The defendant (L), Staff Sgt. Shachar Strug
Soldier who accidentally killed comrade sentenced to 1.5 years in prison
Prison term of Sgt. N., the Duvdevan elite unit soldier who accidentally shot and killed his fellow soldier Staff Sgt. Shachar Strug, is determined after mediation process between defense and prosecution teams.
The Duvdevan Unit combat soldier, Sgt. N, who was charged with manslaughter after he accidentally shot
his friend, Shachar Strug, to death in March will serve a year and a half in prison.
The prison term was decided upon after an agreement was reached between the defense and prosecution teams. The discussions are expected to continue in order to determine the rest of the sentence and the amended version of the indictment.
Following the talks, a final agreement will be drafted by the two sides which will require the approval of the Military Court in Jaffa.
The defendant (L), Staff Sgt. Shachar Strug
According to the Military Advocate General's original indictment, "On March 20 the defendant caused, by neglect or a fobidden act, the death of another person … In the aforementioned (base—ed) time and place at 7:30pm Strug and the defendant's team were supposed to begin training.
"The departure for training had been delayed by half an hour. At about 7:50 pm, due to the free time created in light of schedule changes, the defendant went to his room in the unit," the indictment explains.
"A short while after that, the deceased also entered the room, the two stood in front of each other and drew their Glock 19 personal guns from their pouches attached to their belts," it continues.
"The defendant's gun was loaded without a security rod (which is inserted into a barrel to ensure no bullet is in the chamber), unlike the deceased's gun. The defendant drew his gun, aimed it at the deceased's torso, cocked it and pulled the trigger," the indictment details.
Staff Sgt. Shachar Strug
"As a result of the defendant's actions, a bullet was shot from his gun and hit the deceased in the chest and killed him."
In an initial version of events Sgt. N. gave the Military Police Investigations Unit, he claimed, "It was accident, not gunplay. We practiced drawing a gun in a room on-base, as is common in the unit. He's my best friend and I didn't know it was loaded."
