Sordid Details About Killings of 3 Afghan Civilians

By WILLIAM YARDLEY
NYT

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — An American soldier accused of killing three Afghan civilians was using multiple prescription medications at the time of the killings and was serving in a unit in which the use of hashish and other drugs was widespread, according to testimony in military court here on Monday.

The testimony, in a hearing to determine whether to issue formal charges against the soldier, Cpl. Jeremy N. Morlock, came the same day that video evidence in the case was leaked showing Corporal Morlock talking to investigators about the killings in chilling detail, ratcheting up attention on a gruesome case top Army officials worry will undermine efforts to build relationships with Afghans in the war against the Taliban.

Soldiers are accused of possessing dismembered body parts, including fingers and a skull, and taking photographs posing with dead Afghans, all in a unit where drugs like hashish were regularly used. The deaths of the Afghans, on three different occasions early this year, have been described in court documents as morbid sport for the Americans.

Several of the accused have said in court documents that they were forced to participate in the killings by a supervisor, Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, who is also accused in the killings.

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