Four U.S. soldiers face criminal charges
From Barbara Starr
CNN Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Army has filed criminal charges against four soldiers who are accused of forcing two Iraqis to jump from a bridge over the Tigris River.
The charges stem from a January 3 incident in which an Iraqi detainee drowned and another was assaulted in the city of Samarra.
The circumstances of the incident have not yet been made fully public.
The four soldiers are assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado.
In a statement released Friday, the Army said First Lt. Jack M. Saville and Sgt. 1st Class Tracy E. Perkins were formally charged on June 7 with manslaughter, assault, conspiracy, false statements and obstruction of justice.
Sgt. Reggie Martinez and Spec. Terry Bowman were charged June 28. Martinez is charged with manslaughter, and Bowman is charged with assault. Both are also charged with making a false official statement.
An Article 32 preliminary hearing is expected this month to decide if the case will proceed to trial.
