Winder Soldier Freed Pending Clemency Hearing

A Northeast Georgia soldier convicted of aggravated assault in the shooting of an Iraqi man is free pending a clemency hearing.

Pvt. Christopher Shore of Winder reportedly e-mailed his father at his Lawrenceville home to tell him that he was no longer confined at the brig at Ford Island in Hawaii.

At his court martial, Shore claimed he fired his weapon because he was afraid of outwardly disobeying his commanding officer, Sergeant First Class Trey Corrales, whom he described as abusive and unpredictable. Shore said he intentionally missed the man.

Late last Thursday, Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, the commander of the 25th Infantry Division based in Hawaii deferred the sentence until he decides on clemency.

Shore was serving a 120-day jail sentence when he was released. Bendarek said he expects to announce a ruling in the next few weeks. Meantime in a separate trial, Corrales was acquitted last week of all charges.