<p>Specialist Adam Winfield, the first to waive the right, is charged with premeditated murder over the May killing of an Afghan man who prosecutors say died after soldiers threw a grenade at him, then shot him with a rifle.<br /><br />The 21-year-old, one of a dozen soldiers facing charges ranging from violating army protocol to murder and taking body parts from the victims, is also charged with smoking hashish, according to an army statement.<br /><br />The accused all belong to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, from the 2nd Infantry Division's Stryker Brigade stationed at Forward Operating Base Ramrod in southern Afghanistan.<br /><br />Winfield's decision to avoid a pre-trial hearing and go straight to full court martial came on the heels of a plea deal taken earlier this week by another accused soldier, Sergeant Robert Stevens.<br /><br />On Wednesday, Stevens received a nine-month jail sentence and a demotion to private for shooting at people working in a field while on patrol in Afghanistan. Stevens claims he intentionally missed.<br /><br />In exchange for evading a dishonourable discharge, Stevens will testify against the other members of his unit, including alleged ring-leader Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs.<br />In taking his plea deal, Stevens claimed the order to shoot came from Gibbs.<br />Winfield could also have a significant role in helping prosecutors' case against Gibbs.<br />Winfield's father Christopher said in September that his son sent him Facebook messages from Afghanistan claiming that Gibbs was getting away with murder.<br />According to the elder Winfield, his son feared that saying anything would put his life in jeopardy.The army has not scheduled a date for Winfield's full court martial.</p>
<p>Specialist Adam Winfield, the first to waive the right, is charged with premeditated murder over the May killing of an Afghan man who prosecutors say died after soldiers threw a grenade at him, then shot him with a rifle.<br /><br />The 21-year-old, one of a dozen soldiers facing charges ranging from violating army protocol to murder and taking body parts from the victims, is also charged with smoking hashish, according to an army statement.<br /><br />The accused all belong to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, from the 2nd Infantry Division's Stryker Brigade stationed at Forward Operating Base Ramrod in southern Afghanistan.<br /><br />Winfield's decision to avoid a pre-trial hearing and go straight to full court martial came on the heels of a plea deal taken earlier this week by another accused soldier, Sergeant Robert Stevens.<br /><br />On Wednesday, Stevens received a nine-month jail sentence and a demotion to private for shooting at people working in a field while on patrol in Afghanistan. Stevens claims he intentionally missed.<br /><br />In exchange for evading a dishonourable discharge, Stevens will testify against the other members of his unit, including alleged ring-leader Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs.<br />In taking his plea deal, Stevens claimed the order to shoot came from Gibbs.<br />Winfield could also have a significant role in helping prosecutors' case against Gibbs.<br />Winfield's father Christopher said in September that his son sent him Facebook messages from Afghanistan claiming that Gibbs was getting away with murder.<br />According to the elder Winfield, his son feared that saying anything would put his life in jeopardy.The army has not scheduled a date for Winfield's full court martial.</p>