Ga. soldier gets life, no parole in Iraq slayings

SAVANNAH, Ga. – An Army sergeant based in Georgia has been sentenced to life in a military prison without parole for the 2008 shooting deaths of his infantry squad leader and a fellow U.S. soldier in Iraq.

A military jury at Fort Stewart sentenced Sgt. Joseph Bozicevich (BOZ-eh-vich) of Minneapolis on Wednesday. He was convicted of murder by the same court-martial in May, but sentencing was delayed after his lead defense attorney was injured in a skydiving accident.

Prosecutors say Bozicevich killed his squad leader, Staff Sgt. Daris Dawson of Pensacola, Fla., and Sgt. Wesley Durbin of Dallas in a rage after they criticized him for poor performance.

Bozicevich testified that he killed both men in self-defense after they threatened him.

His attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.