Advocates Call Iraq Marine's Court Martial and Conviction Into Question

The Salem-News ^ | Aug-09-2007 | Tim King

[brityank]

Aug-09-2007 05:40

Advocates Call Iraq Marine's Court Martial and Conviction Into Question

Tim King Salem-News.com

Former Marines investigating the case say there is far more than meets the eye; the court martial is currently under appeal and review.

Photo of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins with his lawyer
Courtesy: DoD

(SALEM, Ore.) - A Marine convicted for murder in Iraq is receiving increasing public support by those who believe he is not guilty. Marine Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins has been sentenced to 15-years for the killings in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.

Friends say Hutchins
is innocent

Advocates say a number of the government's dirty secrets bear their load on this Marine, considered by many as a scapegoat.

The particular case in Iraq involves the questionable death of one Iraqi civilian male. Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III's parents are not taking it in stride; meeting recently with the head of Marine Corps forces in the Middle East in the wake of their son’s conviction for killing an Iraqi civilian.

Marine Lt. Gen James Mattis has been asked to look into inconsistencies that emerged during the recent court martial and consider evidence that was not included in the trial.

Tim Harrington is a personal friend of the Hutchins family who has worked tirelessly on the case.

Advocates of Hutchins like Harrington say the Marine is not the only American combat vet dealing with the "scapegoat" issue; the case of an Army Ranger, SSgt. Ray Girouard, bears unusual similarities to Hutchins’.

Girouard was convicted in March of three counts of negligent homicide for the deaths of three detainees after an Army raid in Iraq in May 2006. Girouard maintains that he was only following orders, as does Hutchins.

Lawrence Hutchins has been in solitary confinement in the Camp Pendleton brig since his conviction and sentencing by a military panel last month. He is now out of solitary confinement. It is reported that he will remain in a multi-man cell until the government decides where he will serve his 15-year sentence.

But a lawyer for Hutchins is preparing papers seeking clemency. It seems there were many questionable aspects to his General Court martial. The case was also automatically forwarded to the Navy-Marine Court of Criminal Appeal for review.

The Deloitte connection

Americans are well aware of the billions of dollars of income that the Iraq War has meant for defense contractors. They might be surprised to learn however, that this relatively quiet "accounting" firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has been active in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq for many years. Their psychologists were used to examine Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins.

Marine Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins
during his court martial

A group of former marines have been studying the history of the Al Anbar province during 2003-2006. They believe they have put together a fairly clear view of a somewhat larger picture that takes the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu firm and military court martial practices into account.

For the most part, Deloitte claims to be an accounting firm.

Former Marine Warren Bonesteel alleges that they were involved in the outcome of Hutchin's court martial.

"What we do know for certain is that Deloitte was - and is - directly and indirectly involved in Al Anbar province, and, for our present purposes, specifically in Haditha. We also know that NCIS uses contracted Deloitte psychologists. The same psychologists may have been used by both defense and prosecution legal teams in order to examine the Marines in question. We know that NCIS operatives, 'managers', and even the NCIS director himself, have gone to work for Deloitte in the two and some odd years since the incident in question.

Bonesteel says NCIS was in control of intelligence operations in Al Anbar during 2004, including the publishing of propaganda. Problems associated with that effort were later blamed on the platoon/company of combat Marines in question. Bonesteel points out that combat Marines don't do twenty million dollars worth of publishing.

"We also know that Deloitte or its subsidiaries and alliances handle the 'auditing' and business 'consulting' for a great many of the contractors and sub-contractors in Al Anbar province as well as in other areas of Iraq.

These include construction, healthcare, Internet Technology, transportation, private security firms, food and facilities management, oil industry manufacturing and experts, hydroelectric, banking, labor, education, etc., and so on. NCIS also has several other contracts with Deloitte and its subsidiaries.

He says his research also shows that men like William Delahunt, John Murtha and others, including most of those who sit on various appropriations committees, receive more than half of their campaign contributions from Deloitte and from its subsidiaries or "alliances."

Others on that list include Walter B. Jones, Trent Lott and Nancy Pelosi.

"We know that Deloitte directly or indirectly handles a great many, if not most, of the contracts going into the Pentagon, including retirement, life insurance and healthcare. We know that Deloitte also handles the money and business consulting for most of the companies and conglomerates who contract with the Pentagon. We know that Deloitte and it's subsidiaries and 'alliances' have lobbyists all over D.C. and in every state capitol in America."

