We're going to go right from tbe Chessani hearing to Justin's. I'm struggling to keep up.
Here’s some additional info, if you care to include any on these witnesses.
Sgt Maj Edward Sax - from 10Newscom, post 180 above “ testified he advised Chessani not to go to the locations immediately following the killings because it was too dark and dangerous in the area.”
Atterbury - alleged powder burns were from pictures, not bodies
What about 1st Lt. Alexander Martin “who said he encountered “screaming mothers and angry fathers” a day after the killings when he toured the neighborhood where they took place. Martin was a platoon second lieutenant in Haditha in 2005.”...
“Martin also said that after the Nov. 19 incident, Haditha residents were much more cooperative.
“After Nov. 19, people would come up to me and tell me where the IEDs were,” he said in reference to the military’s shorthand for roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices.” From North County Times http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/05/31/news/top_stories/40_39_545_30_07.txt
Samuel Carasco - another quote from LA Times (post 172 above: “Why would we leave one of our fallen angels out in the street unless you’ve had a lot of contact?” Carrasco said, a slight tremor in his voice. “ [Basically indicating how busy and messy it was that day that they even had to leave a dead Marine in the street for hours, not something they would like to do normally - my words]
Another quote by Carasco, from San Diego Tribune http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20070603-9999-1mc3haditha.html
“After being pressed by Conlin, Carrasco said: “In hindsight, should we have allowed him to go out there? Absolutely.” “
And from a press release, day 4, TMLC, post 237 this thread, “ testimony of Major Carrasco indicated that the last terrorist they found that day went into a house and grabbed a child in order to pretend he was a civilian family member. The only reason the terrorist’s ruse was discovered was that blood was coming from his ears.”
Haven’t looked at Mathes yet.
Adam Mathes - Testified he did not believe the slayings represented a violation of the laws of armed conflict. ref. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/06/04/military/13_14_426_4_07.txt
I think this is Max Frank testifying about Mathes, but I hadn’t seen all of this before. From AP, Thomas Watkins, http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/05/ap_hadithah_070530/
“A fellow officer, 1st Lt. Adam Mathes, told Frank that “we were to go out and say this is what happens when you let the terrorists use your house to attack our troops.”
Mathes was not present during the killings.
Frank also testified that he took photos at the scene, but Mathes deleted the electronic images because he thought they were not allowed to have pictures of dead Iraqis on personal equipment.”
From the TMLC press release, post 205, this thread, “Lieutenant Mathes testified on Saturday. Lt Mathes was Kilo Company’s executive officer at the time of the attack. He was one of the closest officers to the battle that day. His job was to coordinate the Marines in the battle. He testified that November 19, 2005 was a large scale complex attack by terrorists. He testified that he and the company commander, Capt McConnell asked the enlisted Marines the “hard” questions to get to the ground truth of the civilian collateral damage. Lt Mathes stated that he and Capt McConnell were satisfied with the enlisted Marines answers as to their actions: a regrettable outcome to a hard fought battle that the terrorists designed specifically for collateral damage to occur.”
From a NY Times article, post 183 above
“In other testimony on Saturday, the former executive officer of the marine company at Haditha said Colonel Chessani refused to look into questions from a Time magazine reporter about the civilian deaths because he viewed them as a trap.
“If we follow up with an investigation, it will be an admission of guilt,” said the officer, First Lt. Adam P. Mathes, recalling what Colonel Chessani told him and other battalion- and company-level officers in a meeting on Jan. 29, 2006, to discuss the reporter’s questions.”
And from San Diego Union Tribune, “Commanders Huddled after killings, court told”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070602/news_1m2b2briefs.html
Check out that link. I hadn’t seen this testimony before.