If you re-read my original post, I noted the command influence question is not a distraction. This press release is, however.
It is not a distraction when one is asked for a lawyer and the lawyer is not provided.
When did they ask for one (and under what circumstances), and did questioning continue? In that case, I'd be very interested and need a cite.
And finally, if it is provable that accused were not permitted to relieve themselves
They were. They just weren't permitted to leave. Look, I've read pro se habeas corpus petitions claiming most of the same allegations as this. They're almost always denied.
Regarding the Haditha Marines’ interrogations where, ...” in some cases interrogations lasted up to 18 hours. During prolonged questioning sessions, Marines were not allowed to eat, drink, or use the bathroom.”...
I found this review interesting - http://people.howstuffworks.com/police-interrogation.htm
...”Until the early 1900s in the United States, physical abuse was an acceptable (if not legal) method of getting a confession. Confessions obtained by “third degree” techniques — deprivation of food and water, bright lights, physical discomfort and long isolation, beating with rubber hoses and other instruments that don’t leave marks — were usually admissible in court”....
....”By the 1950s, confessions were considered involuntary not only if police beat the suspect, but also if they held a suspect for an unnecessarily extended period of time, deprived him of sleep, food, water or bathroom facilities, promised some benefit if the suspect confessed or threatened some harm if he didn’t.”....
The interrogation tactics allegedly used by NCIS sound like a potential problem to me.