COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH FILE
Case: United States v. Specialist Jeremy N. Morlock
Date: March 23, 2011
Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington State
Charge: Premeditated Murder (3 counts), Conspiracy, Obstruction of Justice, Drug Use
Verdict: GUILTY (Plea Agreement)
SECTION 1: DEFENDANT PROFILE
1.1 Personal Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| <strong>Full Name</strong> | Jeremy N. Morlock |
| <strong>Birth</strong> | 1988, Wasilla, Alaska |
| <strong>Age at Crimes</strong> | 21-22 years old |
| <strong>Age at Sentencing</strong> | 22-23 years old |
| <strong>Ethnicity</strong> | Part Athabascan Alaska Native (maternal) |
| <strong>Marital Status</strong> | Married (to Danica) |
| <strong>Children</strong> | One daughter (born December 2010) |
1.2 Family Background
Father: Richard Morlock
- Retired Army paratrooper (Airborne Ranger)
- Worked North Slope oil fields in Alaska
- Death: July 2007 (drowning accident on Lake Louise)
- Accident occurred while transporting his daughters by boat
- Wave hit boat; Richard thrown overboard wearing hip boots
- Unable to remove both boots; drowned
Mother: Audrey Morlock
- Athabascan Alaska Native
- Raised six children with husband
- Described son’s change after deployment as dramatic
Siblings: Second oldest of six children
1.3 Childhood and Education
Location: Wasilla, Alaska (suburb of Anchorage)
Schools:
- Attended local Wasilla schools
- Graduated high school 2006
Athletics:
- Hockey player from age 6
- Played on youth team with Track Palin (son of Governor Sarah Palin)
- Sarah Palin volunteered as team manager
- Won three conference championships with high school team
- Position: Checker
- Described as hardworking rather than naturally talented
- Suffered four concussions during hockey career
Coach: Jamie Smith
- Knew Morlock since second grade
- Taught him physical education
- Coached him in hockey
- Testified as character witness at sentencing
1.4 Pre-Military Troubles
According to various accounts:
- History of aggressive behavior
- Got into fights
- Involved in car accident (left scene)
- Charged with disorderly conduct after joining Army
- Allegedly burned wife with cigarette during domestic incident
1.5 Desire for Military Service
- Dreamed of military service since elementary school
- Played with father’s beret as child
- Played “GI Joe” in woods
- Father was significant influence
- Enlisted immediately after high school graduation (2006)
SECTION 2: MILITARY CAREER
2.1 Enlistment
Date: 2006 (immediately after graduation)
Location: Fort Benning, Georgia
- Basic Training
- Advanced Individual Training
- Military Occupational Specialty: Infantryman (11B)
2.2 Unit Assignment
Unit: 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
- B Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Platoon
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
2.3 Deployment to Afghanistan
Deployment Date: July 2009
Location: Forward Operating Base Ramrod
- Maywand District, Kandahar Province
- Southern Afghanistan
Duration: Through May 2010
Mission: Combat operations against Taliban forces
2.4 Combat Experience Before Killings
First Contact:
- Platoon’s initial combat occurred early in deployment
- IED attack seriously wounded previous squad leader
- Left team “rattled” according to reports
Conditions:
- Frequent IED attacks
- Limited enemy contact
- Soldiers described frustration with rules of engagement
- Felt unable to fight “stealth Taliban”
2.5 Relationship with Gibbs
Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs joined platoon: November 2009
Initial Impression:
- Morlock impressed by Gibbs’s combat experience
- Gibbs had completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Gibbs described as “tactically competent”
Development:
- Morlock became Gibbs’s “right-hand man”
- Gibbs began “feeling out” soldiers for willingness to kill civilians
- Shared stories about killing Iraqi family at checkpoint
- Discussed how easy it was to cover up civilian deaths
Morlock’s Later Statement:
“He just really doesn’t have any problems with f—ing killing these people.”
