Posted on 02/02/2007 11:27:47 AM PST by RedRover
Prosecutors here in Kings County say they were not shocked to hear of the new charges against Corporal Briones.
Military officers have been investigating the allegations for a year and finally felt they had enough evidence.
The Valley marine accused of stealing a truck, driving drunk and then crashing into two houses in Hanford last April now faces five serious charges from the military. LT Estaban Vickers says, "He's charged with UCMJ Article 120, rape and false official statements, stealing, theft, violation of postal code so it's pretty heavy charges."
The US military says Ryan Briones sent seized weapons and military night-vision goggles to the U.S. It's not known to whom or where he sent them. Vickers says the military is also accusing Briones of having a female visitor in his room overnight and raping her. Legal documents show the rape occurred on or around July 14th of last year. Briones was out on bail at that time and based at Camp Pendleton. If he's convicted of these charges, it could be the end of his military career.
LT Vickers says, "He would get a dishonorable discharge and prison time."
Since November, the 22-year old has been undergoing mental and physical evaluations at Wasco State Prison. Briones was involved in the Haditha Massacre in Iraq, where 24 Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. Soldiers. The US Military says Briones did not kill any civilians, but helped pick up the bodies of the dead Iraqis.
After witnessing the horrific event, the Valley Marine claims he suffered from post traumatic stress and blames the disorder for the April crash. His mother was in court Thursday. Susie Briones has talked publicly about her son having the disorder. But prosecutors and military personnel aren't convinced. Prosecutor Adam Nelson says, "There was a doctor who evaluated him who mentioned he is suffering from the stress that he suffered while in Iraq but he also added that that didn't amount to a defense, that he made some poor choices."
LT Vickers says, "It's definitely not a green light to just go out and commit these types of acts it just doesn't happen there are 100's of marines that have PTSD in some way, shape or form, but they're law abiding citizens; its not an excuse."
Briones is expected to be sentenced in the DUI case on March 2nd. Then he'll face the military charges.
Or see the original article at the irreplacable Sweetness & Light: Did Marine Photographer have a personal motive.
I quote from Sweetness & Light:
What better alibi than to claim post-traumatic stress disorder caused by what he had been forced to witness and photograph in Haditha? With the media behind him, it is surely a ‘get out of jail free’ card.
In any case, isn’t it typical that the media either did not know or did not deem it newsworthy that Briones might have some other agenda is telling his tale? Once again, they didn’t want any such details to cloud their morality play about murderous Marines on a "cold-blooded" rampage.
The only thing that's changed since June 06 is that now the likes of LT Estaban Vickers have accepted the terrorist's view of Haditha as the truth as well.
If you weren't pinged, let jazusamo or me know if you want on the Haditha Marine Ping List.
OMG!
This dirtbag Briones and his claims of suffering from trauma after witnessing the murder of 24 civilians (It' a fact! Who cares if it's never been proven!) was exposed on this June 06 FR thread.
You summed it up nicely...dirtbag
Why bother with hearings and trials? Let's just string 'em up.
I wonder if he'd like folks to consider him innocent until proven guilty.
Yes, it's guy you were asking about.
Reminds me of the scene in the movie, "Dog Day Afternoon" when the bank robber (Al Pacino), cornered by police, started leading the crowd of spectators in a chant of "Attica! Attica!" (And if you don't get the reference, you're younger than me!)
Wouldn't surprise me to hear Briones quoted as saying it all went dinky dau in the bush. The MSM is still pursuing its "Iraq is Vietnam" agenda with everything it has.
I'm sending articles on all this to a friend at Bragg who is an Army MI Officer attached to the 7th group. He and I keep going back and forth on this. He says they've got to have the goods on these troops otherwise it wouldn't have gone this far.
The US military says Ryan Briones sent seized weapons and military night-vision goggles to the U.S. It's not known to whom or where he sent them.
What's wrong with this picture?
Just what we need at this time. I am getting weary of it all.
What do you mean, "What's wrong with this picture?"? This is strange that he was mailing this stuff back to the US, but what did you mean?
Another question. Is this typical to refer to this case as the Haditha Massacre? I didn't realize the charged had gone to court and were convicted.
And lastly, if y'all would indulge my ignorance on these issues, does being charged with rape under UCMJ mean the same thing as in civilian courts? I'm wondering if it could also entail having relations with a subordinate, or something on that order.
Thanks
Hey, Girlene!
What's wrong with the picture? Glad you asked! : )
How can they possibly say he sent anything
if they don't know who he sent it to, and where he sent it?
I think in the beginning he saw the writing on the wall, his mama shot her big mouth off because she/he/they saw the writing on the wall and thought that might save his ass.
He wrecked a truck, probably stole it, yeah, blind drunk... but the way things are going, I wouldn't doubt for a minute he was handed the keys to it by some NCIS investigator who bought shots all night. Wouldn't I love to talk to the bartender. I think rape is classified as rape just as elsewhere. But I don't believe the rape, either.
I believe he needed to be blackmailed into a corner.
www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0529-04.htm
I don't refer to this case as the Haditha Massacre.
Perhaps the murtha Massacre (notice the little m on murtha ?)
I refer to these men as the Haditha Marines.
"What's wrong with the picture?"
"How can they possibly say he sent anything
if they don't know who he sent it to, and where he sent it?"
Good point and good catch. Thankyou.
Thanks : )
Mark.
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