U.S. Soldier Sentenced to 24 Years for Killing Three Afghan Civilians

Spc. Jeremy Morlock said he and four other soldiers murdered civilians for fun.

At a court martial Wednesday at Oregon’s Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Morlock pleaded guilty to the murder of three Afghan civilians between January and May 2010, as well as one count each of obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and illegal drug use. As part of his plea deal, Morlock, 22, will testify against the other members of his “Kill Team,” five soldiers in the 5th Stryker Brigade who plotted and then carried out the murders. He could be eligible for parole in seven years. Earlier this week, German magazine Der Spiegel published photos of Morlock grinning and posing with the corpse of one of his victims. Discipline problems and drug use were reportedly rampant in the 5th Stryker Brigade.