A Navy SEAL testifying against a decorated chief in his murder trial confessed that he and not the defendant was responsible for killing a captive Islamic State teen, in a bombshell revelation in the courtroom.
Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Corey Scott said Thursday that he covered the wounded prisoner’s breathing tube, asphyxiating the teen, after Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher plunged a knife into his neck, according to the Navy Times.
Scott said the teen, who was injured in an airstrike, would’ve survived the stabbing, but he plugged the teen’s air tube with his thumb to spare him from Iraqi forces eventually torturing him, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The stunning twist marked the fourth day of testimony in Gallagher’s court-martial in San Diego, where he’s accused of war crimes during his 2017 tour of duty in Iraq.
Gallagher, who served eight tours of duty and earned two Bronze Stars for valor, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.
He appeared in full uniform Thursday in court, where he was supported by his wife and two kids, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The court previously heard testimony from Navy SEAL Dylan Dille, who claimed he and other comrades confronted Gallagher about the teen’s murder.
Gallagher allegedly scoffed at them and told the group the teen was “just an ISIS dirtbag.”
His lawyers have questioned why Dille and others never reported Gallagher to superiors until after his deployment.
With Post wires
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