I can't take any more!
Night All!!!
Posted on 12/21/2006 11:03:18 AM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
An intelligence officer on his second tour of duty in Iraq at the time of the Haditha homicides, 1st Lt. Andrew A. Grayson faces three charges related to the incident.
He is accused of dereliction of duty after he allegedly "willfully failed" to ensure that the incident was fully investigated and accurately reported up the chain of command. The charge carries a maximum punishment of six months in jail and discharge from the service.
The 25-year-old also is accused of making a false official statement and obstructing justice, a charge that specifically alleges he wrongfully endeavored to impede an investigation. Each of those charges comes with the possibility of five years' prison time and dismissal from the service. Grayson joined the service in May 2003 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. He is currently assigned to the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force as a human exploitation team commander.
I can't believe I missed it the first time, I must have been distracted.
Obviously, these young ladies are archeologists on an important assignment.
Dig it?
Less than three months before the Haditha killings, President George Bush recognized one of the men charged in the Haditha killings, Capt. Randy W. Stone.
Bush praised Stone during a 2005 visit he made to North Island to rally support for "staying the course" in Iraq.
During his speech, Bush noted that Stone's grandfather, Leon Stone, had fought as a Navy sailor supporting the Marines in World War II's battle of Iwo Jima.
"And today ... Capt. Randy Stone carries on a proud family tradition," Bush said. "Capt. Stone is a Marine officer now serving in Iraq. He knows that he and his generation are doing the same vital work in this war on terror that his grandparents did in World War II. He also knows how this struggle will end."
Bush then quoted Stone as saying: 'I know we will win because I see it in the eyes of the Marines every morning. In their eyes is the sparkle of victory.'"
Stone, 34, was the 3rd Battalion's staff legal adviser but was recently relieved of that role before being charged Thursday with violation of a lawful order for allegedly failing to ensure accurate reporting and a thorough investigation of a violation of the law of war. He also was charged with two counts of dereliction of duty for the same reasons. Stone, who completed his officer training course in August 2003, was on his first tour in Iraq at the time of the Haditha killings. He is currently assigned to legislative affairs duties.
Thought I was done for the night, but found one more personal article (sorta) for Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum.
http://www.edmondsun.com/local/local_story_357225731.html?keyword=topstory
Little known about charged Marines
John A, Williams
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — Not much is known about the eight Marines recently charged in the deaths of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, last November.
Parents and loved ones understandably are shaken and want to keep their privacy, others were requested by the Marines’ attorneys not to talk to the media.
What is known about Edmond Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum is he is represented by a respected lawyer in legal circles, who earned two Bronze Stars and has a Purple Heart from his service in the Marine Corps.
Thursday, Tatum was charged with two counts of unpremeditated murder and one count of negligent homicide related to the deaths of four Iraqis in Haditha and one count of assault.
Tatum’s family has turned down requests to be interviewed and attorney Jack Zimmerman has instructed Tatum not to speak to reporters.
Zimmerman, a retired colonel and military judge who spent 20 years in the Marines on active duty and the reserves, maintains Tatum and his fellow Marines did nothing wrong in Haditha.
“I think that most people would assume everybody in that squad that responded the way they were trained to respond,” Zimmerman told The Edmond Sun earlier this month.
“Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum comes from a great family, a patriotic family that is proud of what he is doing for our country as I think we all should be. I think he is a good representative of Edmond.”
According to the North County Times in Escondido, Calif., Zimmerman believes there was “no criminal intent” involved in the shootings.
“I believe that if the military justice system is allowed to function the way it is designed, Lance Cpl. Tatum is going to be cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Tatum, joined the Marines in October 2003 and was two months into his second assignment in Iraq when the Haditha killings took place, Zimmerman said.
A former prosecutor, Zimmerman said he has cut his usual fees in half to take Tatum’s case.
Another Houston attorney, not connected to Zimmerman’s firm, is acting as trustee for a legal defense fund to help defray Tatum’s legal expenses.
Christopher M. Odell can be reached at 1111 Louisiana St., 44th floor, Houston, Texas 77002, or by calling (713) 250-3584.
You know that I am usually an agreeable person, Smooth. I have to disagree this time, it's obvious to me they are sizemologists.
You are SO right...and should be enough of a motive.
When he was in Iraq, Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum wore what were called "the thickest glasses in Kilo Company."
