I aimed to the side far to the side and fired, he said, He ran from the river bank to a building, but the door was locked, Tolbert said. Graffam said he would serve with Gallagher again if given the chance. I think this will alert the SEAL community that the rules apply to them.. The government will not be dropping premeditated murder charges against Chief Petty Officer Gallagher, despite petty officer Scotts testimony, the Navy said in a statement. Once court resumed with the jury present, Parlatore then asked whether Tolbert had ever said in text messages that he was going to burn this motherfucking court room to the ground, a reference to where the trial was taking place at Naval Base San Diego. Gallaghers lead defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore, has said in court that some of the witnesses against Gallagher conspired together to concoct false stories about his client. The case has laid bare challenges among US special forces as the United States increasingly relies on such troops, who make up only 2 percent of the military yet carry out most of its battles. Former SO1 Dylan Dille, who was also in the south tower that day, This article by Paul Szoldra and Jared Keller, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Dalton Tolbert, testified last week that he watched an old man die from a sniper shot on Father's Day, 7 Veteran-Friendly Manufacturers That Are Hiring, The 6 Types Of Contractors You Encounter Overseas, Heres How Marines Fared On The New Physical Fitness Test. Gallagher, 40, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. One of the SEALs told the court on Tuesday that he'd seen Gallagher shoot at an elderly Iraqi man and group of women as they collected water from a river. But he didn't see Gallagher shoot her. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Reporting by Marty Graham; Additional reporting and writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Tarrant, Leslie Adler and Rosalba OBrien. In text messages that were read in court, Special Operator Scott told other SEALs that Chief Gallagher had confronted him about the accusations. Text messages obtained by law enforcement officials show that Chief Gallagher, who is well known among Navy SEALs, spread the names of his accusers to other SEALs on both coasts. A jury of five Marines and two sailors, one a SEAL, will weigh whether Gallagher, on his eighth deployment, went off the rails and fatally stabbed the war prisoner as a kind of trophy kill, or if the boy died from wounds sustained in an airstrike and Gallagher is being falsely accused by junior SEALs trying to permanently oust a platoon chief they hate. Prayer, revival and Jesus Revolution: Is our rotting culture on the verge of something big? Under cross examination by prosecutors, Graffam said he couldn't say whether there were warning shots fired that day, though Dille and Tolbert both said happened. I see an issue with that, Tolbert texted others. A Navy prosecutor immediately leapt from his chair in the courtroom and angrily accused Special Operator Scott of lying, saying that on one crucial point after another, his testimony contradicted what he had told Navy criminal investigators and lawyers in at least five interviews. SEAL sniper Dalton Tolbert told the court he did not recall who started the chat group but that the intent was to talk with others who were disturbed by what they saw on the deployment and decide what to do. Tolbert said he fired a Members of the platoon who reported Chief Gallaghers actions to superiors more than a year ago say they have come under heavy pressure since then over breaking a widespread culture of silence in the secretive, tight-knit SEAL teams. Defense attorney Timothy Parlatore countered that maybe the Real Brotherhood are older guys who dont like you and other SEALs who tell lies.. The Sewing Circle, the WhatsApp group chat, formed with a select few members of Alpha platoon after they returned to San Diego from their deployment in 2017. Naval Special Warfare officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment by deadline. Asked about this claim, Tolbert said he did not actually know whether others in SEAL Team 6 believed what he had said, adding that the text message he sent about killing civilians was "inappropriate.". - 7 Veteran-Friendly Manufacturers That Are Hiring, - The 6 Types Of Contractors You Encounter Overseas, - Heres How Marines Fared On The New Physical Fitness Test, Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, "He ran north to south across the road," Tolbert. Tolbert said he had heard a shot from the tower Gallagher was in and he heard Gallagher say over the radio, You guys missed him but I got him. He did not see him pull the trigger either time. Who's fucking courtroom is this? Tolbert is also said to have messaged other SEALs: 'Somebody fire this p***y a** f*****g judge' and 'This legal process is a joke'. Scott never wanted to testify at all. The scandals have prompted a review by the Navys top commanders. The trial of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher resumed Friday with prosecutors expected to call two Navy SEAL snipers to testify on charges he shot at innocent civilians while he led a SEAL platoon deployment to Iraq in 2017. SEALs, it seems to me, have been seeing themselves as God-like on the battlefield, and there is a real danger in taking that view of ones unit or ones self, said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown University. Defense attorney Timothy Parlatore shot back that maybe the Real Brotherhood are older guys who dont like you and other SEALs who tell lies.. Its a f------ joke., Tolbert said on the stand, I think this is a very fair trial. In the thread, Gallagher was referred to as El Diablo, Spanish for the devil., Not sure how to handle him, Scott texted. The WhatsApp group would eventually lead to formal allegations that Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher fatally stabbed a wounded Islamic State captive in his care and shot civilians in Iraq in 2017. A U.S. Navy SEAL last month pleaded guilty to hazing and assault charges for his role in the 2017 strangulation of a U.S. Army Green Beret in Africa. The lead prosecutor was removed after allegedly tracking the defense teams emails to find a news leak, and the lead investigator acknowledged on the stand making mistakes. "That's when I saw the