Posted on 08/09/2007 2:47:45 AM PDT by freema
PLYMOUTH (MA) - The parents of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III met with the head of Marine Corps forces in the Middle East this week in the wake of their son’s conviction for killing an Iraqi civilian.
Larry and Kathy Hutchins asked Lt. Gen James Mattis to look into inconsistencies that emerged during their son’s recent court martial and consider evidence that never made it to the trial.
According to Tim Harrington, a friend of the Hutchins family, Mattis promised to review the record of the trial and determine if the Manomet native got a fair hearing. Larry and Kathy Hutchins also won permission to visit their son one last time Monday before they returned to the East Coast.
Lawrence Hutchins spent the weekend in solitary confinement in the Camp Pendleton brig following his conviction and sentencing by a military panel last week. He was released from solitary confinement Monday and will remain in a multi-man cell until the government determines where he will serve his 15-year sentence.
(Excerpt) Read more at plymouth.wickedlocal.com ...
“The fight has just begun,” Harrington said.
They won’t know what hit them.
Actually, they will, we’ve been telling them it is coming for some time now...
To all our Comrades, Soldier and Marine, Brothers and Sisters
that have been subject to these Judicial Charades.
We will not abandon you nor your families and loved ones.
We will see you all free, your lives restored. Your honor unblemished.
We will see those who have played these charades or supported them... dishonored and ruined.
W
Thank God our military wasn’t this PC during WWII. Every Marine who was involved in the “island hopping” campaigns in the Pacific would have been brought up on charges (i.e., they didn’t take a hell of a lot of prisoners). And, let’s not even talk about the fire bombings of Japanese cities (and, of course, Dresden in Germany); and, of course, just thinking about the nukes would make the PC-ers’ heads explode.
Here is another case of “murder” that a young soldier from metro Atlanta is going through.
Enough is enough, they’re in a freaking war zone!
Hopefully the general shall get sufficient facts to determine if this case should have even gone to trial.
If Sgt. Hutchins has been in solitary confinement this whole time, that is ridiculous. Solitary confinement will mess with your head. Maybe that was the point.
The Hamdania Marines were sent to a region described as a “hotbed of insurgent activity” and told to find terrorists and produce actionable intelligence shortly after arriving in Iraq. They had little to no training in this area. They were experienced in combat and patrol. Their purpose was to aid in countinsurgency efforts. And yet when they found insurgents and brought them in, the insurgents were released. Whatever happened in Hamdania, I tend to believe these Marines thought they were saving other Iraqi and Marines’ lives.
Now that the Marines have their conviction of unpremeditated murder, I hope Lt. Gen. Mattis shows compassion for his 2 remaining Marines in the brig. These are his men.
Oh my.
Girl, I can’t look at his wife, and not see me.
I don’t think like that very often. This post is a direct hit to my heart.
God bless her.
I agree that the marines should be shown compassion. I also believe that this marine should not be kept in solitary. He has paid too high of a price for protecting us as it is.
WHere is Sgt Hutchins now? Has he been move to Leavenworth or is there a chance he may get out.
I do not know if he’s in Leavenworth. Freema would more likely know. I’ll ping her.
Paging Race. I’ve not heard one peep....and nothing’s been posted since the court martial...waiting is interminable.
http://www.usmc.mil/lapa/Iraq/Hamdania/Hamdania-Timeline.htm
No, he is not in Leavenworth
A Poem for Sgt. Hutchins
by Steve Bryant
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A CAMP PENDLETON CELL MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
NO ONE DOWN THE CHIMNEY
NO PRESENTS TO GIVE,
A MARINE CORPS SERGEANT THEY NEED TO FORGIVE.
IF YOU LOOK ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT YOU WILL SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
A SOLDIER WHO FOUGHT IN A FAR DISTANT LAND.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBERING THOUGHT RUSHED THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR HIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
SO DARK AND SO COLD,
THE WISH OF A SERGEANT,
FOR HIS YOUNG CHILD TO HOLD.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
WITH NIGHTMARES OF WAR WHILE WISHING FOR HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE CELL WAS SO CLEAN,
THE PRIDE OF A MAN, A U.S. MARINE
WAS THIS LARRY HUTCHINS WHOM I HAD JUST READ,
CURLED UP ON A HARD BUNK WHICH SHOULD BE A BED?
I REALIZED HIS MOTHER
THROUGHOUT THIS LONG NIGHT,
WOULD DREAM OF HER YOUNG SON
WHO WAS WILLING TO FIGHT.
FOR WHAT HAVE WE DONE?
HE’S WITHOUT CHRISTMAS DAY,
CONDEMING OUR OWN,
FOR THIS WE’LL ALL PAY!
ENJOY YOUR SWEET FREEDOM
EACH DAY,MONTH, AND YEAR,
BECAUSE OF YOUNG SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN’T HELP WONDER
HOW HE LAY HERE ALONE,
WHILE THE ONES WHO ACCUSE HIM
SLEEP GENTLY AT HOME.
THAT VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
HOW COULD ALL OUR LEADERS
NOT HEAR OUR VOICE,
IT SEEMS TO US ALL
THEY MADE THE WRONG CHOICE.
HE FOUGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM, WITHOUT ASKING FOR MORE,
HIS LIFE IS OUR GOD, OUR COUNTRY, THE CORPS.’
TONIGHT WHEN YOU LAY DOWN
AND DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP,
TRY TO CONTAIN IT,
TRY NOT TO WEEP.
HIS VALIANT BEHAVIOR,
FOR THIS WE ADORE.
THERES NO NEED FOR CRYING,
JUST EVEN THE SCORE.
FREE LARRY HUTCHINS
THIS WE ALL ASK,
AND THOUGH IT TAKES COURAGE,
IT NEED BE OUR TASK.
ONE LAST THOUGHT FOR JIM CONNOLLY,
TO THIS YOU MAY DWELL
‘MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
YOU WILL SOON BURN IN HELL!
Blue Christmas Ping
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