On November 24, Specialist Charley Hoosier, Specialist Rami Dajani and 28-year-old Luma, whose full name was not disclosed, were in a room at an American base, joking about killing someone, the soldiers testified Saturday at a court martial hearing.

Dajani handed a handgun to Hoosier, who thought it had been cleared and pulled the trigger as he held it to the young woman's head. The two GIs then lied to investigators, claiming that Luma had shot herself.

Hoosier was slapped with a three-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter and making a false statement, while Dajani was sentenced to 18 months for making a false statement and helping to cover up manslaughter.

The woman had worked as a translator for The Washington Post daily before taking a job with the military.