He says they have offices and lobbyists in nearly every national capitol and, seemingly, in almost every provincial and state capitol in the world.

"We know that men like Delahunt also have direct and indirect connections to known terrorist supporters and to lobbyists with both direct and indirect ties to Deloitte. Among these groups and lobbyists are individuals, banks, and groups directly and indirectly associated with CAIR, the ISNA, MAS, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Muslim individuals, groups and organizations on a national and international basis. Deloitte is also involved directly and indirectly handling financing for those same groups and organizations."

Bonesteel says most of these individuals, and almost all of the organizations, are known to actively support Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Queda, among other terrorist and jihadist groups. "And we have Delahunt's staff lawyer currently sitting in the courtrooms of these court martials, and allowed to wander about them quite freely, including 'advising' the prosecution's legal teams."

He says that Deloitte has had - and continues to have - business dealings with Iran, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, and others committed to the open or subversive destruction of America.

"We know that several of those nations are actively involved in supporting terrorist operations in Iraq and around the world."

He says that what the don't know at the moment, is what specific event or series of events, or series of 'business deal' began what he calls the slide towards having our fighting men and women prosecuted for 'murdering' the enemies of America in known combat zones.

"Killing the enemy is what they get paid for. In a combat zone, on an active battlefield, killing the other guy first has always been considered to be a measure of success by military strategists and tacticians throughout history."

The Marine's friend says that even with the above mentioned issues aside, there are glaring problems with the military justice system.

"For example, there is no outside accountability, and the military's Senior SNCO and staff level officer ranks are relatively small, almost inbred, communities. NCIS has little or no accountability to anyone, anywhere. NCIS has also begun 'civilian' operations within the United States, most notably within the state of Washington. JAG isn't much better."

He says the public needs to be on the lookout over "questionable" principles employed during these Iraq War court martials. That includes future NCIS and JAG officers' promotions, future options regarding choices of military assignments and deployments, and future civilian employment/careers and other forms of "remuneration."

Bonesteel suspects that within two to four years, they and/or their proteges will make surprising leaps in their careers and financial well-being.

"In any case, we well understand why Delahunt, Walter B Jones and a dozen others on both sides of the aisle have completely ignored our efforts to bring to light evidence that will exonerate the Haditha Marines...and prove their innocence. General Mattis is also quite aware of what we have presented."

As for the case of Army SSgt Ray Girouard, the town of Sweetwater, Tennessee is maintaining a vigilant show of support. A sign hanging in the middle of town states: “SSgt. Ray Girouard Fought For Us, Now We Fight For Him.”

"This is such a small, close community. He grew up in this community and they just felt responsible for Ray," one of his neighbors said.

In this small Tennessee town fundraisers and cash donations have flowed in, allowing them to hire a private attorney for Girouard and help his family pay expenses. Despite his conviction, the community continues to believe in Girouard’s innocence and say they support his ongoing bid for clemency.

In the meanwhile, citizens of Sweetwater are paying for Girouard to get a college education while serving a 10 year prison term.

Larry Orr is the pastor of the First Assembly of God church in Sweetwater. He says the town is conservative and pro-establishment for the most part, but they quickly sensed something was wrong, based on what they knew of Girouard.

"We all felt pretty early on there we were left with plenty of reason to believe that our guy did not out and out murder anybody," Orr stated.

The local VFW in Hutchin's hometown quietly assisted the family with travel expenses. Friends have provided support through the sale of “Free Larry” T-shirts. Harrington hopes to expand the effort in the weeks to come. Friends of the family hope to generate support for Hutchins with a town meeting that will take a closer look at the case and the inconsistencies that developed during last week’s court martial.

According to the Marine's advocates, "The fight has just begun."

[Leatherneck_MT]

We’ll help light the fuse!

[RedRover]

Bones has the documentation on this.

He claims that NCIS was in charge of intelligence operations in Anbar in 2004. I would like to see the documentation on this, please.

[RedRover]

Trying to keep up with the facts in the immediate cases is enough for me!

I’ve posted pdfs of documents in the Haditha hearings. If there are pdfs of testimony or other documents in the Hamdania cases, I’d love to help get them out there.

