Puckett believed charges against Dela Cruz never should have been dropped—that’s part, or maybe all, of what he means in his post-trial comments. There’s more than enough question about which man shot first.
Rumor has it that an exchange between Puckett and Sullivan started the deal negotiation.
At some point during the proceedings, Puckett (it’s been said) turned to Sullivan and remarked, “This was always a negligence of duty case. It should never have been about murder.”
Whether that exchange is entirely accurate or not, it does reflect Puckett’s view. And it seems Puckett would accept anything other than the government getting everything it wanted as a victory for Team Puckett.
So if I had to guess, Puckett told Gen Dunsford (if a meeting ever took place) that the Corps had given immunity to a bad guy and that would come out unless they’d make a deal for negligence.
But we don’t know if Dunsford agreed to meet with Puckett and Faraj or not.
The “world opinion” argument is pretty funny. The world doesn’t read past the headlines. The media told them it was a massacre and they believed it. Puckett’s best shot to influence world opinion would have been to win exoneration. And then to have told the world why it was not a massacre in his press conferences.
Agree with your theory, Red.
Pretty sad if Puckett thought SSgt Wuterich deserved this punishment vs being exonerated. Although I don’t know exactly what happened that day back in 2005, from everything I’ve read, I believe SSgt Wuterich DID deserve this exoneration. The Marines (in general) deserved this exoneration.
Puckett sure seems to worry a lot about other people who aren't his client..
There’s more than enough question about which man shot first.
In a "hot" area, and in response to a deadly ambush, I want to be in a squad full of guys who shoot first. Congratulations to whoever did shoot first. I don't see any relevancy to the case. If indeed the defense got mired in these kinds of details rather than developing a "big picture" defense about what the intel said about Haditha, what happened to Terrazas, the response that followed the ambush, and the bogus way the charges came to be brought in the first place, then that is more evidence of incompetence, IMO. (Those captioned pictures and detailed timelines always seemed... extraneous to me. Marines ambushed, Marine killed, Marines respond in accordance with their training and on order of an officer (1stLt Kallop). Is it really necessary to establish anything more? Case closed.)
At some point during the proceedings, Puckett (it’s been said) turned to Sullivan and remarked, “This was always a negligence of duty case. It should never have been about murder.”
Huh... that sounds just like something Puckett might have picked up from an earlier investigation... it also sounds like Puckett wanted a quick, easy way out... The more I read, the more I think this guy should be disbarred, if half this stuff is true.
So if I had to guess, Puckett told Gen Dunsford (if a meeting ever took place) that the Corps had given immunity to a bad guy and that would come out unless they’d make a deal for negligence.
Wow.. I don't think even Puckett could be that lame. Maybe, since Puckett is so concerned with other people's clients, he was pissed off about the officer who showed up and told Wuterich to clear the houses, then walked away with hardly another mention. Maybe it's not Dela Cruz, but Kallop, who Puckett was threatening to smear.