LOL - there is NOTHING that says anything regarding her being the “lead” agent ( as if she was directing the investigation.
HER explanation of her job says nothing of the sort.
I sincerely hope the defense is not pinning any hopes for their case on portraying her as being in any way in charge of, leading, or making major decisions on this case.
“There is a NCIS policy against taping interviews. Period.”
Got Link ?
If you followed the numerous cases coming out of Iraq, you'd know that NCIS agents do not tape interviews. It has come up time and again.
Spokesman Ed Buice told the New York Times that no federal law enforcement agency regularly taped interviews. And that is as much of an explanation as NCIS will offer.
Not recording interviews also became an issue in the LCpl Sharratt hearing when a supposedly key witness denied making a statement NCIS claimed he made.
Regarding Mannle's status, you're making a ridiculous leap to suggest anyone is saying she directed the investigation. She is not the director of NCIS, she is not the deputy director, she is not a regional supervisor, etc., etc.
For some reason, it pleases you to dance around the central issue. A NCIS agent clearly tried to muddy the waters on the stand in a murder investigation.
Is it terribly important?
As I've said, it had nothing to do with the exoneration of LCpl Sharratt. Though her testimony would have raised doubts about the authenticity of a tape recording made by SA Maloney on site--and that wouldn't have been good.
But, yes, the credibility of Mannle and her colleagues at NCIS will be on issue at a court martial. At crucial points in the case, a jury have to decide whether a Marine or an NCIS agent is telling the truth.