The 26-year-old native of the small town of Edmond, Okla., is represented by Houston-based defense attorney Jack Zimmerman, a lawyer known well in legal circles who earned two Bronze Stars and has a Purple Heart from his service in the Marine Corps.
On Thursday, Tatum was charged with two counts of unpremeditated murder and one count of negligent homicide related to the deaths of four Iraqis in Haditha and one count of assault. If convicted of the most serious of the charges, he would face the possibility of life in prison, a dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.
Tatum's family has refused requests for interviews and Zimmerman has instructed the Marine not to talk to reporters.
Zimmerman, a retired colonel who once led a Houston-based reserve infantry battalion, has said repeatedly that Tatum and his squad mates did nothing wrong in Haditha.
"Lance Cpl. Tatum was doing the job he was trained to do, the way he was trained to do it," Zimmerman told the North County Times earlier this year. "And unless someone has had shots fired (at them) in anger, you should not jump to conclusions until they know all the facts," he said.
Zimmerman said he believes there was "no criminal intent" involved in the shootings.
"I believe that if the military justice system is allowed to function the way it is designed, Lance Cpl. Tatum is going to be cleared of any criminal wrongdoing."
Tatum, who is single, joined the Marines in October 2003 and is a veteran of fierce battles in the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004, the attorney said. He was two months into his second assignment in Iraq when the Haditha killings took place.
A former prosecutor and military judge who spent 20 years in the Marines on active duty and the reserves, Zimmerman said he cut his usual fees in half to take Tatum's case.
A second Houston attorney, Christopher Odell, is acting as trustee for fundraising efforts for Tatum's defense.
Odell said in September that $15,000 in legal fees had already been incurred, adding that the cost to defend Tatum could "easily exceed the six-figure mark."
Kerry was in Cambodia Christmas Eve 1968 on orders of President Nixon, and he said it was a beach.
LOL! Man, am I glad you cleared that up!!!
SIZEmologists!
ROFLOL!!!
Just trying to be discriptive, some words have multiple spellings. :-)
I can't take any more!
Night All!!!
On the same day that Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich was charged with 13 counts of unpremeditated murder, making a false statement and soliciting another to commit a crime, his wife, Marisol, was in the hospital, awaiting the birth of the couple's third child.
Wuterich, 26, was the squad leader in Haditha the day of the civilian killings. If convicted of the most serious offense he is accused of, he faces the possibility of life in prison, a dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.
Wuterich attended Orville H. Platt High School in his hometown of Meriden, Conn. He was an honor-roll student, drama club president and a member of the school jazz band who dreamed of a career in music.
After joining the Marines in the late 1990s, at the age of 17, Wuterich first went to Iraq in September 2005.
Two months after the Haditha incident, an officer recommended Wuterich for a medal.
In his memorandum recommending Wuterich for the decoration, the officer wrote that Wuterich's "calm and confident decisiveness that day doubtlessly prevented further injury or death to fellow Marines and innocent civilians."
Meriden Mayor Mark Benigni was Wuterich's high school soccer coach. He said he was always impressed by Wuterich's work ethic and his willingness to help his teammates who were struggling.
"Frank led by example," Benigni said. "It didn't matter if we were losing 7-0, Frank gave his all. Frank gave his all ---- when others might quit, he kept on playing."
Benigni said he was shocked when he learned that Wuterich faced charges in the Haditha case.
"The first thing that went through my mind was here's a war that went completely out of control ---- Frank is the kind of guy who would never hurt an unarmed civilian," Benigni said.
One of Wuterich's former classmates said he was surprised by the allegations against the Camp Pendleton Marine.
"I didn't think he would be capable of doing that," Chris Seelig, 25, who graduated from high school with Wuterich, told The Associated Press. "I guess people are capable of doing anything if they have it in them, but I didn't think he would be the kind of person who'd kill civilians."
G'Night, Smooth. It's good to end the day on the light side.
Now I'm going to leave you with these smooth and jaz jokers and head for bed!
Night all!
Yes, it was seared, seared, into his memory!
Night, Smooth! Night, Phil! Night, Pink! Night, Ma! Night, Jaz! And goodnight, Just A Nobody...wherever you are!
G'Night, Red and panther. Thanks for what you're both doing.
I'll be back soon.....I promise! ;*)
Thank you all for everything you are doing here.
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