Reserve rush to judgment for soldier

The details are devastating.

From about Feb. 22 to May 5, three Afghan civilians were killed and another beaten, allegedly by U.S. soldiers sent there to fight for their freedom. Charging documents claim as many as five soldiers from B Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, killed the civilians with fragmentation grenades and rifles.

It’s a sad reality of war that otherwise-unthinkable crimes can be perpetrated by a few who have lost their honor among the thousands of troops who bravely and selflessly represent the United States and freedom.

“Tens of thousands of soldiers have deployed and a small handful have dishonored both themselves and their unit,” said Lt. Col. Tamara Parker, spokeswoman for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

What’s even more devastating is that one of the five accused, 22-year-old Jeremy N. Morlock, is a local man. He’s a Wasilla man who attended Houston High School.

News of his arrest and the subsequent details of what he and his combat team members are accused of still have us in a state of shock.

There’s disbelief that one of our own could possibly be involved in such gruesome crimes that, from the charging documents, seem heartless and senseless. Morlock is one of three implicated in all three killings. These are crimes the military says were perpetrated “with premeditation.”

If convicted, the soldiers could face life in prison or the death penalty.

As the family and community try to come to term with these accusations, Morlock is in custody awaiting an Article 32 hearing, the military’s equivalent of a grand jury.

It’s easy to make a leap ahead of the legal process and assume guilt unless proven innocent. That three Afghan civilians were killed is fact. That they allegedly died at the hand of the same soldiers who were sent there to fight for their freedom is disturbing.

Sadly, allegations like these aren’t isolated to this incident. The actions of a few in Vietnam prompted the disgusting label of “baby killer” to be hurled at soldiers returning from that war.

That one of our own, a son of the Valley and Alaska, could have played a role in killing these civilians is heartbreaking. We’ve always been proud of our strong support and participation in the military, and that will never wane. As Morlock’s case moves through the military courts, it’s premature to repeat the past and assume guilt because it’s happened before.

Do we support Morlock as advocates of his innocence? Of course not. That, too, would be premature and irresponsible. What we do know is that these tragic killings affect more than three families in Afghanistan.