Posted on 12/07/2006 8:32:56 AM PST by smoothsailing
A family's fight
Amanda Gillooly
Staff writer
Thursday, December 07, 2006
CANONSBURG -- At the first mention of his son, Darryl Sharratt immediately reaches for a big, blue scrapbook that chronicles the young man's career in, and love for, the military.
Justin Sharratt's mother, Theresa Sharratt, said he dreamed of being a military man ever since he was a small child.
She thumbed through the pages, finally finding what she was looking for: A picture capturing a smiling 3-year-old Justin clad in camouflage. Above the picture is an assignment dating to his nursery school days. The questioned posed was, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
In a child's handwriting was Justin's answer: "I want to be in the Army. I'll have guns and army tanks."
Now, his parents, of Canonsburg, are fighting to preserve the reputation of the 22-year-old.
Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt is among the Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, implicated in the Nov. 19, 2005, killings of 24 Iraqis in Haditha, some of them unarmed women and children.
Rueters reported Wednesday that the U.S. military is expected to charge at least five Marines in the killings and the charges could include murder, according to defense officials.
It was not known when the charges would come down but a Marine Corps official said it would not happen on Wednesday, Rueters reported.
The case is one of several involving alleged unjustified killings of Iraqi civilians that have emerged this year, damaging the military's reputation for humane treatment of civilians and triggering calls by some Iraqi leaders to end the arrangement under which U.S. troops are immune from prosecution by Iraqi authorities.
Theresa Sharratt first heard that trouble was brewing in an e-mail from her son. He wrote that there had been an incident, that an investigation would ensue, and finally, that she shouldn't worry.
She remembers typing an e-mail back to him, asking in bold, "Should I worry about it?"
His response was a simple no.
"It was a very casual e-mail," she said.
Sharratt said her son maintains that he did nothing wrong, and that he and fellow Marines followed the rules of engagement.
As the identities of the implicated Marines surfaced in news accounts this spring, the couple still declined to even discuss the incident with family members until this Thanksgiving.
But it was comments made by U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, in May about the Haditha incident that compelled them to go public.
"He said they killed innocent civilians in cold blood right on TV," Theresa Sharratt said. "It was on every channel, slapping our face every time we turned on the TV."
Darryl Sharratt wiped at tears and blasted Murtha for his failure to uphold the sacred American right that each person is innocent until proven guilty.
Murtha, he said, called the Haditha incident a rampage. He characterized it as a massacre.
"He's called them murderers," Darryl Sharratt said, adding that these accusations were made despite the fact no criminal charges had been filed.
And the Marines, he said, have done little to help. "The Marine Corps has deserted him," Darryl Sharratt said.
Theresa Sharratt said the image Murtha gave of the implicated Marines isn't how she wants people to envision her son.
Murtha, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment about the incident or his remarks.
But his Republican challenger for the U.S. House seat in the November election and current Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey called for Murtha to apologize for his statements several times on the campaign trail.
And she still thinks that an apology is warranted.
"I think he rushed to judgment," she said. "His remarks were very hurtful to our military and their families back home."
Soldiers, she said, already are fighting for their lives. They shouldn't have to fight for their reputation.
The Sharratts, meanwhile, say they can't imagine their son committing any sort of crime.
"He was raised Catholic," she said. "He knows right from wrong. He has common sense and he loves his country."
Darryl Sharratt said his son could face charges of murder or negligent homicide.
Undeployable because of the investigation, Justin Sharratt is currently serving at Camp Pendelton in California at a gym there.
The family hired a civilian attorney, Gary Myers of Washington, D.C., to represent their son. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
Content © 2006 Observer Publishing Co.
"Sharratt said her son maintains that he did nothing wrong, and that he and fellow Marines followed the rules of engagement."
Interesting choice of words.
Yes, I read where a dad said the whole world had already convicted his son. I hope he sees some of these threads. He'll know that's not the case.
That's the defense.
A proper one at that!
S/Sgt. Wuterich's lawyer has said he'll subpeona Murtha. I don't know enough about a court martial to know whether that is truly possible. But I hope so.
Breaks my heart.
Damn that Murtha.
Murtha, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment about the incident or his remarks.
Good on ya, Red, calling Zimmerman.
BTTT!!!
Envy is your enemy.
Come again?
What is your take on this local paper's report, KB?
How's about u explain ur odd post in #30? Or was it just an effort on ur part to bring a dead thread back to life?
LOL! Back to your sandbox, KB. You'll find no new toys here.
ooooooooooooooook.
Red's post #19:
Red reached one of the defense lawyers....
"A legal defense fund has been set up and is administered by a civil law attorney with a major national law firm who has also volunteered his expertise and time in order to help these Marines."
Information about the fund was sent as an attachment. If anyone wants to know more, Freepmail me your e-mail address and I'll forward it. Or contact Zimmerman directly.
If I get additional responses from lawyers, I'll report back. And I hope you'll do likewise!
Here is a link to some interesting info and another legal assistance fund:
http://www.hackettforamerica.com/
Excellent! Thanks, Pop!
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