SECTION 3: THE MURDERS
3.1 First Murder: Gul Mudin
Date: January 15, 2010
Location: Village of La Mohammad Kalay
Victim: Gul Mudin, 15-year-old farm boy
Morlock’s Role:
- Approached victim with PFC Andrew Holmes
- Victim working in poppy field
- Called to victim in Pashto, ordered him to stop
- Victim complied
Method:
- Morlock threw fragmentation grenade at victim
- Grenade was “off the books” (untraceable) from Gibbs
- Ordered Holmes to open fire
- Morlock also fired at victim
Morlock’s Confession:
“He was not a threat.”
Post-Killing:
- Posed for photographs with body
- Photo shows Morlock grinning while holding victim’s head by hair
- Reported as legitimate combat engagement
- Boasted about killing to other soldiers
3.2 Second Murder: Marach Agha
Date: February 22, 2010
Location: Near FOB Ramrod
Victim: Marach Agha (believed deaf or mentally disabled)
Morlock’s Role:
- Present during killing
- Fired rounds to simulate firefight
- Helped stage scene
Method:
- Gibbs fired AK-47 to simulate enemy fire
- Gibbs shot victim
- Soldiers fired to create appearance of combat
Morlock’s Plea: Guilty to this murder
3.3 Third Murder: Mullah Adahdad
Date: May 2, 2010
Location: Village of Kari Kheyl
Victim: Mullah Adahdad, local religious leader
Morlock’s Role:
- Present during killing
- Participated with Gibbs and Winfield
- Helped attack victim
Method:
- Victim killed by grenade and gunfire
- Murdered in front of wife and children
Facebook Message to Andrew Holmes (same day):
“You missed out on me and Winnie having to handle some dude.”
SECTION 4: DISCOVERY AND ARREST
4.1 Initial Investigation
Trigger: Investigation into hashish use by platoon members
PFC Justin Stoner: Reported drug use to superiors
- Platoon members retaliated by assaulting Stoner
- Gibbs showed Stoner severed human fingers
4.2 CID Investigation
May 2010: Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) began interviews
Morlock’s Confession:
- Videotaped interview at Kandahar Airfield
- Provided detailed account of killings
- Initially did NOT implicate Gibbs directly
- Statement: Did not witness Gibbs commit offenses
Key Moment:
- After initial confession, CID allowed Morlock to leave
- Morlock met with other soldiers (alleged collusion)
- Next day: Changed story to implicate Gibbs
4.3 Arrest
Location: Afghanistan
Status: Placed in pretrial confinement
Transferred to: Joint Base Lewis-McChord brig
SECTION 5: LEAVE AND AWOL
5.1 Leave in Alaska
Spring 2010: Morlock returned home on leave
Condition:
- Lost brash confidence
- Jumpy, constantly looking over shoulder
- Terrified of returning to Afghanistan
- Paranoid
- Believed he would be killed
Mother’s Account:
“He thought he was going to be killed. He literally believed he would not come home. He told us that almost every day.”
5.2 AWOL Period
- When leave ended, Morlock could not bring himself to return
- Went AWOL for several weeks
- Spent time with family and girlfriend
- Eventually rejoined unit
- Shortly after return: Investigation began
SECTION 6: THE COURT-MARTIAL
6.1 Charges
Premeditated Murder: 3 counts (UCMJ Article 118)
- Murder of Gul Mudin
- Murder of Marach Agha
- Murder of Mullah Adahdad
Additional Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Obstruction of justice
- Illegal drug use (hashish, opium)
6.2 Plea Negotiations
Duration: Six months of negotiations
Defense Attorney: Geoffrey Nathan (civilian)
- Co-attorney: Frank Spinner (lead attorney)
Decision Factor: Videotaped confession obtained by ABC News
- Nathan stated videos “prove guilt more than innocence”
- Decided guilty plea was best option
6.3 Plea Agreement Terms
Prosecution Commitments:
- Maximum sentence capped at 24 years
- Life sentence taken off table
Morlock’s Commitments:
- Plead guilty to all charges
- Agree to testify against co-defendants
- Provide full cooperation
6.4 Court-Martial Proceedings
Date: March 23, 2011
Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Military Judge: Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Hawks
6.5 Guilty Plea
Charges Pled Guilty:
- 3 counts premeditated murder
- 1 count conspiracy
- 1 count obstruction of justice
- 1 count illegal drug use
Critical Exchange:
Judge Hawks: “Were you going to shoot at (civilians) to scare them and it got out of hand?”
