FREE REPUBLIC EXCLUSIVE: DIRECT INFORMATION ON THE 7 MARINES AND SAILOR HELD FOR MURDER

self | 07/01/2006 | RaceBannon

[RaceBannon]

The following is a Free Republic exclusive. Freeper Flightline has been in touch with a family of one of the Marines accused of murder

[TexKat]

The faithful: Family holds on as soldier’s ordeal begins; Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III of Plymouth accused of murder

PLYMOUTH - Lawrence Hutchins Jr. was talking about the murder charges his Marine son faces in connection with the death of an Iraqi civilian, when he left the room and quietly brought back a letter. ‘‘Here,’’ he said. ‘‘This will tell you all you need to know about my son.’’

Marine Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III had written to his family from the brig in Camp Pendleton, telling each of them how much he loved and missed them.

To his father, Hutchins wrote: ‘‘Words may never be able to express how thankful I am to have been blessed by God with a family like you.’’

To his mother Kathleen: ‘‘Thank you for being everything you have been to me my whole life.’’

To his brother Kurt: ‘‘I love with you that all I am.’’

And to his fiancee Reyna Griffin, mother of their 21-month-old daughter: ‘‘I long to hold you so badly in my arms again.’’

Military prosecutors allege Hutchins was one of seven Marines who, along with a Navy corpsman, kidnapped an Iraqi man from his home, tied him up, put him in a hole by the side of a road and sprayed him with bullets, then sought to cover up the crime by making it appear the man was armed and attempting to plant explosives.

The Hutchinses and other families of the accused are rallying around the men, organizing fundraisers and attempting to draw attention to what they say is an unfair prosecution.

The men are charged with premeditated murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and making false statements. If convicted, they could face the death penalty.

Griffin and Hutchins’ father spoke emotionally yesterday, saying the young Marine they know is a loving man who cherishes his family and would not be capable of the actions he is accused of.

Lawrence Hutchins Jr. said he is proud to openly defend his son’s character.

‘‘They were treated as though they were guilty, right off the bat, from our own people,’’ he said of the eight men. ‘‘Shackles, handcuffs, lights on 24 hours a day.’’

Griffin said she has known Hutchins since the two attended Plymouth South High School. They both graduated in 2002, and Hutchins entered the military right away.

He made sergeant in less than four years in the Marines and was commended early on for his dedication to service, family members said.

In 2004 his platoon sergeant wrote: ‘‘Lance Corporal Hutchins is a marine with ability and potential to accomplish any task that would be usually reserved for someone both senior in rank and experience.’’

Griffin gave birth to Hutchins’ daughter, Kylie Lynn, now 21 months old, and is living with his family in Manomet.

Griffin and Hutchins became engaged a week or so ago, over the phone from the brig to Plymouth.

‘‘He asked me,’’ she said. ‘‘And I told him that I will always stand by his side, no matter what happens.

‘‘He’s a good Marine. He’s been loyal to this country. And there’s no way that he could ever do anything like this. I know in my heart that he wouldn’t.’’

Griffin and Hutchins’ brother, Kurt, are planning to go to Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, Calif., to visit Hutchins later this month. Other family members plan to go shortly afterwards.

Kathleen Hutchins said her son was about to enlist for another four years before he was arrested.

In the letter to his family, Hutchins told his mother: ‘‘You are my secret weapon, only used when needed but devastating to my enemies nonetheless. I knew when word had reached you, you would not settle down until you got to the bottom of this.

‘‘And believe it or not, I knew you would be the strongest pillar in the family.’’

Hutchins also wrote that he was homesick.

‘‘The hardest part about being here is thinking about home,’’ he wrote. ‘‘I guess I didn’t have time to think in Iraq, or the past 3½ years in the corps. Now all I have is time.’’

[TexKat]

I would love to have a copy of that letter scanned with Kennedy's words for all to see!

That would be a plus.

[Cinnamon]

they're too busy fighting for the passage of the Terrorists' Bill of Rights to do anything about the rights of our soldiers...

[Just A Nobody]

Race, thank you for posting Flightline's report. I can not begin to tell you how upsetting it has been to read about our defenders now in need of defending. I love FR, therefore I will make no comment on the alleged "elected" reps from MA.

Thank you all for the pings!

[GVnana]

Bump.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Nump to the top!

[dixiechick2000]

Thank you all for the pings!


Prayers for these fine members of the military,
and their families.

[Allegra]

It's things like this that keep the good people at FR, despite the little nippy trolls and malcontents that come on here and try to make trouble.

Thanks for exposing the media for what it is once again and thanks for the support to our troops.

Thanks for making us proud to be FReepers with this great investigative work to promote snatching the truth out of the "QUAGMIRE" of media and Democrat lies.

