Marine Names Murtha in Defamation Suit

Washington Post ^ | August 2, 2006 | Josh White

[Velveeta]

A Marine Corps staff sergeant who led the squad accused of killing two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, will file a lawsuit today in federal court in Washington claiming that Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) defamed him when the congressman made public comments about the incident earlier this year.

Attorneys for Frank D. Wuterich, 26, argue in court papers that Murtha tarnished the Marine's reputation by telling news organizations in May that the Marine unit cracked after a roadside bomb killed one of its members and that the troops "killed innocent civilians in cold blood." Murtha also said repeatedly that the incident was covered up. (snipped)

[Talking_Mouse]

Smolla said. "The congressman's statement does not sound as if it is merely hyperbole or opinion or name-calling. Instead, it conveys the idea that the Marines violated professional standards and perhaps the law."

That is what is going to hang Murtha. He was not stating an "opinion" but stating "fact".

I wonder how he will try to weasel out of this suit; speech and debate is not going to work, because he was making a statement to the press; that he was stating his "opinion" is not going to work for the reasons above; that he was misquoted or taken out of context is not going to work, too many recordings of both his comments.

Buttered popcorn time, yum yum.

[Velveeta]

The Law Office of Neal A. Puckett

2181 Jamieson Avenue, Suite 1505, Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel. (202) 340-0069; Fax. (202) 318-7652
http://www.militaryjudges.com

[LachlanMinnesota]

Chilling effect on false free speech, maybe...

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642075/posts
Haditha Doctor Was Arrested, Hates US Too

GREAT info on that thread!

[f zero]

Counselor , please enlighten us if the "speech and debate clause"; would let the weasel, weasel out of this?

[hosepipe]

What a sweet settlement that would be...

[jazusamo]

This has nothing to do with Ms. Irey.

You are absolutely correct.

[Velveeta]

Praying hard for these Marines.
(Grinning from here to there on this news)

[LachlanMinnesota]

Was it said on the floor of the house? Then maybe yes...If on the street or on a television interview, no!

[John Lenin]

Mullah Murtha is a traitor of the worst kind.

[austinaero]

I can see your point. However, I am inclined to think that someone of Murtha's caliber (choke) will connect him to the GOP anyway, accuse him of being a 'plant', etc., etc.

Politics, gotta love it.

[pissant]

Amen, Vel.

[Velveeta]

It was said on TV in interviews. ;-)

[flaglady47]

Man, your name makes me hungry. Want a toasted cheese sandwich NOW!

[Just A Nobody]

A Marine Corps staff sergeant who led the squad accused of killing two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, will file a lawsuit today in federal court in Washington claiming that Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) defamed him

PING!!!

Anyone wishing to be added to the IREY/murtha ping list, let me know!

[Velveeta]

With tomatoes and bacon. ;-)

[LachlanMinnesota]

As I understand it, the debating protections are only applicable in the chamber while on debate, so if someone calls the other one a rat barstid, he can't bring the place down with endless litigation and tie up the process (yea, like that would make a difference!). It is to protect the legislative process, not to give carte blanc to our leadership to slander and libel their way through the day. The privilege is reserved for the press.

[george76]

 

[george76]

[Velveeta]

Reminder of a few of TRAITOR Murtha's comments:


Marines had “killed innocent civilians in cold blood”

“It’s much worse than was reported in Time magazine,”

“One man was killed with an [improvised explosive device] and after that they actually went into the houses and killed women and children.”

"There has to have been a coverup of this thing,"

"I will not excuse murder, and this is what has happened,"
"no question in my mind about it."

He reiterated a previous statement that shootings of women and children occurred "in cold blood" and that there was no firefight in which civilians were killed in a crossfire, as some Marines asserted after the event.

"This is worse than Abu Ghraib,"