed during preliminary hearings. He then says that he will share more details about the deployment and ends his video with the hashtag #THETRUTHISCOMING. So there was a feeling today that maybe Gallagher would serve no jail time at all, at least wouldn't get a sentence of any jail time. [3] Following Scott's confession, prosecutors canceled other witnesses they had planned to call, fearing their testimony would further undermine their case. The only thing he was convicted of was posing in a photo with the dead captive's body. The other SEAL sniper whos now a civilian told investigators that he estimated the girl to be a 12-year-old, according to another document provided to Navy Times. But justified or not, whats clear to everyone is that they didnt like the mission. Eddie Gallagher He was interviewed in 2020 by former Navy SEAL and current K9 trainer Mike Ritland on YouTube. Sometimes Lt. Portier would make excuses for Gallagher, and sometimes he assured us that he had taken action against him. Published Jan 25, 2022 9:00 AM EST. Support C&L Go Ad-Free Today and blamed his accusers for being the cowards. No one. now-disgraced Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, only convicted of taking a photograph with a murdered teenage prisoner. You've seen the picture featuring operators with black bars over their eyes and faces. Eddie Gallagher Gilday eventually partially granted the request in October 2019: he reduced the punishment from a full demotion to a one-rank demotion to special operator first class, as the jury had recommended, rather than the default demotion to Seaman Recruit (E-1). He's been following the story for KPBS Public Media in San Diego, and he was there for the verdict and sentencing today. (Photo by Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images). Clip from Apple TVs documentary The Line featuring Eddie Gallagher, former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, and Navy SEAL Dylan Dille. Investigators later placed the alleged incident in July, without specifying the date. Our senior leaders created the ethos to address moral failures that were happening at home and overseas during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was the judge advocate generals office at Group 1s California HQ that summoned Warpinskis agency, records reveal. Eddie Gallagher [41][42], After the closure of the case, Gallagher and his initial lawyer entered a dispute in August 2019. The LPO told the investigator that there were other war crimes fellow SEALs witnessed, but he didnt see them. As usual, Fox News figures prominently. He came to national attention in the United States after he was charged in September 2018 with ten offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Almost immediately after seeing the group, one of the girls in a grey dress grabbed her stomach and fell to the ground after she was shot, the SO1 said. The SEAL didnt think Gallagher was working on a severely wounded detainee, but the platoon chief was soon assisted by another SO1. Gallagher then text messaged a friend in California a picture of himself holding the dead captive's (ISIS) head by the hair with the explanation "Good story behind this, got him with my hunting knife.[9][13], Prosecutors alleged that Gallagher's sniper work during his 2017 deployment became "reckless" and "bloodthirsty". The seriously wounded Islamic State fighter, believed to be between 15 and 17 years of age, military prosecutors believe was murdered by a Navy SEAL. Jake Portier, and told him they needed to get out of the area.". [57], A limited television series adaptation based on the life of Gallagher is in development by Working Title Television and The New York Times with Will Staples to write. Eddie was definitely a pirate.. To the SO1, it was a sign that Gallagher was putting his beliefs into action. The accusations against Eddie were numerous, with the most prominent being the alleged murder of an Iraqi prisoner of war. So, in the end, that was what he was convicted of. [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. 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. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. By early 2019, however, the prosecution had settled on a narrative about what began going wrong in Iraq two years earlier, according to legal filings and internal correspondence provided to Navy Times. Was your sense that this verdict was a surprise? 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. But Gallaghers repeated actions and comments proved to us that his actions were not accidents. [5], Gallagher was also charged with nearly a dozen lesser offenses. Eddie Gallagher and the changing story SEALs Divided: Documentary Hunts for the Analysis of a knife confiscated from Gallagher will only say that it suggests traces of the cells of an Iraqi man, but it cant be linked to any known victim, prosecutors concede. New York Times reporter Dave Philipps joins Deadline White House panel to discuss the Navy SEALs' testimony against Eddie Gallagher. All rights reserved. Gallagher and his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jake Portier, then posed for photographs of them standing over the body with some other nearby SEALs. Eddie Gallagher's shocking claim Lastly, we know that Gallagher's convicted of this one charge of posing with the photograph. This case was handled very badly from the beginning. But this isnt going to be like the typical murder case. He was slated to be awarded a Silver Star during that fateful deployment in Mosul when the When Gallagher was asked by host Pete Hegseth to offer his opinion, Gallagher opined: "this is all about ego and retaliation and this has nothing to do with good order and discipline. 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. [10] He allegedly tried to run over a Navy police officer with his car in 2014, after being detained at a traffic stop. Special Operator 1st Class Josh Vriens is a former Navy SEAL sniper who served in Alpha Platoon under Eddie Gallaghers command. The SO1 told Warpinski that Chief Gallagher knew a considerable amount of Bible scripture but does not practice it, instead using religion as an excuse for his actions.. He also told NCIS that Gallagher had shot at but missed another young girl in a previous incident. From other NCIS and Iraqi records provided to Navy Times, it can be pinpointed to May 3, 2017 less than a month after Alpha Platoon began their tour and the ICFM were members of the Iraqi Emergency Response Division, the Ministry of the Interiors elite special forces unit.