Posted on 05/01/2007 11:50:12 AM PDT by RedRover
Ah. I mentioned Defense counsel Lt. Col. Matthew Cord, previously. Lest I forget, congratulations, also. to Defense counsel Major Jeffrey Muñoz.
From the little I’ve been able to gather, 2nd Lt. Nathan Phan should be very proud of his service. It seemed that his intelligence gathering for the Marines in the area would have, indeed, saved lives.
“His actions saved Marines’ lives and for that he is proud”
And we are proud of his service and his sacrifice. God Bless You Lt. Phan and thank you for your service!
It’s going to be interesting to see if Lt. Col. Pigott will remain the hearing officer for Capt. Stone. If it turns out he isn’t it will be a good sign, IMO.
I'm only dismayed that the NC Times is the only media source in the country covering this case. The NCIS will try to ride out this storm and, with no oversight, has little to fear.
Wonder if the gov’t will delay the hearing now. It wouldn’t surprise me.
There’s a book in this that could sink the NCIS.
I think that’s a good possibility, Red. There’s been nothing in the news that actually says the charges were dropped because of the conduct of Pigott but it’s pretty evident to me that it had a part in it. I believe Sheldons appeal was successful.
I think it’s a big time slap down of Pigott and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him disappear from the upcoming cases. They also may postpone the cases again as you mention.
great news!
Do they delay for another year in hopes that interest will fade away, risking that the investigative corruption - and their treasonous actions to demoralize the nation - are exposed a little too close to the 2008 elections?
Or do they push it through now, risking that the same outcome will enrage America at a time they claim to be divining American's overt desire to surrender to the same terrorists our guys were being shot at and blown up by?
Is the choice of Piggot to continue an indicator that he is Murtha's boy, maybe his only one, or is it simply a case that since he hasn't yet been charged with misconduct, he is the only one in the picture who gets to enjoy the old system of innocent until proven guilty?
I think alot of people are on the edge of their seats right about now.
I’m game if you are!
Has anyone found any connection to Pigg-ott and our favorite traitor Murtha? Wouldn’t that be just the cherry on top of the hot fudge sundae?
It wasn’t widely reported that the wierdo CIA chief who complained about his “Slam Dunk” remark being reported also stated in his book that the single most productive intelligence tool they had after 9/11 was waterboarding.
Sounds like LTC Pig ought to be fired, but if someone tries, it’ll cost Gonzales his job.
Boy howdy, finding that connection would be a treat! Wonder how much of the Article 32 transcript would survive the censor if obtained through the FOIA? Just publishing a record of the hearing would be explosive.
Seeing as the WaPo gets all these leaked reports, maybe we should ask Josh White to get it the Article 32 transcript for us...
I keep sending e-mails to our Valiant Watchdogs of Liberty in the press to look at the Phan case. The conduct of the NCIS has a major bearing on Haditha. So far, no one outside of the San Diego area is interested.
Thanks for the ping. This is great news.
Lieutenant in Hamdania case reprimanded, restricted to base
North County Times, June 1, 2007
CAMP PENDLETON -- A Marine officer who once faced possible imprisonment for assaulting Iraqi detainees last year has been given a letter of reprimand, restricted to base for 30 days and ordered to forfeit half of his pay for one month.
The punishment meted out Thursday to 2nd Lt. Nathan Phan stemmed from his role in the handling of three suspected insurgents in the village of Hamdania northwest of Baghdad last spring.
"Lt. Phan and his family are very happy with the results," said David Sheldon, Phan's lead attorney. "His only wish now is that he be allowed to continue to serve in the Marine Corps that he loves."
Phan, 24, commanded a platoon from Camp Pendleton's 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Eight men under his command were charged last June with the slaying of a retired policeman in Hamdania in April 2006, a killing in which Phan was not accused of participating in or knowing about beforehand.
An investigation of the homicide case led to the assault charges against Phan in August along with one count of filing a false statement.
The charges accused the Sacramento-area native of taking part in the beating of three insurgent detainees in the weeks before the homicide and misleading commanders on whether one of the detainees was still in his custody.
Following a tumultuous five-day hearing at Camp Pendleton in January, Phan was ordered to court-martial on two of the assault charges. The court-martial was rescinded, however, when Phan agreed earlier this year to admit he did not precisely follow all the regulations in his treatment of the detainees.
Five of the eight men charged in the homicide case reached plea deals and were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 12 months to eight years. As part of his settlement with prosecutors and Mattis, Phan will be required to testify at upcoming trials of the remaining three defendants if called.
As part of his deal with prosecutors, Phan admitted exceeding "the permissible limits of the official rules of engagement regarding interrogation of insurgents."
He also acknowledged ordering squad Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III, a defendant in the homicide case, to use a "blood choke" hold on one detainee, rendering that man unconscious, and he admitted pointing an unloaded pistol at another detainee.
The sanctions Phan received were decided Thursday morning by Lt. Gen. James Mattis during an appearance before the general in what the Marine Corps calls a "nonjudicial punishment." The letter of reprimand will go into Phan's permanent personnel record. Mattis suspended 30 days of a 60-day base restriction and suspended one month of his order that Phan be put on half-pay for two months.
Mattis serves as the convening authority over Marines accused of criminal activity as head of Marine Corps forces in the Middle East and as head of Camp Pendleton's I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Sheldon said he believes the punishment is appropriate.
"He made a minor mistake in judgment but in the end is an outstanding officer," the attorney said during a telephone interview.
Sheldon also said the result is a repudiation of the recommendation of the hearing officer that presided over the case and recommended Phan face trial on charges of assault as well as conduct unbecoming an officer. Phan could have been sentenced to 10 years in prison if convicted of the criminal assault charges.
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