[rwsteel]

Quite frankly, Dave, you aren't worth my time... It isn't a question of schoolyard antics. The question is: red pill or blue pill? The choice is yours. Once you make it, you can never go back. ===== http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/12/mil-041228-usmc02.htm NCIS has distinct mission in Iraq's Al Anbar province Marine Corps News Story Identification #: 2004122812245 Story by Cpl. Joel A. Chaverri AL ASAD, Iraq (Dec. 28, 2004) -- Marines and Sailors deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom have a guardian angel: the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. http://www.vegsource.com/talk/flame/messages/5573.html From:  Bart (129.171.32.13)  Subject:       Military Knew of Contractor's Pay-to-Play Media in Iraq  Date:    December 18, 2005 at 9:05 am PST  Military Knew of Contractor's Pay-to-Play Media in Iraq  By Mark Mazzetti and Kevin Sack  The Los Angeles Times  Sunday 18 December 2005 http://eccentricstar.typepad.com/public_diplomacy_weblog_n/iraq_afghanistan/index.html "Navy to Probe Ambassador Cousin's Death," by Robert Reid - AP (Baghdad), 21 Aug 2005 The U.S. military said Sunday it has ordered a criminal investigation into the June death of the 21-year-old cousin of Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, who alleged that U.S. Marines killed his unarmed relative in cold blood during a raid in western Iraq. Following a preliminary investigation, the case involving the death of Mohammed al-Sumaidaie has been referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS, for further investigation, the military said in a statement.... Report Concludes US Propaganda in Iraq Not Against Regulations - But Not Effective, Either "US Urged to Stop Paying Iraqi Reporters," by David S. Cloud - the New York Times, 24 May 2006 (registration required) WASHINGTON, May 23 — A Defense Department investigation of Pentagon-financed propaganda efforts in Iraq warns that paying Iraqi journalists to produce positive stories could damage American credibility and calls for an end to military payments to a group of Iraqi journalists in Baghdad, according to a summary of the investigation. http://www.topdog08.com/2005/11/index.html http://dailywarnews.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html ===== NCIS investigations http://www.aclu.org/torturefoia/released/121404.html Department of Navy Documents  (released by the ACLU 12/14/04, by the government 11/23/04) Haditha, Iraq Investigation Timeline http://www.usmc.mil/lapa/Iraq/Haditha/Haditha-Timeline.htm http://www.ncis.navy.mil/NewsDetails.asp?Type=Cur&Id=337 http://www.t-g.com/story/1108254.html "It took the FBI a day to get to Fallujah to begin its investigation," Lapan said. "NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigation Service) joined the investigators. It took considerable time for the FBI and NCIS to interview and obtain statements from witnesses and contractor personnel to provide the commander with enough information to make a reasonable determination." Blanchard asks: How could NCIS "join" an investigation it started before the FBI arrived? NCIS took identification cards provided by the contractor hired by the Army Corps of Engineers. http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2005/62.htm Director Recognizes NCIS Special Agents in Bahrain By Photographer's Mate 1st Class Curt Cooper, COMUSNAVCENT/5th Fleet Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain -- The director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) recognized several special agents and an investigator from the NCIS, Middle East Field Office, June 15, for their superior achievements in Iraq. "We are doing unique things in that theater-- these gentlemen did things in that theater-- that others cannot, have not, and may not be able to do in the future," said NCIS Director David Brant. "They volunteered to be there and their work had a significant impact." security contractor photos in Iraq http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39552 http://thehill.com/business--lobby/former-ncis-director-makes-lateral-move-to-the-recreational-sector-2006-05-23.html Former NCIS director makes 'lateral move to the recreational sector'   By Roxana Tiron   May 23, 2006  David Brant had 15 seconds of fame on CBS’s Tuesday hit show “NCIS.” As part of what he calls his CBS retirement gift, Brant, the former director of the real NCIS, or Navy Criminal Investigative Service, got to play himself in a scene with the show’s leading actor, Mark Harmon. All Brant had to say in response to