Former U.S. Army Green Beret pleads not guilty to accusations he murdered an unarmed suspected bomb-maker in Afghanistan in 2010, arguing the killing was justified because they were at war
- Major Mathew Golsteyn - an Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan who he claims was a suspected bomb maker in 2010 - pleaded not guilty
- Golsteyn was arraigned on Thursday during a hearing at Fort Bragg Military base
- Golsteyn admitted to the killing during a job interview for the CIA in 2011
- Golsteyn's wife Julie hit back at suggestions her husband assassinated the Afghan man and said last month that he took care of an 'enemy combatant'
- Trump said in a tweet last year that he would review Golsteyn's case and called him a 'U.S. Military hero'
- If convicted, Golsteyn could face life in prison or the death penalty
A former U.S. Army commando has pleaded not guilty to accusations that he murdered a suspected bomb-maker in Afghanistan in 2010.
Maj. Mathew Golsteyn was arraigned on Thursday during a hearing at Fort Bragg Military base in North Carolina on a murder charge, according to The Fayetteville Observer.
The charge announced last year stems from the former Green Beret's 2010 deployment to Afghanistan when he's accused of improperly killing the suspected bomb-maker.
Golsteyn has contended the killing was justified under wartime circumstances. Golsteyn's wife, son and parents were present at the short hearing.
The case has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump, who suggested last year in a tweet that he would look into the matter.
Maj. Mathew Golsteyn pleaded not guilty on Thursday at Fort Bragg Military base in North. Golsteyn is pictured leaving the hearing
Trump reportedly previously asked for files to be prepared on pardoning several U.S. military members accused of or convicted of war crimes, including Golsteyn who he has previously called a 'war hero'.
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In an interview with CBS that aired May 20, Golsteyn's wife Julie hit back at the suggestion that her husband assassinated the unarmed Afghan man.
'Assassinate? No. My husband took care of an enemy combatant who did harm and was planning to do more harm,' she said.
Golsteyn (center) has contended the killing was justified under wartime circumstances. Golsteyn's wife, Julie (front, right), son and parents were present at the short hearing
Golsteyn's wife Julie hit back at the suggestion that her husband assassinated the Afghan man and said he took care of an 'enemy combatant'
Her comments were made after officials told the New York Times that Trump had requested the immediate preparation of paperwork needed, indicated that he is considering pardons for military members around Memorial Day, though Golsteyn would likely not have been eligible for a pardon at that time, as a person must generally be convicted before they can be pardoned.
Golsteyn is accused of shooting the Afghan man - referred to as 'Rasoul' - in February 2010. Rasoul had been detained and questioned over a bombing that killed two Marines but was later released because of lack of evidence.
Golsteyn later shot him, saying he believed he was the bomb maker.
Golsteyn confessed to the shooting during a polygraph test that he took for a job interview with the CIA in 2011.
Golsteyn is accused of shooting the Afghan man - referred to as 'Rasoul' - in February 2010. Rasoul had been detained and questioned over a bombing that killed two Marines but was later released because of lack of evidence. Golsteyn later shot him, saying he believed he was the bomb maker. Golsteyn (left) is shown shaking hands with his military lawyer, Maj. Matthew Forst (right)
Golsteyn confessed to the shooting during a polygraph test that he took for a job interview with the CIA in 2011, claiming it was justified. Golsteyn (left) is shown leaving the Fort Bragg courtroom facility with his civilian lawyer, Phillip Stackhouse (right) after an arraignment hearing on Thursday
Trump said in a tweet last year that he would review Golsteyn's case and called him a 'U.S. Military hero'
Golsteyn, who was charged with premeditated murder by the U.S. military in December of 2018, could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
Trump said in a tweet last year that he would review Golsteyn's case.
'At the request of many, I will be reviewing the case of a "U.S. Military hero," Major Matt Golsteyn, who is charged with murder. He could face the death penalty from our own government after he admitted to killing a terrorist bomb maker while overseas,' Trump said.
In addition to Golsteyn, one of the requests for files from the Pentagon was for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs.
He is scheduled to stand trial in coming weeks on charges of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq.
Legal experts have said that pardoning several accused and convicted war criminals, including some who have not yet gone to trial, has not been done in recent history.
Some worried such pardons could erode the legitimacy of military law.
Golsteyn is accused of shooting the Afghan man - referred to as 'Rasoul' - in February 2010. Rasoul had been detained and questioned over a bombing that killed two Marines but was later released because of lack of evidence
Democratic presidential nominee Pete Buttigieg criticized Trump and the reports during a Fox News town hall in New Hampshire on May 19.
Buttigieg, who served as an intelligent officer in the Navy Reserves in Afghanistan, suggested that Trump pardoning war criminals or those accused of them was a bad idea.
'That is undermining the foundation of American moral authority and I think, in the long run, is putting troops at risk,' he said.