Morlock: “The plan was to kill people, sir.”
Judge Hawks: “Did everybody know, ‘We’re killing people who are completely innocent’?”
Morlock: “Generally, yes, sir, everyone knew.”
6.6 Testimony About Planning
Morlock testified:
- Plotting to murder unarmed Afghans began late 2009
- Several weeks before first killing
- Soldiers planned to plant weapons near bodies
- Made deaths appear as legitimate combat casualties
6.7 Statement to Court
Morlock’s statement:
“I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how I lost my moral compass.”
“I knew what I was doing was wrong, sir.”
“I don’t know if I will ever be able to answer those questions.”
“I wasn’t fully prepared for the reality of war as it was being fought in Afghanistan.”
Regarding Drug Use:
- Admitted smoking hashish 3-4 times per week in Afghanistan
- Stated his judgment was NOT impaired by drugs during killings
6.8 Verdict and Sentence
Verdict: Guilty on all counts
Sentence:
- 24 years imprisonment
- Reduced in rank to Private (E-1)
- Dishonorable discharge
- Forfeiture of all pay and allowances
Judge’s Statement:
- Judge Hawks stated he intended to sentence Morlock to life
- Bound by plea agreement to 24-year maximum
Credit: 352 days time served
Parole Eligibility: Approximately 7 years (per defense attorney)
SECTION 7: TESTIMONY AGAINST CO-DEFENDANTS
7.1 Commitment to Testify
Under plea agreement, Morlock agreed to testify against:
- Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs
- Specialist Adam Winfield
- Specialist Michael Wagnon
- Private First Class Andrew Holmes
7.2 Testimony at Gibbs Trial
October-November 2011: Testified at Gibbs court-martial
Key Points:
- Described Gibbs as ringleader
- Testified Gibbs planned “scenarios” for killings
- Stated Gibbs provided untraceable grenades
- Described Gibbs’s stories of killing civilians in Iraq
- Stated Gibbs threatened soldiers who might talk
7.3 Credibility Challenges
Defense Arguments Against Morlock:
- Admitted drug user (hashish, opium)
- “Inherently unreliable” witness
- Changed story after initial CID interview
- Requested investigative documents before testimony
- Allegations of collusion with other witnesses
SECTION 8: POST-CONVICTION
8.1 Prison Conditions
Initial Confinement:
- Solitary confinement at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- Small cell with inadequate heating/ventilation
- No contact with other prisoners
Complaints:
- Morlock complained about conditions
- Mood deteriorated
- Threatened to reconsider cooperation
- Eventually moved out of isolation
8.2 Appeals
Appeal Filed: Challenged guilty plea
Army Court of Criminal Appeals:
- Affirmed conviction and sentence
Current Status: Serving sentence at U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth
SECTION 9: MEDIA AND PUBLIC RESPONSE
9.1 Der Spiegel Photos
March 2011: German magazine published three photos
Most Notorious Image:
- Shows Morlock grinning
- Holding victim’s head by hair
- Posed with body of Gul Mudin
Impact:
- International outcry
- Army issued apology
- Compared to Abu Ghraib scandal
9.2 Rolling Stone Article
March 27, 2011: “The Kill Team” by Mark Boal
Content:
- Detailed account of killings
- Additional photographs published
- Extensive reporting on platoon
9.3 Videotaped Confession
Obtained by: ABC News
Contents:
- Morlock describing killings
- Implicating Gibbs as ringleader
- Detailed account of methods
Key Quote:
“And so we identify a guy. Gibbs makes a comment, like, you know, you guys wanna wax this guy or what?”