Harmon’s brief remark on his retirement was, “I like to refer to it as a lateral move to the recreational sector.” It took all of four hours to shoot the 15 seconds. Brant earlier this year accepted an offer to become a consultant for Deloitte’s public- and private-sector practice in homeland security and justice. (http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/home/0,1044,sid%25253D2000,00.html) http://accounting.smartpros.com/x39807.xml But USAID abruptly put the job out for competitive bidding after a consortium led by Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte & Touche and IBM Global Services complained to the agency and Congress that it had been shut out of the process. http://www.digitalmediaasia.com/default.asp?ArticleID=24877 Centrecom signs contract with Deloitte  Ireland-based broadband provider, Centrecom has signed a contract with Deloitte to facilitate home working by Deloitte employees. http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=12808110 BearingPoint Gears Up For Iraq Rebuilding   Firm prepares for wiped-out IT infrastructure and safety risks  By Paul McDougall  InformationWeek   August 4, 2003 12:00 AM (From the August 4, 2003 issue)    "We usually go in when the bullets have stopped. Trouble is, they haven't stopped yet," says Tom DeGarmo, a BearingPoint consultant who could be headed to Iraq as soon as this week to help rebuild the country's computing infrastructure. http://www.citizenworks.org/news/index.php?id=209 CAOB PCAOB reports find major deficiencies in audits of Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has completed its audits of Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the results are not pretty. The PCAOB found that eight of E&Y's audits and 30 of PwC's audits were so big that the accounting firms failed to obtain "sufficient competent evidential matter." These audits contained deficiencies of "such significance" that regulators may call into question their assessments of company finances. In one case, E&Y did not even properly assess whether it was appropriate for a client to count a divested business as a discontinued operation. In nine cases, PwC did not properly confirm accounts receivable.Now, the PCAOB has completed reports of all of the Big Four accounting firms. Last month, it found deficiencies in six percent of audits by Deloitte & Touche and 25 percent of audits by KPMG. Ginn Weblog: Trade Archives ASIL Insights: Iraq Reconstruction Contracts ... See also this press release, issued at 6:26pm today by JetBlue, "JetBlue Retains Deloitte & Touche to ... blogs.fletcher.tufts.edu/ ginnblog/archives/cat_trade.html - 25k - http://www.conferencepage.com/mcndirect/issues/mcndirect020603.asp#1 1. DELOITTE CONSULTING IN ABOUT TURN  Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has made a dramatic U-turn, deciding to integrate Deloitte Consulting back into its audit business after the consultancy failed to complete a management buyout plan (MCN Direct Vol. 2 No. 13). The integration is due to be completed in a few weeks' time and will create a single organisation that combines Deloitte Consulting with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu's business consulting and human capital practices. http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=8297257662296⟨=en-US&mkt=en-US&FORM=CVRE2 Millions wasted on Navy boat barriers Rules skirted, defects abound in effort to protect ships from terror attacks By Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr.  Updated: 1:45 a.m. CT May 24, 2007 The men from al-Qaeda guided their bomb-laden skiff through the harbor and drew near the USS Cole, detonating a quarter-ton of C-4 plastic explosive that killed 17 sailors and tore a 40-foot hole in the side of the Navy destroyer. Eventually, NCIS investigated its own contract. NCIS officials said the GSA had "responsibility for ensuring that contracts are properly awarded and executed." An NCIS spokesman declined to elaborate or discuss the allegations, saying "there is a joint, ongoing criminal investigation into this matter." Northern was told by NCIS officials to hire P-Con Consulting of Alexandria. The company's sole employee was Patrick Condon, who already worked as a security consultant to NCIS. Condon received a title for his role in the project: deputy program manager for Navy boat barriers. re: Brandt: http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=8297257662296⟨=en-US&mkt=en-US&FORM=CVRE2 http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/employee_profile/0,1007,sid=2228&cid=149625,00.html

