Judge elevates lesser charges against Kreutzer

[unhappycamper]

Judge elevates lesser charges against Kreutzer
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Mar 18, 2009 14:35:43 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A military judge elevated 16 lesser charges against a former paratrooper who has admitted carrying out a rifle attack on his brigade more than a decade ago in North Carolina.

The judge at Fort Bragg ruled Tuesday that 16 of the 17 counts of aggravated assault for wounding soldiers would become charges of attempted premeditated murder against Sgt. William Kreutzer Jr., 39, of Clinton, Md. One charge wasn’t increased because it dealt with a soldier who was shot in the foot taking away Kreutzer’s gun.

Col. Patrick Parrish made his ruling after prosecutors presented witnesses and argued that Kreutzer intended to kill the soldiers. One soldier was killed and 18 were wounded on Oct. 27, 1995.

Kreutzer pleaded guilty last week to the charges, now including the elevated ones as well as one count of premeditated murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced to life, the only punishment available after a plea agreement negated the death penalty, on Tuesday at Fort Bragg.

Under the agreement, prosecutors were allowed to try to show intent in the assault charges and have them elevated in severity, although it wouldn’t change the mandatory life sentence.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/03/ap_kreutzer_shootings_031809/%2e