Posted on 03/06/2008 7:15:38 AM PST by kellynla
As the Haditha Marines case proceeds, defense lawyers find roadblocks that are worrisome.
Various charges stem from the now-infamous Nov. 19, 2005 Haitha, Iraq incident where a firefight ensued after Marines were ambushed. There were 14 casualties — including one Marine. The insurgents, hiding amongst women and children in civilian homes, caused the death of 15 civilians as the Marines fought back.
The latest roadblock has defense lawyers arguing that they cannot fully defend one of the Marines, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, because they are being denied the opportunity to obtain testimony from Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
The defense contends that prosecutors are trying to make it impossible for the heroic Marine officer to get a fair trial.
“Military judge Colonel Stephen Folsom’s ruling yesterday refusing our request to take the deposition of Congressman John Murtha is the latest indication that it will be impossible for Lieutenant Colonel Chessani to get a fair trial regarding [the] Haditha incident,” said Richard Thompson, chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based law firm defending Chessani.
“This entire prosecution is politically motivated and stinks to high heaven," Thompson said. "Denying us the right to take Murtha’s deposition so that we could show undue command influence, as well as denial of our request for production of documents in the possession of Chessani’s superiors makes it impossible for us to render this loyal Marine officer the effective assistance of counsel he deserves — they are attempting to throw him under the bus. In many ways this is a trial like the one in 'Alice in Wonderland' — the verdict first and then the trial.”
(Excerpt) Read more at freerepublic.com ...
ping
Please ping my fellow Marines on your lists.
Thanks
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Murtha should volunteer for a deposition and not require a court order for it.
Murtha is pogey bait
Re-active him and get the JAG to call him as a witness by order of the Commander-in-Chief.
You have my vote.
Somethin’ is screwed up with the links. Is this the whole article?
All pigs are equal. But some pigs are more equal.
I was told that the tv show Frontline had two of the Marines convicted already.
Since I dont have tv can anyone enlighten me?
Thanks
sorry, can’t help you since I don’t watch commercial t.v. unless it’s sports...
Whoever told you that was wrong. There have been no court martials yet, no one has been convicted.
Two enlisted men and two officers will appear before courts martial from March 28 through the early summer.
I have the Frontline show on my website. Let me know if you want a link.
Yes please!
Thank you!
“My pleasure. It’s at the LINK.”
Thanks
This is going to make me mad isn’t it?
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