[dixiechick2000]

Prayers for the contractors, too. ;o)


Take GOOD care of yourself.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the report. I'm glad to hear they aren't being treated too badly, although I wish they weren't incarcerated at all during this process.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

What size PJ's do you wear?

Well done Marine!

[Stars&StripesNE]

PLYMOUTH – Reyna Griffin is waiting. The TV truck with a satellite dish on its roof idles outside, where Susan Warnick is processing and gathering, writing the story that will air on tonight’s news.

Another white truck is parked in front of this one. A man with a gray beard and hair talks on his cell phone with an air of confidence, of seriousness. His window is down, letting in heat and humidity just shy of sweltering on this June day.

A breeze shifts leaves in the trees overhead.

Inside the home across the street, Reyna Griffin’s and Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III’s 21-month-old daughter, Kylie, is oblivious to the quiet storm going on around her. She’s picking up on heightened anxiety in her mother, no doubt, and in her grandparents, who have been interviewed by news crews several times today.

Reyna Griffin knows no one really understands, not unless they’re involved. Most don’t have any idea what it’s like for her fiance, who’s living in an 8-by-8-foot cell 23 hours a day at Camp Pendleton in California. It’s called the brig, and it is a holding area, a place where you wait for several possible outcomes, outcomes that haunt him and his family.

Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III is one of seven Marines and one Navy corpsman charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of 52-year-old disabled Iraqi Hashim Ibrahim Awad al-Zobaie.

Awad al-Zobaie was shot and killed April 26, in the small Iraqi village of Hamdaniyah.

Military officials allege Hutchins and the other seven troops kidnapped Hashim from his home, bound him, put him in a roadside hole and shot him repeatedly, four times in the face. Military prosecutors contend the American troops then planted an assault rifle and gun next to Hashim’s body, to cover up the crime.

All eight are charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, larceny and providing false official statements.

If convicted, Hutchins and the other accused could face jail time or the death penalty.

Reyna Griffin says her fiance is innocent.

“He has told us personally that he is innocent, that these charges did not happen the way they are saying they happened,” Griffin said. “He’s an absolute, all-around good guy, good father, good to me, good to the family. He loves the Marines and he loves being a Marine. Most importantly, he’s just hurt by all of this. He was defending his country.”

Griffin and Hutchins met on the school bus in their sophomore year at Plymouth South High School. They started out making small talk and wound up holding hands on the way home from school.

The two later graduated with the Class of 2002. It was no big surprise when Hutchins enlisted in the Marines. Hutchins’ grandfather for whom he’s named, Lawrence G. Hutchins Sr., served in the Marines for a quarter century.

Friends say Hutchins was a tough kid who wouldn’t pick a fight, but could handle himself in an altercation. Several of his peers said Hutchins was an all-around decent guy.

Griffin and Hutchins got engaged two weeks ago, in the thick of the allegations that are turning their lives upside down.

“I love everything about him,” Griffin said. “I just keep reassuring him that I am here and I’m here for good and I don’t care if takes a year, or six months or 10 years. I’ll be here and so will our daughter, as well.”

The reassurance has been coming over the phone.

Hutchins has two attorneys, one assigned and paid for by the Marines and a civilian attorney, Richard Brennan, of Georgia.

Attorneys fees are going to be steep, so Hutchins’ aunt, Pat Riddell of Quincy, is organizing a benefit to raise money for legal expenses. The fundraiser will be held at the George Bean American Legion Post in Weymouth, Aug. 20. Riddell plans to set up an account at Bank of America next week for donations.

Meanwhile, Griffin is waiting.

She said she and Hutchins’ younger brother, Kurt, will fly to Camp Pendleton to visit Lawrence. “We just want everyone to understand that he and the seven other men are all innocent until proven guilty,” Griffin said. “There’s been such a rush to judgment. He is innocent.”

The above article appeared in the bi-weekly Plymouth newspaper, The Old Colony Memorial. The people of Plymouth should be informed of the conduct of Kennedy and Kerry. The paper will print letters to the editor. They can be sent to: newsroom@mpgnews.com. All letters must identify the author along with a phone number to verify. I have been published in the paper many times. That being said, beware that the paper is extremely liberal. It is so biased, that I cancelled my subscription to the paper a few months back.

[freema]

Listening to a beautiful song, "God is our refuge, and he's our strength."

[SE Mom]

The behavior and reactions of this Marine's ELECTED officials is ... unbelievable.

Kennedy.."conflict of INTEREST"???? WTH????

Many thanks to RaceBannon for meeting with this family and learning "the rest of the story"...they deserve all the support we can muster.

[evad]

anything to keep the thread going..
JUMP

[freema]

There wasn't any conflict of interest for Jack Murtha.

[sauropod]

.

[SE Mom]

Indeed there wasn't. I'm convinced there's more to the Murtha story than we know..than we may ever know. I may be treading into tin-foil hat territory..but I can't shake it..