He explained that he didn't say anything since each tower was typically covering their own sectors of fire (it was not clear which tower in this incident was firing in the wrong sector). Among the witnesses to testify Friday was Dalton Tolbert, a member of SEAL Team 7 who served with Gallagher in Mosul in 2017. ButNavy prosecutor, Lt. Brian John, hit back: 'You can stand up there, and you can lie about how you killed the ISIS prisoner so Chief Gallagher does not have to go to jail. "There were multiple shots throughout the day," Graffam said. Gallagher, 40, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. 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. Nearly a dozen SEALs have testified over the past two weeks. One of them, Dalton Tolbert, said he fired a warning shot at an old man during a sniper mission with Gallagher. Rugh on Thursday. ", Vriens said that Gallagher replied: "Yes, I stabbed him in the side, then grabbed him by the hair and looked him in the eyes and I stabbed him in the neck. 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. In one picture, hes holding up his knife in one hand and holding the militant by his hair with his other hand. Scott said the young mans original injuries - a leg wound and collapsed lung - were not life threatening but that he was breathing through the tube when Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher stabbed him in the neck. Graffam further testified that he didn't see Gallagher take any shots that he shouldn't have on that day or any other. "That's when I saw the red mark on his back and I saw him fall for the first time. 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 the mans back before he fell. The scandals have prompted a review by the Navys top commanders into the behavior of the special warfare teams. When he asks you, do not lie or embellish that way nobody can say that we slandered him.. Nearly a dozen SEALs have testified over the past two weeks. Parlatore then brought up text messages in the thread sent by SO1 Dalton Tolbert, who was a sniper for SEAL Team 7 Alpha Platoon during their 2017 Iraq Three SEALs testified that while the platoon was deployed in Iraq, they saw Chief Gallagher fire a sniper rifle repeatedly at unarmed civilians, hitting an old man with a white beard and a school-age girl with a flowered hijab. He said the man was hit in the upper torso and ran away. SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Military prosecutors said on Friday they will not drop premeditated murder charges against a U.S. Navy SEAL charged with stabbing to death a teenaged Islamic State militant in Iraq in 2017, despite testimony from another SEAL who claimed to have killed the prisoner. A SEAL troop commander told the court 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. SAN DIEGO It was called the The Sewing Circle, an unlikely name for a secret subsect of Navy SEALs. ", In another instance, after former SEAL Marcus Luttrell, a Navy Cross recipient, criticized those who had reported Gallagher as "cowards," Vriens texted the group: "I can't help but shake my head when Marcus Luttrell calls people cowards. Parlatore also questioned Tolbert on differences between his statements to NCIS agents and what he testified to in court more than a year later. 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. 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. He later boasted in a text, got him with my hunting knife. Defense lawyers say it was just a warriors attempt at dark humor. NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO A Navy SEAL sniper testified on Friday that he fired warning shots to scare away a civilian noncombatant in Mosul before Chief Eddie Gallagher fired and told them over the radio, "you guys missed him but I got him.". Tolbert, who is now attached to the elite SEAL Team 6, testified that he believes Gallagher shot an old man from a sniper tower. One day, Tolbert saw an old man approaching the river. I know guys are all in different situations right now, he wrote. Either way, our position is we maintain there was no stabbing.. Parlatore also asked Dille about a message Tolbert sent to the group chat that said he was going to burn this motherf-cking court room to the ground. Dille also acknowledged that Tolbert had sent the message. Those shootings are included among the charges in the war-crimes trial, charges that the chief denies. Oscar Cainer tells all. Over the radio, he said he heard Gallagher tell the other snipers, "you guys missed him but I got him.". They are not brothers at all.. I hate to be the drama queen. I see an issue with that, Tolbert texted others. All the forensics show there was no stabbing., Perhaps he saw a movement that wasnt actually a stabbing, Parlatore added. "I assume they care about killing civilians," he said. Previous testimony from platoon members Dylan Dille, now a civilian, and Chief Craig Miller included similar statements. The Navy has said its considering perjury charges against Scott. Vriens' testimony also revealed that he had spoken with a reporter about the case, Andrew Dyer of San Diego Union-Tribune, and NCIS Agent Joseph Warpinski, the lead investigator, had sent him photos from their investigation in Iraq that he later shared with others. Dalton Tolbert, another witness, said he fired a warning shot at an old man during a sniper mission with Gallagher. Defense attorney Tim Parlatore, however, said those statements were back in January and "a lot had happened since then." 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. In the thread, Gallagher was referred to as El Diablo, Spanish for the devil., Not sure how to handle him, Scott texted. But his accusers said it went beyond the theft of sunglasses and snacks. Somebody fire this pussy ass fucking judge. I shot more warning shots to save civilians from Eddie than I ever did at ISIS. The credibility of a witness is for the jury to decide.. Regarding the stabbing of the ISIS militant, Tolbert said he arrived after the prisoner had died but he later heardGallagher say something to the effect of: 'I thought you guys were cool with it.'. Later, in group texts that were read in court, Tolbert said he often fired warning shots around civilians, not to hit them, but to protect them from Gallagher. However Tolbert's testimony could be affected by group texts he sent regarding the trial, which he claims were sent in frustration. A SEAL troop commander told the court 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. Naval Special Warfare Development Group is the name of the classified unit of SEALs commonly referred to as SEAL Team 6. 