![Trial begins for US soldier charged in Iraqi shooting death](https://www.jurist.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jurist-white-text.png)
[JURIST] Staff Sgt. Shane Werst's military trial is set to start Monday in the shooting death of Iraqi detainee Naser Ismail. Werst was charged in November 2004 [AP report] after a soldier in his squad reported that Werst shot Ismail, already in custody after a house raid, and then planted a gun on him to give the appearance of a shooting in self-defense. Werst, who backed out of an earlier plea bargain, faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder and obstruction of justice. AP has more.