Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher acquitted of killing ISIS teen, shooting Iraqi civilians

Eddie Gallagher with his wife, Andrea Gallagher – Getty Images

A decorated Navy SEAL accused of several war crimes, including stabbing a wounded teenage ISIS militant to death in 2017, was found not guilty of murder on Tuesday.

It took a military jury of five Marines and two sailors about eight hours to clear Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, 40, of all charges — except posing for a photo with the captive’s corpse.

The decorated veteran’s San Diego court-martial was closely watched nationwide, and attracted the attention of President Trump.

“Suffice it to say this is a huge victory,” said Gallagher’s lawyer Marc Mukasey, adding that his client reacted with “tears of joy, emotion, freedom and absolute euphoria.”

Seven SEALs had said Gallagher suddenly stabbed the Islamic State teen moments after he was treated. Two said they saw Gallagher plunge his knife into the prisoner’s neck.

But defense lawyers argued Gallagher had been framed in the death of the prisoner by the disgruntled platoon members. They repeatedly argued that there was no evidence to support the allegations.

Prosecutors claimed Gallagher’s own text messages and photos incriminated him — including one of him savagely holding the dead militant by the hair and clutching a knife in his other hand.

In a shocking twist, Special Operator Corey Scott, a medic like Gallagher, testified that he was the one who killed the prisoner by plugging his breathing tube with his thumb as an act of mercy.

Gallagher had also been accused of attempted murder in the shootings of two Iraqi civilians and four other charges.

He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.