San Diego Union Tribune, June 7, 2007
CAMP PENDLETON – A Marine who took pictures of 24 Iraqis killed by U.S. forces testified today that one of his commanders later pressured him to erase the photos, including ones showing dead women and children. “I just kind of looked at him with shock,” Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner said about the orders from 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson.
“It just didn't seem right,” he added. “To me, it looked like destroying evidence.“
Laughner said Grayson told him to delete the images from his computer after higher-ups in the Marine Corps began investigating the killings, which happened Nov. 19, 2005, in the city of Haditha. Military prosecutors contend that all of the dead were innocent civilians.
“How did you feel about that?” Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan, a military prosecutor, asked Laughner about the order to delete the pictures.
“Not good . . . because I knew it was wrong,” Laughner responded while on the stand in a Camp Pendleton courtroom.
“Did you feel you had just obstructed justice with Lt. Grayson?” Sullivan asked.
“Yes,” Laughner replied.
The testimony came during the preliminary hearing for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the commander of Camp Pendleton's 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. He and three other officers, including Grayson, are accused of failing to properly investigate the Haditha deaths.
Laughner testified that he photographed the Iraqis' bodies, some of which were lying in the street and others in two houses. There was no evidence to suggest that any of the dead were insurgents, he said.
In one home, Laughner photographed a woman “slumped over a child,” her arm wrapped around the youngster, as if in protection. The women and child were dead, he testified.
Laughner also said he didn't know whether the pictures were ever shown to Chessani, whose lawyers assert that their client was never told about the photos.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers are presenting evidence to Col. Chris Conlin, who will recommend whether Chessani, 43, should face court-martial. If Chessani is tried and convicted, he could be dismissed from the military and face up to two years in prison.
Haditha slayings were seen as combat-related, Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2007.
Officer calls Haditha prosecution politically motivated, Associated Press, June 6, 2007.
Okay, who all took pictures and why? I’m having a hard time figuring out how many took pictures, how many had pictures on their computers which were mere downloads, and are the official military photos intact? Briones said he took pictures but erased them becausem he thought they had been downloaded. An Andrew White (not sure if I’ve got his name right) said he took pictures and kept copies. Now SSGT Laughner says he took pictures and was told to get rid of them off his personal equipment by Grayson. Max Frank says he took pictures at the scene, but Mathes told him to get rid of them of his personal equipment.
Do the official photos still exist and were these guys just told to get them off their persoanl computers? This shouldn’t be so confusing, unless someone is TRYING to make it look like a coverup.