New Hearing Ordered in 1995 Attack at Bragg

Fort Bragg, N.C. — Military officials have ordered a rehearing for Sgt. William J. Kreutzer Jr., whose conviction on murder and attempted murder charges was overturned on appeal two years ago.

Kreutzer will be arraigned Friday morning on one specification of premeditated murder and 18 specifications of attempted murder, as well as one specification of violating a general order by transporting weapons on post and one specification of larceny of government property.

The charges stem from an Oct. 27, 1995, shooting at Towel Stadium of members of the 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. One soldier was killed and 18 others were wounded in the ambush attack during morning exercises.

Kreutzer was convicted in June 1996 of premeditated murder and 18 counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to death.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces overturned the conviction and death sentence in August 2005, ruling that Kreutzer's defense attorney was ineffective and that the military judge handling the trial erred in denying mitigating testimony.