Marine Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Iraqi

AP ^ | 10/26/6 | THOMAS WATKINS

[SmithL]

CAMP PENDLETON -- A Marine pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of assault and obstruction of justice in the death of an Iraqi civilian last April.

Pfc. John J. Jodka III, 20, entered the pleas through his lawyer Joseph Casas after telling the judge at his court-martial that he understood his rights.

He was one of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman initially charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, assault and housebreaking in the killing of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad in the Iraqi town of Hamdania.

Jodka — the squad's youngest and lowest-ranked member — was among five Marines who shot at Awad, while others stood by then helped cover up the killing, the government charge sheets allege.

"He was trained to follow his leaders and do as they commanded without questioning," said Jodka's grandfather Joe Snodgrass, 71. "He was trying to be the best Marine possible."

He said his grandson had paid for any wrongdoing: Jodka had been locked in the brig since May and his flak jacket had come back peppered with bullet holes from when he had been shot at on patrol.

The Navy corpsman charged in the case, Petty Officer 3rd Class Melson J. Bacos, pleaded guilty earlier this month to kidnapping and conspiracy.

At his court-martial, Bacos testified that he and the Marines were searching for a known insurgent who had been captured three times and released. The group approached a house where the insurgent was believed to be hiding, but when someone inside woke up, the Marines instead went to another home and grabbed Awad, Bacos said.

[CottShop]

Great, another single incident that the left will use to vilify the whole Army- We'll be seeing the liberal media screaming about this for months I'm sure.

Christian news and commentary at: sacredscoop.com ...

[RoadTest]

AntiPeople hasn't told this one the way it happened. The Navy Corpsmen stabbed his fellow Marines in the back as part of a plea bargain to save his own hide.

[PAR35]

Great, another single incident that the left will use to vilify the whole Army

No, THEY probably know the difference between soldiers and marines.

[CottShop]

Not sure I follow what you're saying- The liberal media tried to make it seem as though the whole Army was guilty of 'abusing' detainees when the whole Gitmo deal went down. They screamed for months that whole chains of commands were guilty by association, and the liberal media tried to brainwash the public into beleiving that this war was so unjust & run by such incompetant commanders that our whole army was committing human rights violations simply because a couple of rogue soldeirs broke under the stress of war and abused their positions by taking out their frustration on maggot terrorists that were trying to murder them before they were captured, and who DAILY assaulted the guards from their cells with feces, spit, thrown objects, biting, kicking etc. I'm predicting that the liberal media will once again glom onto this isolated case and use it to damage the efforts of soldiers who are giving their lives to protect us- it's simply despicable what the liberal media has done-

Christian news and commentary at: sacredscoop.com ...

[jamese777]

"AntiPeople hasn't told this one the way it happened. The Navy Corpsmen stabbed his fellow Marines in the back as part of a plea bargain to save his own hide."

But this story is about a second person, a Marine accepting a deal to plead guilty along with the Navy Corpsman.

[Steel Wolf]

But this story is about a second person, a Marine accepting a deal to plead guilty along with the Navy Corpsman.

First off, we should wait until the courts martial are over before passing judgement. *We* weren't there, and we don't know what happened.

That said, many people, right and left, have decided that these guys are already guilty or innocent. If they're all exonerated, it'll be a "cover up". If they're all guilty, they'll have been "railroaded". That's just how some people think.

[RaceBannon]

There are things going on that people just dont know.

Among the things that I can repeat, is that the youngest Marines are being segregated and placed in different brigs on different bases, and then leaned on heavily to talk.

It is the usual interrogation; one where they tell you that someone else is telling everything and you better admit it all or else you are going down alone.

More than one Marine was removed from the Camp Pendleton Brig and had this happen. Jodka was removed a couple weeks ago and placed in the same brig as the sailor who took the plea bargain.

There is some interesting news to come out.

As of yet, all I can say is, pay attention to the names of the JAG lawyers who are mentioned, there is a breaking story of a former Navy Lt. Cdr who had a forged document entered into a court martial case of his, one which claimed he admitted his guilt to the court, but he in fact never wrote such a paper and has only recently cleared his name. He has also had NIS personnel come to his house to "counsel" him to be quiet about the circumstances of his case, and they were armed.

This is important because one of the people involved with the Hamandiya case was directly involved with the forged document claim of this Navy Lt. Cdr.

[Wings-n-Wind]

This entire story has more dark chapters...
I hope the light of truth will shine on all of these sad circumstances...

[usmcobra]

Col. (then Ist Lt.) Oliver North defended a similar case during Viet Nam.

[freema]

VIPing to Race's Post #9

[RaceBannon]

This entire story has more dark chapters... I hope the light of truth will shine on all of these sad circumstances...

LIKE YOU CANT IMAGINE

These guys are being let out to dry, from the TOP on down, and I mean a 3 star abandonment of the troops

Clinton could NOT have done worse to the morale of the fighting man.

What the hell ever happened to Chesty Puller leading his men into town to kick ass and take names of the locals who were ripping off the Marines on liberty?

That happened in Hawaii too, in the early 60's, my former boss was one of them, Axe handles and E-Tools, took down a diner in Kailua or Kanoehe, I forgot the story details in full

Where are those leaders today?

[RaceBannon]

This entire story has more dark chapters... I hope the light of truth will shine on all of these sad circumstances...

LIKE YOU CANT IMAGINE

These guys are being let out to dry, from the TOP on down, and I mean a 3 star abandonment of the troops

Clinton could NOT have done worse to the morale of the fighting man.

What the hell ever happened to Chesty Puller leading his men into town to kick ass and take names of the locals who were ripping off the Marines on liberty?

That happened in Hawaii too, in the early 60's, my former boss was one of them, Axe handles and E-Tools, took down a diner in Kailua or Kanoehe, I forgot the story details in full

Where are those leaders today?

[Mr. Jazzy]

They are sure as hell scared of some PC jag lawyer!

This makes me spitting mad!!!

[RaceBannon]

great article

[freema]

Green never learned of this partial vindication because in 1975 he had killed himself after unsuccessfully seeking to attack his court-martial conviction collaterally in a federal district court.(36)

[Marine_Uncle]

I am sure all our hearts continue to go out for these Marines. I sense as many most probably, that in due time this whole affair is going to be viewed as a black mark against the JAG corps. I wonder if this whole surid affair has the blessings of the POTUS. It seems to me he would look at it with distaste. If the whole object is to please a few Iraqi leaders and who ever, then perhaps the military should be looking more closly at who holds the stick and money in regards to Iraq.
Iraqi need us, we don't need them. If this whole deal is simply to satisfy the whims of a few Iraqi, then this is beyond the level of bullshit.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks. But I truly hate reading stuff on this case. These Marines should be in Iraq with their buddies carrying out daily missions, not where they are now. As RaceBannon made comments on Chesty. He probably is weeping in his grave as he watches this travesty going down.

[444Flyer]

"Where are those leaders today?" Fort Rosecrans and Arlington I guess. The newbees aren't cuttin it.