Army sergeant in slaying of 5 pleads guilty as part of deal

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD — An Army sergeant pleaded guilty Monday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in a plea deal to spare his life in the slaying of five American servicemen.

Sgt. John Russell pleaded guilty to killing four soliders and a Navy officer in a 2009 shooting rampage at Baghdad's Camp Liberty.

His lawyers insist the killing spree stemmed from combat stress.

The plea deal allows Russell to avoid the death penalty and instead serve a life sentence.

KIRO