Fort Levenworth hearing set for Sgt. John Russell

Before you judge, what happened is one of the reasons things changed for soldier seeking help with PTSD. There were lapses in how the Army addressed soldiers seeking help but this discovery was too late to save the lives of the five service members he is accused of killing.

Hearing set for soldier in health clinic shootings

By JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press
Published: Monday, Aug. 8, 2011 - 12:09 am
Last Modified: Monday, Aug. 8, 2011 - 12:39 am

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. -- A key military hearing will begin Monday for a U.S. soldier charged in a 2009 shooting that killed five service members at a mental health clinic in Iraq.

Army Sgt. John Russell is accused of carrying out the deadliest act of soldier-on-soldier violence during the war in Iraq. The case brought attention to the issues of combat stress and morale as troops increasingly served multiple combat tours.

Russell had gone to counseling to deal with combat stress, but an investigation found lapses in how the military monitored him and how authorities responded once the shooting began at a base on the edge of Baghdad.

Russell faces five counts of premeditated murder, two counts of attempted premeditated murder and one count of assault. During the hearing beginning Monday at Fort Leavenworth, a military officer will hear evidence and decide if Russell should face a military trial. The proceedings are similar to a civilian grand jury.

Killed in the shooting were

Navy Cmdr. Charles Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C.

Pfc. Michael Edward Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md.

Dr. Matthew Houseal, of Amarillo, Texas

Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.

Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo.

Read more: Hearing set for soldier in health clinic shootings