Navy SEAL acquitted of murder in killing of captive in Iraq

SAN DIEGO — A decorated Navy SEAL was acquitted Tuesday of murder in the killing of a wounded Islamic State captive under his care in Iraq in 2017.

The verdict was met with an outpouring of emotion as the military jury also cleared Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of attempted murder in the shootings of two civilians and all other charges except for posing for photos with the body of the dead captive.

The case exposed a generational conflict within the ranks of the elite special forces group and the outcome dealt a major blow to one of the military’s most high-profile war crimes cases.

Gallagher cried “tears of joy, emotion, freedom and absolute euphoria,” defense lawyer Marc Mukasey said. Family and friends clutched each other in relief in the courtroom.

“Suffice it to say this is a huge victory,” Mukasey said outside court. “It’s a huge weight off the Gallaghers.”

Gallagher, dressed in a white uniform sporting a chest full of medals, told reporters outside court that he was “happy and grateful.”

“I thank God, my legal team and my wife,” he said.

He declined to address questions about his SEAL team. His lawyers said he might talk after the jury decides his sentence, which could happen as early as Wednesday.

“We just want to celebrate today,” said his wife, Andrea Gallagher.

Defense lawyers said Gallagher was framed by junior disgruntled platoon members who fabricated the allegations to oust their chief. They said there was no physical evidence to support the allegations because no corpse was ever recovered and examined by a pathologist.

The prosecution said Gallagher was incriminated by his own text messages and photos, including one of him holding the dead militant up by the hair and clutching a knife in his other hand.

“Got him with my hunting knife,” Gallagher wrote in a text with the photo.

The defense said it was just gallows humor and pointed out that almost all platoon members who testified against him also posed with the corpse.

Gallagher’s family championed a “Free Eddie” campaign that won the support of dozens of congressional Republicans who brought the case to the attention of President Donald Trump.

Trump had Gallagher moved from the brig to more favorable confinement at a Navy hospital this spring.

Gallagher could face up to four months imprisonment for the one conviction along with a reduction in rank, forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay and a reprimand.

After the verdict was announced, Gallagher’s friends exited the courthouse with their hands in the air and yelled “Free Eddie.”