Case of US Army Reservist Rashad Valmont in Hands of Investigative Officer

The case against a soldier accused of shooting and killing his supervisor is now in the hands of an investigative officer.

The two-day hearing on the charge of premeditative murder against Staff Sergeant Rashad Valmont has concluded at Fort McPherson.

Staff Sergeant Rashad Valmont is charged in the death of Master Sergeant Pedro Mercado.

Some of the circumstances defense attoeys say surrounded a deadly shooting at Fort Gillem were revealed Monday. Staff Sergeant Rashad Valmont is charged with pre-meditated murder for the June 17 death of Master Sergeant Pedro Mercado in his office at the base.

William Casseara, the civil defense attoey hired by Valmont's family, claims Valmont was under extreme pressure to lose weight and as a result suffered from temporary insanity.

Casseara doesn't deny his client shot and killed Master Sergeant Pedro Mercado in June but claims, Valmont was in a trance-like state from fasting to meet military guidelines for weight when the shooting happened.

After the first day of testimony Monday, Valmont's attoey emphasized his client did not commit premeditated murder but was dehydrated, exhausted and delirious when he pulled the trigger and shot Mercado six times.

Military prosecutors presented several witnesses, including retired Sgt. First Class Williams who testified Valmont was repeatedly reprimanded for tardiness and his weight. Williams says he saw Valmont open fire on Mercado and noted the irony because Mercado had always been a peacemaker and defended Valmont in the past.

Mercado leaves behind a wife and three children.