Supervisor of Navy SEAL accused of murder faces charges

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Military prosecutors say the Navy officer who supervised a SEAL accused of fatally stabbing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 is being charged on various offenses. They include allegedly conducting the SEAL’s re-enlistment ceremony next to the prisoner’s corpse and encouraging enlisted personnel to pose for photos with the body.

Lt. Jacob Portier’s attorney says he plans to plead not guilty to all charges Tuesday at the Navy base in San Diego.

Portier also is accused of failing to report a war crime and impeding the investigation of Special Warfare Chief Eduard Gallagher by destroying evidence.

Portier was the officer in charge of Gallagher’s platoon during the deployment.

Gallagher was charge with premediated murder and other offenses, including opening fire on Iraqi civilians. He pleaded not guilty.