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. 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. This is the pattern with these prosecutors, Mr. Parlatore told the jury. SAN DIEGO (AP) It was called the The Sewing Circle, an unlikely name for a secret subsect of Navy SEALs. 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 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. I think this will alert the SEAL community that the rules apply to them.. Where does he work? Parlatore continued. "He ran north to south across the road," Tolbert testified on Friday. Special Operations Chief Craig Miller testified that he saw Chief Gallagher take out a custom-made knife and stab the captive two or three times. He has pleaded not guilty. Gallaghers lawyers say the group chat was used to orchestrate a smear campaign to bring down their demanding platoon chief. He has pleaded not guilty. The point, Parlatore said, was that the SEALs ammunition would have caused more damage to the girl than Vreins said he saw. Tolbert said he fired a Gallaghers wife, Andrea, told reporters after Thursdays court session ended: Weve been patiently waiting for the truth to come out. They were not happy, he said. But his accusers said it went beyond the theft of sunglasses and snacks. I see an issue with that, Tolbert texted others. Gallagher, a chief special warfare operator, is charged with killing a wounded ISIS prisoner by stabbing him in the neck while providing medical treatment. 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. On the witness stand, Special Operator Scott minimized the stabbing, saying the chief had stabbed the captive only once, that there was no blood coming from the wound afterward and that the stab wound was not life-threatening. 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 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. 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. 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. Navy SEAL accused of murder 'set up' by 'Millennial SEALS' who After Thursdays bombshell revelation, Eddie Gallaghers wife Andrea Gallagher said at a press conference, Weve been patiently waiting for the truth to come out.. A conviction for perjury would clear the way for the medic to be jailed, forced out of the military, or both. Gallagher also took photos of himself with the corpse. Gallagher also took photos of himself with the corpse. Its purpose was even more improbable: a chat forum to discuss alleged war crimes they said their chief, a decorated sniper and medic, committed on a recent tour of duty in Iraq. SAN DIEGO It was called the The Sewing Circle, an unlikely name for a secret subset of Navy SEALs. 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. Scotttold the court he covered the hole because he thought the boy would be killed by Iraqi forces anyway and he didn't want him to be tortured. The trial also has shown the struggles of military courts in prosecuting alleged war crimes. 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. Associated Press He ran north to south across the road thats when I saw the red mark on his back and I saw him fall for the first time. Among the witnesses to testify Friday was Dalton Tolbert, a member of SEAL Team 7 who served with Gallagher in Mosul in 2017. Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The defense is expected to call more witnesses in the case, which continues on Thursday. 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. Some are worried about careers, others threatened with jail time or even death threats. Tolbert said he fired a Prosecutors, on redirect examination, read some texts Parlatore did not. I saw the girl in the gray dress grab her stomach and fall to her knees, Vriens said. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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On Friday, SEAL Dalton Tolbert testified that he fired a warning shot at an old man during their 2017 tour and afterwards the man was hit by another shot Tolbert thinks he heard Gallagher radio in: 'You guys missed him but I got him' He wrote: 'I'm going to burn this mother******g courthouse to the ground,' the defense team claims one read. Hes not just talking about he stopped breathing. An Iraqi general who handed the wounded prisoner to the SEALs testified that Gallagher did not stab the boy. It has pitted veterans against each other both inside the courtroom and outside in a fierce debate over brotherhood, morality and loyalty. 'Hes got a wife and family,' Scott added on the stand about Gallagher. This article by Paul Szoldra originally appeared at Task & Purpose. This article by Paul Szoldra and Jared Keller originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Weeks before the trial, Dalton Tolbert, who was accepted into the famed SEAL Team 6 that killed Osama bin Laden, sent a text urging his teammates to speak up Naval Special Warfare officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment by deadline. As another SEAL explained in previous testimony, firing warning shots to keep civilians off the battlefield was a standard practice, according to their rules of engagement. 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. 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. 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 ", Seeking to challenge Vriens' credibility, Parlatore brought up text messages and his previous statements to investigators. 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. Most were granted immunity to protect them from being prosecuted for acts they described on the stand. To hear today that somebody finally had the bravery to stand up for the truth was refreshing after all of these years, she said. Tolbert said he fired warning shots at him. Today, the truth started to come out, Parlatore said during a press conference. Gallagher has been accused of murdering a wounded ISIS fighter and using his sniper rifle to indiscriminately fire on noncombatants. However, a screenshot of a text message thread obtained by Task & Purpose showed that Tolbert had referred to Rugh as this shady ass judge., According to a source familiar with the matter, Tolbert also wrote in the text message thread, what a fucking joke. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. On Friday, SEAL Team 7'sDalton Tolbert testified that he fired a warning shot at an old man during their 2017 tour and afterwards the man was hit by another shot. 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. Most were granted immunity to protect them from being prosecuted for acts they described on the stand. 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