NEW YORK, Dec 17 (AFP) - Philadelphia police said Friday they had charged a US soldier with arranging for his cousin to shoot him in the leg to prevent him from returning to active duty in Iraq.
Army Specialist Marquise Roberts, 23, was hospitalised on Tuesday with a pistol shot wound, which he originally said had been inflicted during an attempted robbery.
Roberts' version of events was backed up by his cousin, Roland Fuller, and another witness.
"The parties involved were then interrogated by police, and their stories did not match up," said police spokesman, Corporal Jim Pauley.
"So, after a couple more interviews it was determined that the whole shooting incident was actually staged so that Mr. Roberts would not have to be deployed to Iraq," Pauley said.
Roberts was arraigned on charges of reckless endangerment and filing false reports. Fuller was charged with aggravated and simple assault and firearm violations.
Roberts was on leave from the Army's 3rd Infantry Division and was scheduled to return to Iraq early next year.
12/17/2004 15:42 GMT - AFP