NEW YORK (AP) _ A U-S soldier who admits he paid someone 500 dollars to shoot him in the leg so he could avoid returning to Iraq will not face felony charges, though his wife and the gunman have been indicted by a grand jury.
NEW YORK (AP) _ A U-S soldier who admits he paid someone 500 dollars to shoot him in the leg so he could avoid returning to Iraq will not face felony charges, though his wife and the gunman have been indicted by a grand jury.
Melvin Hernandez, a spokesman for the Bronx District Attorney's Office, says he cannot comment on why the grand jury chose not to indict Pte. Jonathan Aponte.
Aponte, 21, claimed he was robbed and shot July 9 but changed his story when police questioned him.
He was set to leave on another eight-month tour of Iraq the same day he was shot.
He told police he had joked with his wife about getting shot in the leg so he would not have to return to Iraq but his wife apparently took him seriously.
She said she knew someone who could do the job.
Aponte still faces misdemeanour charges, including falsely reporting an incident, that could send him to jail for up to a year.
His wife, Alexandra Gonzalez, 22, was indicted on felony assault charges, along with the gunman.
Aponte's lawyer, Marty Goldberg, said the grand jury appears to have a sympathetic side.
The couple has been free since their July arrest. Aponte did not comment on his wife. The army could also seek disciplinary action against Aponte.