ADAM WINFIELD COURT-MARTIAL (2011)

COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH FILE

Case: United States v. Specialist Adam C. Winfield
Date: August 5, 2011
Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington State
Charge: Premeditated Murder (reduced to Involuntary Manslaughter), Drug Use
Verdict: GUILTY (Plea Agreement)

SECTION 1: DEFENDANT PROFILE

1.1 Personal Information

Field	Detail
<strong>Full Name</strong>	Adam C. Winfield
<strong>Birth</strong>	Approximately 1990, Florida
<strong>Age at Crime</strong>	20 years old
<strong>Age at Sentencing</strong>	21-23 years old
<strong>Hometown</strong>	Cape Coral, Florida

1.2 Family Background

Father: Christopher Winfield

Former U.S. Marine (ex-Marine)
Resident of Cape Coral, Florida
Key figure in attempted whistleblowing
Served as family spokesperson throughout case
Strong advocate for son’s innocence

Mother: Emma Winfield

Supportive throughout proceedings
Stood by son’s character

Parents’ Assessment:

Believed Adam was innocent
Viewed him as courageous for trying to do right thing
Described family ordeal as “hell” over three years

1.3 Childhood

Location: Cape Coral, Florida

Military Aspiration:

Wanted to join military “for as long as anyone could remember”
As child, would sneak into father’s closet to dress in Marine uniform
Read book “Essentials of a Marine” approximately 50 times
Dreamed of following father’s military path

Physical Challenge:

On 18th birthday, weighed only 100 pounds
Too light for Army enlistment
Drank several gallons of water before official military scale to make weight

1.4 Enlistment

Age: 17 years old (with parental consent)

Date: Before 18th birthday

Father’s Advice: “Don’t be a hero”

SECTION 2: MILITARY CAREER

2.1 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

2.2 Deployment to Afghanistan

Deployment Date: July 2009

Location: Forward Operating Base Ramrod

Maywand District, Kandahar Province
Southern Afghanistan

Initial Experience:

“Everything was OK at first—boring, even”
Routine patrols
Limited enemy contact

2.3 Change in Leadership

Previous Squad Leader: Wounded by IED

New Squad Leader: Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs (November 2009)

Gibbs described by Winfield as dangerous
Began introducing “scenarios” for killing civilians

SECTION 3: WHISTLEBLOWING EFFORTS

3.1 First Contact with Father

Date: February 2010 (after first murder)

Method: Facebook instant messenger chat

Content:

Informed father about murders being committed
Told father: “There are people in my platoon that have gotten away with murder.”
Stated: “They’re killing people here… I want to do something about it… I don’t feel safe”
Expressed fear for his own life
Said fellow soldiers “all don’t care”

3.2 Father’s Response

Actions Taken by Christopher Winfield:

Army Inspector General’s 24-hour hotline

Called to report son’s allegations

Office of Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida)

Contacted senator’s office for assistance

Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Called sergeant who told him to contact CID
Sergeant agreed Adam was in potential danger
Told that Adam had to report crime to superiors before Army could act

Army Criminal Investigation Division

Directed to contact CID

Fort Lewis Command Center

Spoke with sergeant on duty

Result: No immediate action taken; warnings went unheeded

Army’s Later Position:

Claimed Winfields “failed to leave a message with the criminal investigations unit”

3.3 Threats Against Winfield

From SSG Gibbs:

Gibbs learned of Winfield’s concerns
Threatened Winfield’s life
Morlock later testified: “Gibbs made threats to Spc. Winfield about taking his life”
Gibbs allegedly told Morlock: “Winfield is a liability… we have to take this guy out”

Winfield’s Fear:

Repeatedly told parents he feared for his life
Believed Gibbs would kill him if he didn’t participate

SECTION 4: THE MURDER

4.1 Third Murder: Mullah Adahdad

Date: May 2, 2010

Location: Village of Kari Kheyl (Qualaday)

Victim:

Name: Mullah Adahdad (Mullah Allah Dad)
Status: Local religious leader (mullah)
Age: Approximately 45 years old
Circumstance: Killed in front of wife and children

4.2 Winfield’s Involvement

Selection:

Gibbs pointed to unarmed Afghan man
Asked Winfield and Morlock: “Is this the guy?”
Winfield testified: “I had an idea that Sgt. Gibbs was looking for a kill”

Separation of Victim:

Soldiers separated man from wife and children

Method:

Gibbs threw grenade at victim’s feet
Multiple soldiers fired weapons
Victim killed

4.3 Winfield’s Actions

Winfield’s Claim:

Fired automatic weapon AWAY from victim
Did not aim at victim
Pretended to participate

Admission:

Failed to stop murder
Did not object
Took no action to prevent killing

Winfield’s Statement:

“I didn’t say no, I didn’t object to it.”
“Had I done my duty… to defend that man, then it would not have happened. He wouldn’t be dead.”
“I had a responsibility to stop what was going on.”

