US Navy Seal Edward Gallagher spared jail but demoted for taking ‘trophy photo’ with Islamic State fighter’s body
- Trump tweeted ‘Glad I could help!’ after decorated soldier was found not guilty of murder in war crimes trial
- Gallagher told court he made ‘tactical, ethical, moral’ mistakes, but said he would bounce back
A US Navy Seal platoon commander acquitted of murdering a captured Islamic State fighter but convicted of unlawfully posing for photos with his dead body was sentenced on Wednesday to a demotion in rank and pay.
The penalty imposed by a seven-member jury of US Marines and Navy personnel spared the defendant, Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, from any prison time beyond the nearly seven months he had already served in pretrial custody.
US President Donald Trump, who intervened months ago to order Gallagher freed from pretrial detention in the court martial, hailed the platoon leader’s acquittal in a Twitter post hours before sentencing.
“Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. You have been through much together. Glad I could help!” Trump wrote.
The jury found Gallagher not guilty on Tuesday of murder, attempted murder and other charges, including deliberately shooting at unarmed civilians and obstruction of justice. But he was found guilty of posing for pictures with a human casualty – a practice some military personnel refer to as taking “trophy photos”.