red mark on his back and I saw him fall for the first time. A jury of mostly combat Marines will ultimately decide the fate of the 19-year-veteran and Bronze Star recipient charged with murder, attempted murder and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline for posing with the corpse for photographs. WebWeeks before the trial, Tolbert, who was accepted to the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up no matter what was at Most were granted immunity to protect them from being prosecuted for acts they described on the stand. Somebody fire this pussy -ss f-cking judge. He said, I stabbed him in the side and then I looked him in the eyes and stabbed him in the neck, Vriens testified. He told the court that he believes he will probably be cut from SEAL Team 6 because of his part in the trial and the public attention it has drawn. Graffam testified that Gallagher was essentially justified in the shooting of a man he is accused of unlawfully targeting, stating that "based off everything I had seen so far in my opinion, they were two sh*theads moving from one side of the road to the other.". Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. I shot more warning shots to save civilians from Eddie than I ever did at ISIS. Parlatore had told reporters prior to heading into court that the story is a big lie. Vriens testified that Gallagher said, I stabbed him in the side, grabbed his hair and looked him in the eyes and I stabbed him in the neck.. During Gallaghers trial, it was revealed that nearly all his platoon members readily posed for photos with the dead militant and watched as Gallagher read his reenlistment oath near the body in an impromptu ceremony. Not sure how to handle him, he texted the sewing circle. The case has laid bare challenges among U.S. special forces as the United States increasingly relies on such troops, which make up only 2% of the military yet carry out most of its battles around the globe. Two snipers say a decorated Navy SEAL shot a young girl and an old man in Iraq in 2017. When asked by Parlatore who Tolbert worked with, Dille acknowledged it was SEAL Team 6. He said he had never told investigators that he killed the captive because no one had bothered to ask. Spotting for Gallagher in the tower that day, Graffam said, he called out the target to him and he fired. Gallagher, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder stemming from his 2017 tour of duty in Iraq. I shot more warning shots to save civilians from Eddie than I ever did at ISIS. I look forward to laying down some lead again on that occasion., Defense attorney Tim Parlatore then asked, Who is the Real Brotherhood?. Gallaghers lawyers say the group chat was used to orchestrate a smear campaign to bring down their demanding platoon chief. The comments below have not been moderated. In later testimony, Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Joshua Vriens recounted a separate shooting incident from the SEAL sniper positions, in which he said a young girl was shot as she was walking under a bridge across the river. The trial also has shown the struggles of military courts in prosecuting alleged war crimes. Blood started to pool and I knew it was a square hit in the back." I hope that if anyone is intending on that, they can be ok with themselves and they are doing it for a very good reason. A SEAL troop commander testified that the allegations, which he took no action on for months, were suspect because they came about as Gallagher was being considered for a Silver Star and a promotion. In one picture, hes holding up his knife in one hand and holding the militant by his hair with his other hand. Scott claims he was one who killed the ISIS militant boy. Vriens testified that on another occasion he was present when Gallagher shot a young girl, though he didnt see Gallagher pull the trigger. Tolbert confirmed in courtroom testimony that he was now assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group, a classified unit commonly known as SEAL Team 6. The WhatsApp group would eventually lead to formal allegations that Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher fatally stabbed a wounded Islamic State captive in his care and shot civilians in Iraq in 2017. Giorgio Kirylo said after the militant died that he moved the body to take a cool guy trophy photo with it and saw no stab wounds on his neck. Platoon members testified that the team was fractured, and the running joke was that if something was missing from a care package, Eddie took it. I hate to be the drama queen. I saw Eddie Gallagher shoot someone who didnt deserve to die, Tolbert said in a text. This is the pattern with these prosecutors, Mr. Parlatore told the jury. Gallaghers defense team emerged from the courtroom on Thursday defiant. On Friday Navy SEAL Dalton Tolbert, who served under Gallagher, testified that he did not see the shot in the case of the elderly man but did see blood appear on Gallagher also took photos of himself with the corpse. Its purpose was even more improbable: A chat forum The Marine Corps also pulled a deputy prosecutor from the case. "I aimed to the side far to the side and fired," Tolbert testified. And Marine Staff Sgt. Scott, like other SEALs in Gallaghers unit, has been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. Tolbert is expected to testify on Friday. In one picture, hes holding up his knife in one hand and holding the militant by his hair with his other hand. A number of special forces members are on trial this year. Lawyer, Tim Parlatore, told a court on Friday that the group wanted to get rid of Chief Special Warfare Operator Eddie Gallagher who is accused of murdering a wounded, teenage ISIS fighter in Mosul, Iraq in 2017 by stabbing him twice in the neck then posing with the corpse. 'Hes got a wife and family,' Scott added on the stand about Gallagher. Gallagher is also charged with attempted murder in the wounding of two civilians, a schoolgirl and an elderly man, shot from a snipers perch in Iraq. On Friday, Special Warfare Operator First Class Dalton Tolbert testified that on the day of the alleged stabbing, a group of petty officers first class met together to WebNavy SEAL Dalton Tolbert testimony Listen to the trial audio from the United States Government vs. