Marine Charged With 13 Civilian Murder Counts (Haditha)

MSNBC ^ | 12/21/06

[areafiftyone]

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine Corps squad leader was charged Thursday with 13 murder counts stemming from the killings of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha last year, his attorney said.

Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich was charged with 12 counts of murdering individuals and one count of murdering six people by ordering Marines under his charge to "shoot first and ask questions later" when they entered a house, according to charging sheets released by defense attorney Neal Puckett.

As many as eight Marines could be charged in the case, the biggest U.S. criminal case to emerge from the war in Iraq in terms of people killed.

The deaths occurred on Nov. 19, 2005.

Lawyers for two Marines already have said they expect their clients will be charged and it’s believed up to six others could join them.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I'm with Burzum, trusting our military and hoping for a not guilty verdict.

The alternative is to say our military is incapable of justice -- and I'm not going to countenance such a claim.

[RedRover]

Haditha was just a quiet mid-west town where everyone watches out for their neighbors and they have potluck suppers on Saturday evening.

Haditha potluck gatherings are such fun! It's a laugh when everyone shows up with rocket launchers!

[EyeGuy]

"Yes, but if they are the rules, you can and will be tried for breaking them."


Yes, but the point is that they are wholly ridiculous rules for this type of combat.

[Carl LaFong]

BTW -here will be the lefty mantra on this case--"I don't really blame the soldiers (although they're guilty)- I blame Bush"

[CharlesWayneCT]

And yet, they actually DO give out speeding tickets at car races, if you speed down the pits, or come out too quick, or pass at the wrong place, or violate any other rules.

Just like the military code of justice.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Palehorse is taunting you, hoping to start a fight. He is a disruptor on Haditha Marine threads.

Actually, I'm taunting you. And it's working. All I have to do is show up and you start sniveling.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I say we need to embed more leftist "reporters" with the troops on the front lines so they can be there as witnesses to rat out our HEROES, because they're not charging nearly enough of our troops with these types of atrocities. (SARCASM)

B@stards.

[USMCPOP]

You know what I think of that hell-hole.

[GOPologist]

NOT GUILTY!!!!!!

[CharlesWayneCT]

Even if we all agree the rules were stupid, they were still the rules, and I don't want the military people breaking the rules set by their superiors. That is the way to chaos.

And I'm not sure if the rules were stupid in this case, I don't know all the facts. The reason you have rules is so that you don't try to make decisions in the middle of a fight that end up being the wrong decisions, decisions that have you fragging and shooting a roomful of unarmed women and children for example.

And yes, our people DIE because of the rules, and that's an unfortunate price paid for being a disciplined and controlled military force fighting in an area where we don't want to kill people to save them.

Nobody cared if we killed all the germans in WW2, they were the enemy. But the "Iraqi people" were NOT the enemy in this war, we were "liberating them". It may well have been stupid, but we wanted to "win them over" and we weren't going to to that by shooting them.

[areafiftyone]

I'm praying for these guys BIG TIME!!

[RoadTest]

"I'm missing something. Are you saying that the UCMJ is suspended in wartime?"

I'm thinking that we won WWII and that we didn't kill our own Marines on the say-so of a Time magazine punk and an Arab street punk working for the enemy.

We were more interested in our own survival. I don't recall any such trial in the mid early-mid forties, no.

[RoadTest]

"War or no, they are entitled to a trial. Or would you have then taken out and thrown in jail without one?"

Wrong. I would have a medal-awarding ceremony for them.

[RedRover]

Bump.

[montag813]

Should the JAG be eliminated from the US military?

Their authority and guidliness need to be severely restricted. Stopping Mullah Omar becauase of jurisdictional legalisms? Do we really need Ralph Nader-types to critique a war in progress?

[pinkpanther111]

Haditha, Iraq Investigation

Preferred Charges and Specifications



Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey R. Chessani

Charge: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92

Specification 1 (Violation of a lawful order): wrongfully failed to accurately report and thoroughly investigate a possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war by Marines under his command. (Maximum punishment dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years)

Specification 2 (Dereliction): willfully failed to ensure that this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war was accurately reported to higher headquarters. (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months)

Specification 3 (Dereliction): willfully failed to direct a thorough investigation into this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war. (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months)

________________________________________________________________________________



Sergeant Sanick P. Dela Cruz

Charge I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 118 (Unpremeditated murder) (Maximum punishment: such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct. [Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for life])

Specification 1: did murder Ahmed Khutar Musleh, also known as Ahmed Fenr Muselh.

Specification 2: did murder Wagdi Aida Alzawi, also known as Wgedi Aida Abd.

Specification 3: did murder Kaled Aida Alzawi, also known as Kaled Aida Abd.

Specification 4: did murder Mohmed Tabal Ahmed, also known as Mohmed Betel Ahmed.

Specification 5: did murder Akram Hamid Flaeh, also known as Akram Hmid Fluih.



