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keli.rabon@wreg.com
Twitter - @nc3investigates
Facebook - WREG On Your Side Investigators
(Benton County, Miss. - 11/2/2009) Joshua Beard's wounds look like they came from a battlefield.
"They had to cut out some of my intestines, the doc said it was pretty bad," Beard said.
His attacker wasn't an enemy, it was his best friend. Eddie Hassell, Jr. - a 21 year old man who is trained in the art of war, and is a proud member of the Mississippi Army National Guard.
"It's what I do, it's what I'm good at," Hassell said.
At 19, Hassell was hardly the perfect candidate for enlistment -- he had already racked up Robbery and Domestic Violence charges and a history of drug use. But Hassell says, his recruiter made it simple.
"He [the recruiter] told me what to do and i just did it," Hassell said. "That I've never had a felony, never been arrested as an adult. I have, but he said he was gonna take care of it."
Hassell says he signed his name on stacks of papers. He says many of them were already filled out, with answers he knew were lies.
"They basically filled out all my paperwork. I just signed and initialed. Everything else they said don't worry about it," Hassell said.
On August 31, 2007, it was official -- Hassell enlisted in the Mississippi Army National Guard -- hoping to put a troubled childhood behind him.
But two weeks later, Hassell snapped and attacked his wife Abra.
"He attacked me so bad he choked me to sleep twice," she said.
Hassell's violent outbursts spiraled out of control for another year, and his criminal record grew.
- A Mid-South man enlists in the National Guard despite a criminal record and mental illness that should have kept him out.
- The soldier says a recruiter told him to lie on his applications about his criminal history.
- The National Guard does not monitor soldiers criminal records once they are enlisted.
keli.rabon@wreg.com
Twitter - @nc3investigates
Facebook - WREG On Your Side Investigators
(Benton County, Miss. - 11/2/2009) Joshua Beard's wounds look like they came from a battlefield.
"They had to cut out some of my intestines, the doc said it was pretty bad," Beard said.
His attacker wasn't an enemy, it was his best friend. Eddie Hassell, Jr. - a 21 year old man who is trained in the art of war, and is a proud member of the Mississippi Army National Guard.
"It's what I do, it's what I'm good at," Hassell said.
At 19, Hassell was hardly the perfect candidate for enlistment -- he had already racked up Robbery and Domestic Violence charges and a history of drug use. But Hassell says, his recruiter made it simple.
"He [the recruiter] told me what to do and i just did it," Hassell said. "That I've never had a felony, never been arrested as an adult. I have, but he said he was gonna take care of it."
Hassell says he signed his name on stacks of papers. He says many of them were already filled out, with answers he knew were lies.
"They basically filled out all my paperwork. I just signed and initialed. Everything else they said don't worry about it," Hassell said.
On August 31, 2007, it was official -- Hassell enlisted in the Mississippi Army National Guard -- hoping to put a troubled childhood behind him.
But two weeks later, Hassell snapped and attacked his wife Abra.
"He attacked me so bad he choked me to sleep twice," she said.
Hassell's violent outbursts spiraled out of control for another year, and his criminal record grew.
- A Domestic Violence charge in DeSoto County
- An Aggravated Assault in Itawamba County
- DUI, Reckless Driving, and Disorderly Conduct charges in Marshall County
