Widows of officers allegedly slain in Iraq prevented from viewing hearing

The widows of two National Guard officers allegedly killed in Iraq by a fellow U.S. soldier are angry that the Army has turned down their request to watch a hearing in Iraq via satellite television.

News 12 Staff

May 29, 2014, 11:14 PM

Updated 3,841 days ago

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The widows of two National Guard officers allegedly killed in Iraq by a fellow U.S. soldier are angry that the Army has turned down their request to watch a hearing in Iraq via satellite television.
The widows, Barbara Allen and Siobhan Esposito, are now asking the military to fly them to Iraq to attend the hearing of 37-year-old Sergeant Alberto Martinez of Troy. He is accused of killing Captain Phillip Esposito, 30, of Suffren, and First Lieutenant Louis Allen, 34, of Chester, with an explosive in Tikrit on June 7.
The soldiers' widows requested to view proceedings through a live video feed, but the army denied the request saying it would disrupt daily operations. Esposito and Allen are looking for help from local lawmakers. A spokesperson from Senator Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) office says they are reaching out to army officials requesting that the hearing either be moved to New York or that live video feed be provided to the families.
The proceedings, originally scheduled for Monday, will be postponed until mid-October because Sgt. Martinez has requested new attorneys who need time to review the case.Related Stories: