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Congratulations, Sergeant Dela Cruz
Defend Our Marines ^ | April 20, 2007 | David Allender

Posted on 04/20/2007 6:31:13 PM PDT by RedRover

On Tuesday, the Marine Corps announced that all charges had been dropped against Sergeant Sanick Dela Cruz. He had been charged with murder for the incident in Haditha, Iraq, on November 19, 2005.

And that was the only part of the story the media got right.

There were reports of a plea deal, that this was terrible for the defense. Lawyers said prosecutors must have had the sergeant over a barrel. He’s saving his own skin! He’s a traitor!

And no one had the facts.

There was no deal, no pretrial arrangement of any kind for testimony, sources close to Sergeant Dela Cruz’s defense told me.

Lieutenant General James Mattis ordered Sergeant Dela Cruz to cooperate and testify eleven days before the charges against Sergeant Dela Cruz were dropped.

General Mattis had come to the conclusion that, on balance, the charges against Sgt. Dela Cruz should not go forward. Still, Sergeant Dela Cruz was a witness and (like Corporals Mendoza, Salinas, and others) he will be required to testify truthfully. It would be incredible if he wasn’t.

Many have said that Sergeant Dela Cruz’s testimony regarding Sergeant Frank Wuterich firing on suspects at the taxi will convict Wuterich. More nonsense.

Here’s what some people have a hard time grasping.

Sergeant Dela Cruz only knows what he saw. He doesn’t know what Sergeant Wuterich saw.

Dela Cruz doesn’t know how the situation looked through Wuterich’s eyes when he came to a split-second decision to fire at the five Iraqis beside a white taxi.

And Dela Cruz, who likes and respects Wuterich, is not going to second-guess the way his fellow Marine saw things.

November 19, 2005 was Wuterich’s first day in combat. Dela Cruz was in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 4th Marines. His second tour was with the 1/4 in hellholes like Najaf. His third tour (with the 1st Marines) brought Dela Cruz to Haditha that morning.

The two may have seen the situation completely differently, tell different stories about the event, and both be telling the truth as they saw it when one man saw a reason to act.

Sergeant Sanick Dela Cruz is an honorable Marine. When the full story of Haditha is known he will be recognized as a heroic Marine. His coolness in taking prisoners that day is just one instance, among many, that belies the media's tale of Marines on a rampage.

The sergeant will testify to the truth as he saw it. So will the accused. If the cases go to courts-martial, a jury will weigh the evidence and reach a verdict.

I believe that all the accused will be exonerated, if they all get the defense they deserve.

In the meantime, here’s advice for anyone following this case. Be glad that justice prevailed for Sergeant Dela Cruz, and believe very little of what you read about the Haditha Marines. From the beginning, the media got it wrong and it's not getting it right yet.


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: defendourmarines; haditha; iraq; wot
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To: 4woodenboats

Thanks, 4woodenboats. I guess I had thought there was a name attached to the “low level of culpability...” remark. But you’re right. It just says a Marine Corps statement anywhere it’s reported. Red answered where it came from in post 41... “ Reuters somehow got hold of a draft of the Corps’ press release. That phrase was in the draft. But it was deleted in the final version.”...


61 posted on 04/20/2007 9:38:43 PM PDT by Girlene
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To: 4woodenboats

Hey, boats! Great to see you. I had gone to bed, couldn’t sleep, so I got up to check the thread. (Now I’m signing off and trying again!)


62 posted on 04/20/2007 10:09:36 PM PDT by RedRover (Defend Our Marines)
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To: RedRover

Good News!!!


63 posted on 04/20/2007 10:30:59 PM PDT by pissant
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To: RedRover

A case of simple arithmetic, No Crime + No Evidence = No trial...... Unfortunately this is not always the case!


64 posted on 04/21/2007 3:55:36 AM PDT by Fletch357 (Je Maintiendrai!)
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To: RedRover

Red - thank you so much for posting this and reminding us all that knee-jerkitis is what brought this whole incident to this point.

Again you amaze me with your work on this. Your tireless search and grasp of the big picture is to be commended!

Sgt Dela Cruz - Thank you for your service and your sacrifices.


65 posted on 04/21/2007 7:44:49 AM PDT by Chickenhawk Warmonger (Al & Jesse - The Duke LaCrosse Team Is Waiting for Your Mea Culpa...)
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To: RedRover

I am looking for something, but ck out #45....and we did not waffle...ever.


66 posted on 01/15/2008 9:55:37 PM PST by lilycicero (When I find what I am looking for I will ping ya.)
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