President Trump said Saturday that a Navy SEAL accused of stabbing an ISIS prisoner to death in 2017 will be moved to ‘less restrictive confinement.’
The case of Eddie Gallagher, 39, a 19-year military veteran who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has become a cause celebre with supporters raising $264,810 to help him and his family fight what they describe as ‘this travesty of justice.’ Gallagher allegedly texted a photo of himself cradling the dead fighter’s head, saying that he “got him with my hunting knife.”
Trump said via Twitter, tagging Rep. Ralph Norman, who has been highlighting the case: “In honor of his past service to our Country, Navy Seal [Eddie Gallagher] will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court. Process should move quickly!”,
Gallagher’s plight has been highlighted in Congress by Norman and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a former SEAL officer wounded in action in Afghanistan. In his most recent tour, fighting ISIS in Iraq, he was rated as the top platoon leader in SEAL Team 7 and nominated for the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest honor.
Now, he faces premeditated murder and aggravated assault charges stemming from the alleged killing of an injured ISIS prisoner, as well as alleged instances of him intentionally firing sniper rounds at civilians. For the past six months, he has been detained at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar in California. His war crimes trial is due to start May 28.
Norman appeared on “Fox and Friends” on Friday, where he said it was a disgrace Gallagher was incarcerated “with rapists … with pedophiles.”
He said: “This man spent 20 years of his life, he spent 15 of it as a SEAL, he volunteered to serve this country overseas not once, not twice, but eight times and the least they can do is have him in confinement if they need be and let him have … medical treatment, let him get his proper legal defense team together,” Norman said.
Crenshaw — who lost sight in his right eye after being hit by an IED explosion — and 17 other House Republicans recently sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer saying it was wrong that Gallagher had limited access to food, medical care, and his legal team.
“Chief Gallagher is a decorated warfighter who, like all service members, is entitled to the presumption of innocence while awaiting court-martial,” they wrote in their letter.
“We have received reports that Chief Gallagher’s access to counsel and access to food and medical care may have been restricted. As a result, we respectfully request that you review the Navy policies governing pretrial confinement for Chief Gallagher and other service members to ensure compliance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
In honor of his past service to our Country, Navy Seal #EddieGallagher will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court. Process should move quickly! @foxandfriends @RepRalphNorman
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2019
Court-martial proceedings against Special Warfare Operator Chief Eddie Gallagher began last year on multiple charges, including stabbing an ISIS prisoner to death in Iraq, performing a re-enlistment ceremony next to the corpse of the prisoner he stabbed, and illegally operating a drone over the corpse.
Gallagher pleaded not guilty to all charges.
While a judge dropped the latter two charges last month, Gallagher is still detained for the alleged stabbing, which prosecutors say happened in May 2017 outside Mosul, in northern Iraq.