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher from The Man In The Arena: From Fighting ISIS to Fighting for My Freedom, Available Now NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO Testimony in the military trial of Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher earlier this week revealed that an active-duty member of SEAL Team 6 had disparaged the judge overseeing the trial and said many of his colleagues in the elite unit did not care about killing civilians. On Thursday, SEAL medic Corey Scott shockingly testified that he was the one who killed the boy and not Gallagher. Weeks before the trial, Tolbert, who was accepted to the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up no matter what was at stake. But his accusers said it went beyond the theft of sunglasses and snacks. He has pleaded not guilty. Special Operations Chief Craig Miller, who was also part of The Sewing Circle, testified that he saw Gallagher stab the captive multiple times with a custom-made knife Gallagher would carry in the belt loops of his pants. The SEAL, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said the medic had never mentioned killing the captive to the SEALs in the circle. The case has laid bare challenges among U.S. special forces as the United States increasingly relies on such troops, which make up only 2% of the military yet carry out most of its battles around the globe. - 7 Veteran-Friendly Manufacturers That Are Hiring, - The 6 Types Of Contractors You Encounter Overseas, - Heres How Marines Fared On The New Physical Fitness Test, Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, Tolbert testified that he was scanning windows along the riverbank searching for targets when he noticed a man moving closer to the river. Lt. Jacob Portier, the officer in charge, has been charged separately for overseeing the ceremony and not reporting the alleged stabbing. Vriens said he didnt think that from the distance the bullet traveled about 900 meters the bullet would have had the same effect. The court-martial has provided a rare view into the insular Navy SEAL community and likely will have a long-term impact on one of the militarys most secretive and revered forces. WebNavy SEAL Dalton Tolbert testimony Listen to the trial audio from the United States Government vs. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher from The Man In The Arena: From Fighting They are not brothers at all.. The Marines are embarked on the San Diego-based Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which is composed of three warships. Giorgio Kirylo said after the militant died that he moved the body to take a cool guy trophy photo with it and saw no stab wounds on his neck. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. After court Friday, Gallagher, who has not been answering reporters questions, told a nearby attorney I feel fine.. "He ran north to south across the road," Tolbert testified on Friday. Vriens said while one girl attempted to help the one in gray back to her feet, the other two looked at tower that Gallagher was in. The Sewing Circle, the WhatsApp group chat, formed with a select few members of Alpha platoon after they returned to San Diego from their deployment in 2017. Vriens also testified that he did not see the alleged murder of a wounded ISIS fighter but viewed photos of the body afterward. The court martial has drawn national attention and President Donald Trump said last month that he was considering pardons for a number of military service members accused of war crimes; Gallaghers case was believed to be one of those under review. The defense is expected to call more witnesses in the case, which continues on Thursday. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. If convicted of perjury, Special Operator Scott, a SEAL medic, could face up to five years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. SAN DIEGO (AP) It was called the "The Sewing Circle," an unlikely name for a secret subsect of Navy SEALs. Under cross-examination, Tolbert said he did not tell other snipers over the radio that the man he was firing on was a civilian he was just trying to scare away. As Ive said since the beginning of this case, the best defense for Chief Gallagher is the truth. I wont do it around you guys anymore.. Thanks for contacting us. Special Operator Dalton Tolbert, a sniper who was in Chief Gallaghers platoon in 2017 and is now assigned to SEAL Team Six, testified on Friday that he had witnessed Chief Gallagher shoot an old man who, he said, didnt deserve to die.. Dille, clearly uncomfortable before responding, then said, Development Group.. He has pleaded not guilty. A jury of mostly combat Marines will ultimately decide the fate of the 19-year veteran and Bronze Star recipient charged with murder, attempted murder and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline for posing with the corpse for photographs. Prosecutors, on redirect examination, read some texts Parlatore did not. Seven SEALs said Gallagher unexpectedly stabbed the prisoner on May 3, 2017, moments after he and the other medics treated the 17-year-old boy. ", Seeking to challenge Vriens' credibility, Parlatore brought up text messages and his previous statements to investigators. Gallagher's lawyer said there is a conspiracy against him, Left to right; SOC Eddie Gallagher, Tim Parlatore, SO1 Corey Scott, Lt. Brian John, Capt. The testimony prompted defense attorneys to again call for charges against Gallagher to be dropped, but prosecutors, through a spokesman, said they are still pursing the murder charge. A number of prominent former SEALs have publicly sided with Chief Gallagher, including Marcus Luttrell, who is the subject of a best-selling book and action movie. He also brought up text messages Tolbert sent that were critical of the judge a Navy captain who he called "shady" and Parlatore, who he referred to as a "retard lawyer," in addition to claims that he currently worked with people who didn't care about killing innocent civilians. It was something that I heard earlier that stuck out to me Hes a medic. "If you don't care about killing civilians, that's your business," Tolbert wrote in one text message. In the thread, Gallagher was referred to as El Diablo, Spanish for the devil., Not sure how to handle him, Scott texted. Gallagher, 40, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Navy has said its considering perjury charges against Scott. 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