Anger and frustration rang out inside a Georgia courtroom yesterday, as prosecutors’ seek the death penalty against three Army soldiers accused of killing a former serviceman and his girlfriend to protect an anti-government militia group.
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Things got so emotional that during the tense court hearing, one victim’s stepfather was tackled and handcuffed as he tried to rush the defense table to kill one of the Army soldiers.
Pvt. Isaac Aguigui, Pvt. Christopher Salmon and Sgt. Anthony Peden – all active-duty soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart – are each charged with 13 counts including malice murder, felony murder and illegal gang activity in the Dec. 4 slayings.
As reported by the Associated Press:
The victims, former soldier Michael Roark and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Tiffany York, were shot in the head in the woods of rural Long County near Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia. Fishermen found their bodies the day after they were killed.
“I want them gone. I want all of these individuals to disappear,” said Nicholas Lee York, the slain girl’s older brother, who applauded the decision to seek death for the soldiers. “They took something irreplaceable from me.”
Roark’s father, Brett Roark, yelled at Salmon from his seat in the courtroom, calling the soldier a “Piece of (expletive).” Then during Peden’s turn in the courtroom later, York’s stepfather bolted from his third-row seat in the courtroom gallery and rushed toward the suspect at the defense table.
“You (expletive) killed my kid!” Wesley Thomas cried out before at least four deputies and officers wrestled him to the floor and handcuffed him.
Brett Roark stood in his seat and yelled to the deputies: “Get off him!” and “Let him go!” Both men were led from the courtroom, but neither was charged for the outburst.
We can’t imagine the pain the Roark family is going through right now. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s families.
SOURCE: AP
Photo credit: AP
