A Marine and an Iraqi general testified that they did not see Special Warfare Chief Edward Gallagher stab an injured teenaged ISIS fighter in 2017, contradicting accusations from some of Gallagher’s fellow Navy SEALs.
Marine Staff Sgt. Giorgio Kirylo and Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abbas al-Jubouri both told the court Thursday they never saw Gallagher stab the fighter in the neck with his hunting knife. Both witnesses served with Gallagher while he was deployed to Mosul, Iraq.
Navy prosecutors say Gallagher, 40, not only stabbed the fighter in the neck but also took photos with his corpse, bragging about the kill to fellow SEALs in a series of text messages. Some of Gallagher’s fellow SEALs also say they saw him fire indiscriminately at an elderly man, though Special Operator First Class Joshua Graffam testified Wednesday that Gallagher thought he was firing at an ISIS fighter. Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.
“At any time did you see Chief Gallagher take out the knife while he was treating the ISIS fighter?” Maj. Nelson Candelario, one of Gallagher’s military lawyers, asked Jubouri in a video deposition played for the court.
“No,” he replied.
“You never saw him put the knife near the ISIS fighter’s neck?” Candelario pressed.
“No,” Jubouri said, later adding that he would have reported any improper conduct had he seen it.
Kirylo said he saw Gallagher, a trained combat medic, try to save the fighter and never saw him use his hunting knife on the captive. He did, however, confirm that some platoon members took turns taking pictures with the corpse because it was their first ISIS prisoner captured on the battlefield.
“This was our unofficial war trophy,” Kirylo said.
Two SEALs have testified that they saw Gallagher stab the fighter, but Special Warfare Operator First Class Corey Scott stunned the courtroom last week when he testified that he, not Gallagher, was responsible for the teenager’s death. Scott said he asphyxiated the prisoner by placing his thumb over the fighter’s breathing tube in an effort to save him from being tortured by Iraqi forces.
Navy officials informed Scott through his lawyer that he may be subject to perjury charges stemming from his bombshell testimony.
Kirylo told the court he considers the SEALs who reported Gallagher to be liars who were disgruntled with Gallagher’s aggressive, “old school” style.
Gallagher’s case drew national attention after it was reported in May that President Trump was considering him for a pardon. It made headlines again when it was discovered that Navy prosecutors had embedded tracking software in their email correspondence with the defense team. The revelation led to Gallagher’s release from pre-trial custody and the dismissal of lead Navy prosecutor Cmdr. Chris Czaplak. Prosecutors rested their case against Gallagher Tuesday, with defense testimony starting Wednesday.