SECTION 10: FAMILY IMPACT
10.1 Mother’s Response
Audrey Morlock’s View:
- Blamed war and Army negligence
- Described devastating impact of father’s death in 2007
- Said son was changed person after deployment
- Described nightmares, shaking, inability to sleep
10.2 Hockey Coach’s Support
Jamie Smith:
- Traveled to Washington to testify as character witness
- Maintained contact during imprisonment
- Received letters from Morlock
- Believed war changed his former player
10.3 Community Shock
Wasilla Reaction:
- Community stunned by accusations
- Those who knew him described respectful young man
- Difficulty reconciling descriptions with crimes
SECTION 11: PROSECUTION CHARACTERIZATION
11.1 Army Prosecutor Statement
Captain Andre Leblanc:
“Acts of unspeakable cruelty.”
“A few extraordinarily misguided men.”
“We don’t do this.”
11.2 Role Assessment
Designation: “Right-hand man” to Gibbs
Characterization:
- Key figure in war crimes probe
- Lead role in killings
- Principal witness for prosecution
SECTION 12: ABOUT COURT-MARTIAL PROCEEDINGS
A court-martial is a military court convened under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to adjudicate offenses committed by members of the armed forces. The Jeremy Morlock court-martial, held on March 23, 2011, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was a general court-martial—the highest level of military tribunal with jurisdiction over the most serious offenses including capital crimes. Unlike the adversarial trial his co-defendant Calvin Gibbs would later face, Morlock’s proceeding was a guilty plea hearing in which the military judge, Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Hawks, conducted a providence inquiry to ensure the plea was knowing, voluntary, and supported by facts. Under the UCMJ’s Article 45, a military judge must personally address the accused, explain the charges and their elements, and establish a factual basis for the plea before accepting it. Judge Hawks’s questioning of Morlock produced the most damning testimony of the entire Kill Team prosecution, including Morlock’s admission that “the plan was to kill people, sir” and his confirmation that “generally, yes, sir, everyone knew” they were murdering innocent civilians. The plea agreement between Morlock and the convening authority capped his sentence at 24 years in exchange for his cooperation as a prosecution witness against the remaining defendants—a practice known as “turning state’s evidence” that is common in both civilian and military criminal proceedings. Military plea agreements differ from civilian practice in that they are negotiated with the convening authority rather than prosecutors, and the military judge is not bound by the agreement’s terms except as to the maximum sentence. Judge Hawks explicitly stated he would have imposed a life sentence but for the plea agreement’s constraints. The court-martial also addressed Morlock’s drug use, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy charges, accepting guilty pleas on all specifications. Morlock received credit for 352 days of pretrial confinement under UCMJ Article 13, which prohibits punishment before trial but recognizes that restrictive pretrial conditions warrant sentencing credit. His dishonorable discharge—the most severe characterization of military separation—required approval by the convening authority and carries lifelong consequences including loss of veterans’ benefits and civil disabilities in many states. The court-martial’s reliance on Morlock’s testimony against Gibbs later became a focal point of appellate litigation, with defense counsel arguing that the plea agreement created incentives for fabrication and that Morlock’s initial statements to Army CID, which did not implicate Gibbs, were more reliable than his post-agreement testimony.
SECTION 13: SOURCE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Sources
- Court-martial transcript, United States v. SPC Jeremy Morlock (2011)
- Videotaped CID confession, Kandahar Airfield (May 2010)
- Der Spiegel photographs and reporting (March 2011)
- Rolling Stone article by Mark Boal (March 2011)
Secondary Sources
News Organizations:
- ABC News (Brian Ross Investigative Unit)
- The Daily Beast
- The Seattle Times
- Anchorage Daily News
- NBC News
- Al Jazeera
- France 24
- Christian Science Monitor
Interviews and Testimony
- Audrey Morlock (mother) interviews
- Jamie Smith (hockey coach) statements
- Geoffrey Nathan (defense attorney) statements
- Frank Spinner (lead defense attorney) statements
Research compiled from multiple verified historical sources.