[rwsteel]

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/08/convicted-marine-hutchins-gains-public.html#links
SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2007
 
 Convicted Marine Hutchins Gains Public Support
Thanks to Papa Ray for sending this story on the court marshal of Haditha marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins from the Salem News:

Marine Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins during his court martial. (Salem News)

[rwsteel]

will murtha apologize - Topic Powered by eve community
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070809174227.xs57kf1r&show_article=1 ·
Advocates Call Iraq Marine’s Court Martial and Conviction Into Question ...
community.cnhi.com/eve/ forums/a/tpc/f/682109522/m/203109989 - 94k - 23 hours
ago - Cached - Similar pages

[RedRover]

Oh, crud, not this crap again. What happened to your sock puppet?

This is a discussion forum. If you’re not willing to coherently discuss the results of your Googling, threads like this one can’t go anywhere.

[freema]

Will murtha apologize?
http://www.theorator.com/senate.html
House
http://www.theorator.com/government/house.html

Special Agent Greg Hull-Ryde was recognized for his work in the Strategic Counter-Intelligence Directorate (SCID), Baghdad. SCID is a joint effort charged with conducting counter-intelligence operations throughout the Iraqi theater.

“I volunteered because I knew it would be a unique opportunity to work closely with the other services in a wartime environment. I knew the work was going to be challenging,” Hull-Ryde said. “I knew it was going to be exciting, and it turned out to be all of those things.”

Brant also praised the NCIS Middle East Field Office for its far-reaching influence throughout the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

“The NCIS mission consists of criminal investigative support, counter-terrorism support, counter-intelligence support,” said Brant. “Wherever the fleet deploys, wherever there is a naval presence, our special agents are typically in advance of or next to that presence providing counter-terrorism, force protection and counter-intelligence support.”
http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2005/62.htm

Ping to bones’ Post#44

[freema]

What are the odds of finding more info on one of the incidents referenced in your Post #44, moments ago.....

By DEBORAH HASTINGS, AP National Writer Sat Aug 11, 2:10 PM ET

Sixteen American security guards were arrested and jailed by U.S. Marines in battle-scarred Fallujah in 2005 following a day of shooting incidents in which they allegedly fired on a Marine observation post, a combat patrol and civilians walking and driving in the city, about 40 miles west of Baghdad.
The guards, employed by Zapata Engineering of North Carolina, were imprisoned for three days. “They were detained because their actions posed a threat to coalition forces. I would say that constitutes a serious event,” Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Lapan said at the time.
The contractors were released and returned to the U.S., where they claimed the Marines humiliated and taunted them in prison, calling them “mercenaries” and intimidating them with dogs. The private guards denied taking part in the shootings.
Last year, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service closed its criminal investigation of the case “for lack of prosecutive merit,” a spokesman said. None of the 16 men where charged.
But days after the shootings, Marine Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson, commander of western Iraq, banned the 16 contractors from every military installation in the area.
In letters to each man, the general wrote: “Your convoy was speeding through the city and firing shots indiscriminately, some of which impacted positions manned by U.S. Marines.
“Your actions endangered the lives of innocent Iraqis and U.S. service members in the area.”
___
http

[donmeaker]

Sound like Deletoite is like the Illuminati...

They are all over the world, running everything from the shadows. They wrote the EU constitution, and then counted the votes to reject it....

You note that the lawyer is not asserting the facts. Usually that means that the facts are not in his clients favor.

Sounds like the lawyer would like to get his guy off on the coattails of the Haditha unit. If he can, I would be surprised. I imagine that most of the people on the jury had been in combat recently. That is the way it is supposed to be.

[donmeaker]

In any combat situation, the Air Force will get the most funding, the Navy will get the most command billets, the Marines will get the most publicity, and the Army will do the most fighting.

[rwsteel]

Which specific incidents? :O)

[freema]

I can’t find it now! I just read it!

[Marine_Uncle]

Nice reply to rwsteel.

[freema]

Thanks, Unc.

Here it is: http://www.t-g.com/story/1108254.html
It was about 2/3 of the way into your post.

[freema]

here’s the link, didn’t realize I didn’t have it all in that post.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070811/ap_on_re_us/contractor_shootings;_ylt=AkCSgdEJuw7ku9bMjYgzAMis0NUE

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks. But I gotta hit the rack. Tis 9PM. And my eyes will hardly stay open. Have a pleasant evening.

[freema]

From the new yahoo account: Last year, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service closed its criminal investigation of the case “for lack of prosecutive merit,” a spokesman said. None of the 16 men where charged.

[rwsteel]

That particular case, you know as much as I do.

I came at this from the direction of their connections to NCIS and the Haditha Marines

[freema]

I don’t know anything, either. It sure was coincidental, them wrapping up a long and old investigation for lack of prosecutorial conviction after all this time, and wrapping it up the minute you posted that link.