4.4 Psychological Impact

Immediate:

Haunted by victim’s face
Described “his head with shrapnel, so swollen”

Long-term:

Nightmares in which fellow soldiers hunt him down
Considered suicide
Shackled, trembling during legal proceedings
Sallow appearance after year in confinement

SECTION 5: DISCOVERY AND CHARGES

5.1 Initial Army Contact

After Investigation Began:

Army initially assured Winfields that Adam was not in trouble
Told family he was merely a witness

5.2 Arrest

Location: Upon return to United States

Immediate Action: Arrested upon arrival

Original Charges:

Premeditated murder
Conspiracy to commit murder
Use of controlled substance (hashish)

Potential Sentence: Life in prison without parole

SECTION 6: THE COURT-MARTIAL

6.1 Pre-Trial Period

Confinement: Over one year in pretrial confinement

Condition:

Confined in solitary conditions
Physical deterioration
Mental health struggles
Trembling
Depression
Suicidal thoughts

6.2 Plea Negotiations

Original Charges:

Premeditated murder (maximum: life without parole)
Conspiracy to commit murder
Drug use

Plea Agreement:

Involuntary manslaughter (reduced from murder)
Use of illegal controlled substance (hashish)
Sentencing cap: 8 years

Key Points:

Did not admit to killing Mullah Adahdad
Admitted to firing weapon away from victim
Admitted to failing to prevent murder
Agreed to testify against SSG Gibbs

6.3 Court-Martial Proceedings

Date: August 5, 2011

Location: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

6.4 Guilty Plea

Charges:

Involuntary manslaughter (for failing to intervene)
Use of illegal controlled substance

6.5 Testimony

Winfield’s Account:

Described Gibbs pointing to victim
Detailed separation of victim from family
Testified about grenade attack
Stated he fired away from victim
Admitted failure to act

On His Choices:

“It is my duty as an American soldier… to protect any detainee.”

6.6 Parents’ Testimony

Both Parents:

Testified on son’s behalf
Lashed out at Army for failure to act on their warnings

Mother Emma Winfield:

“Adam definitely understands the error that he made.”

Father Christopher Winfield:

“The Army wants to make this go away… no officers are charged.”
“If Adam had gone [to his superiors] in Afghanistan he would be dead.”

6.7 Sentence

Verdict: Guilty on plea charges

Sentence:

3 years imprisonment
Reduced in rank to Private (E-1)
Bad conduct discharge
Forfeiture of all pay and allowances

Note: Sentence was well below the 8-year cap in plea agreement

Time Already Served: Credit given (approximately 2 more years to serve)

SECTION 7: TESTIMONY AGAINST GIBBS

7.1 Cooperation Agreement

Under plea deal, Winfield agreed to testify against SSG Calvin Gibbs

7.2 Testimony at Gibbs Trial

Key Points:

Testified about fear of Gibbs
Described threats against his life
Detailed third murder
Provided evidence of Gibbs’s role as ringleader

SECTION 8: POST-CONVICTION

8.1 Incarceration

Location: Military prison

Duration: Approximately 3 years (with time served credit)

8.2 Release

Date: August 2012

Status: Released from prison

8.3 Documentary Participation

“The Kill Team” Documentary (2013):

Primary subject of film
Director Dan Krauss focused on Winfield’s story
Extensive interviews with Winfield and parents
Captured legal proceedings
Won multiple awards

“The Kill Team” Feature Film (2019):

Character “Andrew Briggman” based on Winfield
Played by Nat Wolff

SECTION 9: THE WINFIELD PARADOX

9.1 Whistleblower or Murderer?

The Question:
How could someone morally right enough to report murders also be wrong enough to be charged with the same crimes?

Arguments for Whistleblower Status:

Attempted to alert Army through father
Feared for his life
Threatened by squad leader
Did not directly shoot victim
Only soldier to express genuine remorse

Arguments Against:

Present at murder
Fired weapon (even if away from victim)
Failed to physically intervene
Accepted manslaughter charge

9.2 Winfield’s Reflection

On War:

“War is dirty. It’s not how they portray it in movies, where there’s just a bunch of honorable men with unshakeable patriotism.”

On Guilt:

“I never understood it. Even now I don’t understand it.”

Father’s Perspective:

“[Adam] had guns pointed at him in both directions. I should have done more. I shouldn’t have accepted the answer that I got. We wouldn’t be standing here right now if I had done something more.”

SECTION 10: COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY ISSUES

10.1 Army’s Failure to Act

Father’s Attempts:

Multiple agencies contacted
Multiple phone calls made
Multiple individuals spoke with
No action taken before May 2010 murder

Significance:

Third murder occurred AFTER whistleblowing attempt
Could potentially have been prevented

10.2 No Officer Accountability

Father’s Criticism:

“The Army wants to make this go away… no officers are charged.”