Charge II: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 107 (False Official Statement) (Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 5 years)

Specification: did with the intent to deceive, make to a false official statement.

________________________________________________________________________________



First Lieutenant Andrew A. Grayson

Charge I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92 (Dereliction) (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months)

Specification 1: willfully failed to ensure that this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war was accurately reported to higher headquarters.

Specification 2: willfully failed to ensure that a thorough investigation was initiated into this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war.



Charge II: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 107 (False Official Statement) (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 5 years)

Specification: did with intent to deceive, make a false official statement.



Charge III: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 134 (Obstructing Justice) (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for 5 years)
Specification: did wrongfully endeavor to impede an investigation.

________________________________________________________________________________



Captain Lucas M. McConnell

Charge: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92 (Dereliction) (Maximum punishment: Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months)

Specification 1: willfully failed to ensure that this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war was accurately reported to higher headquarters.

Specification 2: willfully failed to ensure that a thorough investigation was initiated into this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war.

________________________________________________________________________________



Lance Corporal Justin L. Sharratt

Charge I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 118 (Unpremeditated murder) (Maximum punishment: such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct. [Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for life])

Specification 1: did murder Jasib Aiad Ahmed.

Specification 2: did murder Kahtan Aiad Ahmed.
Specification 3: did murder Jamal Aiad Ahmed.

________________________________________________________________________________



Captain Randy W. Stone

Charge: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92

Specification 1(Violation of a lawful order): wrongfully failed to ensure accurate reporting and a thorough investigation into a possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war by Marines from his Battalion. (Maximum punishment dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years)

Specification 2 (Dereliction): negligently failed to ensure that this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war was accurately reported to higher headquarters.

Specification 3 (Dereliction): negligently failed to ensure that a thorough investigation was initiated into this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war. (Maximum punishment: [willful] Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months [through neglect or culpable inefficiency] Dismissal, forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 3 months, and confinement for 3 months)

________________________________________________________________________________



Lance Corporal Stephen B. Tatum

Charge I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 118 (Unpremeditated murder) (Maximum punishment: such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct. [Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for life])

Specification 1: did murder Noor Salim Rasif.

Specification 2: did murder Zainab Unes Salim.



Charge II: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 134 (Negligent Homicide) (Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for 3 years)

Specification 1: did unlawfully kill Abdul Hameed Husin Ali.

Specification 2: did unlawfully kill Guhid Abdalhamid Hasan.

Specification 3: did unlawfully kill Asmaa Salman Rasif, also known as Asamaa Salman Rasif.

Specification 4: did unlawfully kill Abdullah Waleed Abdul Hameed, also known as Abdullah Waleed Abdul.



Charge III: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 128 (Assault) (Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 8 years)

Specification: did commit an assault upon Eman Waleed Al Hameed and Abid Al Rahman Waleed Al Hameed.

________________________________________________________________________________




Staff Sergeant Frank D. Wuterich

Charge I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 118 (Unpremeditated murder) (Maximum punishment: such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct. [Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for life])

Specification 1: did murder Ahmed Khutar Musleh, also known as Ahmed Fenr Muselh.

Specification 2: did murder Wagdi Aida Alzawi, also known as Wgedi Aida Abd.

Specification 3: did murder Kaled Aida Alzawi, also known as Kaled Aida Abd.

Specification 4: did murder Mohmed Tabal Ahmed, also known as Mohmed Betel Ahmed.

Specification 5: did murder Akram Hamid Flaeh, also known as Akram Hmid Fluih.

Specification 6: did murder Huda Yasin Ahmed.

Specification 7: did murder Aida Yasin Ahmed.

Specification 8: did murder Mohmed Yunis Salim.

Specification 9: did murder Aisha Unes Salim.

Specification 10: did murder Sebea Yunis Salim.

Specification 11: did murder Zainab Unes Salim.

Specification 12: did murder Marwan Aiad Ahmed.

Specification 13: did murder six persons inside a house identified as House 1, by disregarding the requirement to have positive identification prior to engaging a target; and participating in clearing House 1 with deadly force without conducting positive identification prior to engaging individuals in House 1.



Charge II: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 134 (Soliciting Another to commit an offense) (Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 5 years)

Specification 1: did wrongfully solicit Corporal Dela Cruz to make a false official statement.

Specification 2: did wrongfully solicit Corporal Dela Cruz to make a false official statement.



Charge III: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 107 (False official statement) (Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 5 years)
Specification: did with intent to deceive, make a false official statement.



- End-

[freedom moose]

please add me. thanks

[RedRover]

You know what I think of that hell-hole.

Yes, we do, Pop. We remember your sacrifice.

[verity]

You were abused as a child?

[AliVeritas]

That should read:

There was no full US investigation into what happened until three months later when video footage that was taken by the head of the morgues brother (who never saw the bodies), of the aftermath reached Time Magazine.