Six Marines charged with assault in Iraq

Assault charges were filed against six Marines on Thursday as the result of an incident that occurred in April in the Iraqi village of Hamdania and was uncovered during an unrelated investigation into the slaying of an Iraqi civilian later that month, military officials said.

Three of the Marines charged Thursday are currently in the brig at Camp Pendleton on kidnapping and murder charges in connection with the April 26 slaying of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad in Hamdania. The other three had not been charged in that case.

Meanwhile, a seventh Marine, an officer, is expected to be charged next week in the assault case, according to Lt. Col. Colby Vokey, the Marine Corps' defense coordinator for the western United States. The nature of the assault was not described.

The six charged in the assault were identified as Lance Cpl. Saul H. Lopezromo, Pfc. Derek I. Lewis, Lance Cpl. Henry D. Lever, Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, Cpl. Trent D. Thomas and Lance Cpl. Jerry E. Shumate Jr.

Attorney Joseph Casas, who represents Pfc. John Jodka III, one of the eight people charged in the Awad slaying, said that investigation uncovered incidents separate from the killing in which Marines allegedly engaged in misconduct.

Casas had not seen the charge sheets for the three Marines named only in the assault case, but is familiar with the almost 600-page investigation report. He said it details incidents where Marines allegedly extracted information from suspected insurgents, or "high-value individuals," using force.

"The charges are going to be about the nature and method with which these Marines obtained information," Casas said. "It will probably be that they used physical force."

According to a statement from the Marine Corps, the assault charges are not connected to Awad's April 26 death.

In bringing murder charges against the seven Marines and one Navy corpsman now in the Camp Pendleton brig, investigators say that without provocation they went into the Hamdania, took Awad from his home, tied him up, put him in a hole and shot him.

After the killing, according to investigators, the troops placed an AK-47 assault rifle in Awad's hands and put a shovel in the hole to make it appear he was an insurgent planting explosives.

In coming weeks, the charges against the eight in the brig are to be considered at an Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a grand jury proceeding. At such a hearing a commanding officer determines if there is probably cause to bring the defendants to trial.

Smart kid.

Hayden Malloy, 3, shies away from U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., left, as he enters a campaign stop for Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell in Carrolltown, Pa. on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006. A Marine Corps sergeant under investigation in connection with the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha is accusing Rep. John P. Murtha of defaming him in public comments about the case. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Help the 'Pendleton 8' and their families.

The 'Pendleton 8': A look at the 7 Marines and Navy corpsman charged in Hamdania incident
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1670877/posts

VIDEO-Camp Pendleton demonstration for Marines
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1655852/posts

Marine families wait and worry; (Frustrations, anger expressed by relatives of Pendleton 8)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1671948/posts

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Attorney: Col. visited ‘Pendleton 8’ before announcing charges
Navy Times article - 07/28/06

Accused troops' supporters busy fundraising - Hamdaniya / 'Pendleton 8' defense funds ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1654104/posts

Dozens rally at Camp Pendleton gates(24 June 2006) ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1655341/posts

Military justice under spotlight in Hamdania case - 'Pendleton 8' - 7 Marines, 1 Navy Corpsman ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1655333/posts

Lawyers for Marines, medic plan counterattack in Iraq murder case - Hamdaniya - 'Pendleton 8' ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1656712/posts

FREE REPUBLIC EXCLUSIVE: DIRECT INFORMATION ON THE 7 MARINES AND SAILOR HELD FOR MURDER
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1659084/posts

Defending the accused: Many attorneys in Hamdania case practiced law .. in military - 'Pendleton 8'
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1659351/posts

Letter reportedly from accused servicemen expresses thanks(Camp Pendleton 8)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1660140/posts

Delay is likely for (Camp)Pendleton(8) hearings
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1668925/posts

Attorneys for accused troops say Marine Corps hampering defenses
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1669976/posts

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Some of the familes and supporters of the 7 Hamdaniya Marines & a Navy Corpsman, now charged with multiple criminal offenses, have setup web sites for use in accepting donations for legal defense funds or sending notes of encouragement and support to the detainees and their families.

Cpl. Robert Pennington
http://www.defendrob.com

PFC John Jodka
http://www.innocentmarine.com

Tyler Jackson
http://www.fightingfortyler.com

Cpl. Marshall Magincalda
http://www.defendourmarine.com

Cpl. Trent Thomas
http://www.defensefundformyhero.com

Lance Cpl Jerry Shumate
http://friendsofjerry.blogspot.com/

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Melson J. Bacos
http://patriotdefensefund.com/

Other sites supporting the men:

http://www.defendthetruth.com

http://www.warrior-fund.org

If your financial situation permits, please help as you can to defer legal representation costs.

Thanks!

Ugh. Going after our own again I see.

Iraq will be an example for years and years to come about how not to fight a war. I am too young to really remember Vietnam, but I think I might now know how patriotic Americans must have felt watching our nation waste blood and treasure fighting a "hearts and minds" war instead of fighting to win.

Pathetic.

they have made more than a few convictions on their own, thankyou very much.

No, we are in the middle of a war, and they are worrying about and assualt charge? And you want our guys prosecuted for this?

it details incidents where Marines allegedly extracted information from suspected insurgents, or "high-value individuals," using force.

That's a crock of shiite if I've ever heard it. BTW, your boy Murtha was caught lying, again.

Thanks for the ping Calpernia!

OMG!!! The MARINES used force in a WAR ZONE. What the he!! is wrong with people??

"The charges are going to be about the nature and method with which these Marines obtained information," Casas said. "It will probably be that they used physical force."

Who is quoted with saying "Help is on the way?"

I'm sure you agree with the grand larceny charge, as well? This is par for the course for an administration and military leadership that values mosques more than Marines.

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!! Look at us, peaceful Mooselimbs! We are your friends! We will even throw our own soldiers under the bus you haven't blown up yet to show you how much we mean you no harm!

Murtha is not my "boy."

It appears that you don't trust the military to do the right thing here.

There is a UMCJ and, as I understand it, the Marines are following it to a "t".

Should they just look the other way instead?

Excuse me?

"Assault?"
`
give me a friggin break!!
are we at war or not!

It's time for the Bush administration and the Corps to step up to the plate and support the troops in Iraq & Afghanistan. If we're gonna start filing charges for "assault" against Marines in combat then it is TIME TO BRING THEM HOME!
Point, Game, Set, Match!

So far you seem to be believing his version of events. Thought maybe he had some cred with you.

For extracting info forcefully from high value target? Yes

For killing a high value target? Yes

For beating the crap out of a high value target? Yes

For doing that to an innocent civilian, no.

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