Result:

No officers charged in connection with murders
Only enlisted soldiers prosecuted
Leadership failures not addressed in criminal proceedings

SECTION 11: DOCUMENTARY FOCUS

11.1 “The Kill Team” (2013)

Director: Dan Krauss

Focus: Adam Winfield’s story

Inspiration:

April 27, 2011 New York Times article by Luke Mogelson
“A Beast in the Heart of Every Fighting Man”
Described Winfield as both whistleblower and murder suspect

Origin of “Kill Team” Name:

From leaked video interview
Winfield told Army investigator that Gibbs thought he was “weak” and “not good enough to be on his quote-unquote ‘kill team'”

Awards:

Tribeca Film Festival Best Documentary Feature
San Francisco International Film Festival Golden Gate Award

Access:

Extraordinary access to Winfield, parents, defense attorney
Interviews with other soldiers involved
Coverage of pretrial meetings and legal proceedings

11.2 Film Themes

Moral Complexity:

Explores hazy morality of war
Choices are often clear; best decisions seldom are
Psychological quagmires faced by soldiers

Family Drama:

Chronicles Winfield family’s ordeal
Father’s failed attempts to help
Parents’ unwavering support

SECTION 12: COMPARISON WITH CO-DEFENDANTS

12.1 Sentence Comparison

Defendant	Charge	Murders	Sentence
Calvin Gibbs	Premeditated Murder	3	Life
Jeremy Morlock	Premeditated Murder	3	24 years
Andrew Holmes	Murder	1	7 years
<strong>Adam Winfield</strong>	<strong>Involuntary Manslaughter</strong>	<strong>1 (present)</strong>	<strong>3 years</strong>
Michael Wagnon	N/A	N/A	Dismissed

12.2 Unique Factors

Distinguishing Elements:

Only defendant who attempted to report crimes
Only defendant whose father tried to alert authorities
Only defendant who claimed not to have shot victim
Lightest sentence of convicted soldiers
Most sympathetic portrayal in media coverage

SECTION 13: ABOUT COURT-MARTIAL PROCEEDINGS

A court-martial is a judicial proceeding convened under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to try members of the armed forces for criminal offenses, with general courts-martial possessing jurisdiction over the most serious violations including murder, rape, and other felonies punishable by death or lengthy imprisonment. The Adam Winfield court-martial, held August 5, 2011, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, presented unique legal and ethical complexities that distinguished it from the other Kill Team prosecutions. Winfield had originally been charged with premeditated murder under UCMJ Article 118, carrying a maximum sentence of life without parole, but his plea agreement reduced the charge to involuntary manslaughter under Article 119—a critical distinction that acknowledged his failure to prevent the murder rather than his direct participation in it. The legal theory underlying the manslaughter charge rested on Winfield’s duty as a soldier to protect persons in U.S. custody, a duty he breached by failing to intervene when Gibbs and Morlock attacked Mullah Adahdad. This application of dereliction of duty principles to a combat killing was novel and reflected prosecutors’ recognition that Winfield’s culpability differed qualitatively from soldiers who actively murdered civilians. Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Hawks, who presided over multiple Kill Team courts-martial, imposed a three-year sentence well below the eight-year cap negotiated in the plea agreement, signaling the military judge’s view that Winfield’s circumstances warranted leniency. The court-martial proceedings included testimony from both of Winfield’s parents, who criticized the Army’s failure to act on their warnings—a rare instance of family members using a sentencing hearing to challenge institutional failures rather than simply pleading for mercy. The case raised profound questions about the adequacy of military whistleblowing channels, as Christopher Winfield’s documented attempts to alert multiple Army agencies before the third murder went unheeded. From a military justice perspective, the Winfield court-martial illustrated the tension between individual accountability and systemic dysfunction: while Winfield was convicted and punished, no officers in his chain of command faced court-martial despite evidence that leadership failures enabled the murders. The bad conduct discharge imposed on Winfield, rather than the more severe dishonorable discharge given to Morlock and Holmes, reflected the military’s graduated system of punitive separations and acknowledged that Winfield’s misconduct, while serious, warranted less severe collateral consequences. His case became the subject of Dan Krauss’s documentary “The Kill Team,” which used Winfield’s story to explore the impossible moral choices faced by soldiers in corrupted units and the inadequacy of institutional responses to reported war crimes.

SECTION 14: SOURCE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Sources

Court-martial transcript, United States v. SPC Adam Winfield (2011)
Army Criminal Investigation Command reports
Facebook chat transcripts (Winfield to father)

Secondary Sources

News Organizations:

ABC News
CNN
Voice of America
Cape Coral Breeze
The Daily Beast
NPR
PBS
Progressive.org
World Socialist Web Site

Documentary Sources

“The Kill Team” (2013 documentary, Dir. Dan Krauss)
“The Kill Team” (2019 feature film, Dir. Dan Krauss)
PBS Independent Lens

Interviews

Christopher Winfield (father) statements
Emma Winfield (mother) statements
Adam Winfield interviews (in documentary)

Research compiled from multiple verified historical sources.