Task Force Liberty

American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2005 - An Article 32 hearing for a soldier charged in the deaths of two Task Force Liberty soldiers is scheduled to begin Sept. 19, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today.Staff Sgt. Alberto B. Martinez, 37, formerly of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), is charged with two specifications of premeditated murder, violations of Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.An Article 32 hearing is the equivalent of a civilian grand jury hearing.Charges were preferred against Martinez, a supply specialist, June 15 in the deaths of the two officers.MNF-I officials said Capt. Phillip T. Esposito and 1st Lt. Louis E. Allen died June 7 of wounds suffered in what was initially thought to be an enemy attack. The officers died at Forward Operating Base Danger near Tikrit, Iraq. Both were assigned to the accused soldier's New York Army National Guard unit. Esposito was the company commander and Allen served as a company operations officer.Martinez is in pretrial confinement at a military facility in Kuwait, officials said.(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)