Or this...
Posted on 08/31/2007 5:01:19 PM PDT by RedRover
CAMP PENDLETON -- One week before 24 civilians were slain by members of a Marine platoon in the Iraqi city of Haditha, the squad leader allegedly said his men should kill everyone in the area if they were attacked by a roadside bomb, a government witness alleged Friday.
Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz made the accusation Friday morning during the second day of a hearing that will determine if the squad leader, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, will face trial on 17 murder charges.
Dela Cruz said Wuterich's comment came during a conversation with him and another Marine after they learned a couple of its platoon members had been injured in a bombing one week prior to the Haditha civilian killings on Nov. 19, 2005.
"We found they had got hit and everyone was pretty upset about that," Dela Cruz said while being questioned by the lead prosecutor, Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan. "Sgt. Wuterich made the comment that if we ever get his again, we should kill everybody in that vicinity."
One week later, Wuterich was leading his squad on a resupply mission in Haditha when a roadside bomb destroyed a Humvee, killing a lance corporal and triggering the civilian killings.
Dela Cruz was charged last year with five counts of murder for his role at Haditha. But those charges were dropped earlier this year in exchange for his testimony against his former squad mates.
Immediately after the Nov. 19 bombing, Dela Cruz testified that Wuterich shot and killed five unarmed Iraqi men who emerged from a car that drove up.
"They were just standing around and some of them had their hands up," Dela Cruz said.
He acknowledged shooting those men also, but said he did so after each had fallen, to make sure they were dead.
Dela Cruz also testified that in a later conversation, Wuterich told him that if anyone asked about the men from the car, he should say they were running from the scene when they were shot. Running away would have suggested the men were involved in the bombing and therefore the shooting could have been deemed justifiable.
Wuterich's attorneys will cross-examine Dela Cruz later today and are expected to point out inconsistencies in prior statements he had made to investigators. A physical reconstruction of the scene near the car will be part of the defense case.
On Thursday, a Marine prosecutor said that a lance corporal told authorities investigating the Haditha incident that he and Wuterich were responsible for killing several women and children inside a home the Marines assaulted after the bombing.
The prosecutor, Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan, made the statement as he questioned Lance Cpl. Humberto Mendoza.
"Did you know that on April 3, 2006, Lance Cpl. (Stephen) Tatum gave a statement saying that he and Sgt. Wuterich shot the women and children?" Sullivan asked Mendoza.
Mendoza, who was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony, said he shot two men during the attack, including one Iraqi man who he said Wuterich ordered him to kill as the Iraqi stood in a doorway of the house where the women and children also died.
"Wait until I open the door and shoot," Mendoza quoted Wuterich as saying in reference to the killing of the man.
Wuterich has told investigators he was taking small-arms fire from one of the homes near the explosion and ordered his troops to consider anyone inside as the enemy.
"I told them to shoot first, ask questions later," he told authorities last year.
Wuterich's attorneys argue the Iraqis killed inside their homes died as he and his squad carried out a legitimate combat action in response to being attacked.
The hearing officer presiding over Wuterich's case, Lt. Col. Paul Ware, recommended last week that murder charges against Tatum be dropped, saying he was following the lead of Wuterich and that the evidence against him was insufficient to warrant a trial.
See Saturday's North County Times for a full report on Friday's hearing.
I just posted this article to you on the other thread...
The abrupt end is just too weird, even for this case. Any news from our insider yet?
They were in an area infested with insurgents, who used intimidation and fear among the civilian population against not only the Marines, but also any Iraqi who dealt with the Marines -- "Kill them all, let God sort them out!" is a common expression when your team gets severely hit.
It would be sad if we have to acknowledge that Wuterich has to pay because his attorney was off his game that day.
Prayers outbound for SSgt. Wuterich and his loved ones. I’m more worried about this case ‘cause the JAGoffs are battin’ .000 and will give their all to bury this fine Marine.
This accusation is utter nonsense. Of course, you shoot first and ask questions later when you are attacked. What kind of stupid accusation is this? The marines learn at boot camp how to survive; their instincts are trained and honed to survive and to win. Now the USA is going to put someone on trial because they did what they were trained to do?
Bush should have purged the government of Clinton operatives. Democrats have disordered minds, and are not fit to govern. With their insane ideas, they will get us all killed.
That was my thought when I read about Wuterich's comments.
Me Lie II is blowing up like an IED.
Pray for W and Our Marines
You’re damn right, brit.
If I had a nickel for every time I told my kids I was going to kill them....
DELLA CRUZ IS AN OUTSIDER, A FOREIGN NATIONAL, THE SHORTEST MAN IN THE UNIT, THE WEAK LINK THE PROSECUTORS RIGHTLY ESTIMATED COULD BE BROKEN. THEY THREATENED HIM AND PROMISED HIM IMMUNITY IF HE WOULD TESTIFY AGAINST AND LIE ABOUT HIS BROTHERS IN ARMS. HE IS A PATHETIC, DESPICABLE HUMAN BEING. THE CHAIRBORNE LAWYERS WHO USED HIM ARE EVEN WORSE.HIS TESTIMONY—FABRICATIONS MADE ONLY TO SAVE HIS OWN UNWORTHY HIDE—IS WORTHLESS.
Or this...
Or this...
Whoops.
Whoops.
Nat’s writing up a story now. Should have it before long.
Let me see…..Sharratt and Wuterich supply sworn statements to the NCIS as to the events in House 4. These statements are solid and have not changed from day 1. The government forensic evidence collaborates the Sharratt and Wuterich sworn sttements to a tee. Sharratt and Wuterich are exonerated of the deaths in House 4 based on their statements and the forensic evidence.
Mendoza and DelaCruz have changed their statements many times. Mendoza and DelaCruz failed polygraph exams. Mendoza and DelaCruz have not given one shred of credible evidence in these hearings. I believe Lt Col Paul Ware suspects the NCIS has these two in the “bag.” As Girlene stated…….. The Haditha Marines are engaged in a firefight. IED goes off. Small arms fire. M203 grenades going off. QRF force taking fire. The clearing of hostile houses——and Mendoza knocks on a door and stolls through one of the houses, checking a room and asking a Marine if he can shoot I believe Lt Col Paul Ware is sick of the lies, stories, NCIS manipulating and the plain bullsh-t. Lt Col Ware IS a law judge. He knows it takes evidence to present a case..not lies and stories.
Sgt Wuterich followed his ROE and Law of War in Haditha on 19 November 2005. 3rd squad, 3/1 kilo Company was in a firefight this day. Sgt Wuterich used sound military judgement and followed orders in clearing those houses. He is a hero, a fine Marine and an American treasure. Sgt Frank Wuterich preserved the lives of His Marines. He will be exonerated.
God Bless Our Haditha Marines
Darryl Sharratt
I know the family appreciates the support. I can’t imagine the tension they’re feeling. They now have three days, over the Labor Day weekend, to worry about the rest of the hearing.
**giggle** I think you have the hiccups. I always drink a glass of water upside down. Works every time. ;^)
I am sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear more about today’s hearing.
Thank you, Darryl, for standing by and speaking up for the rest of the Haditha Marines.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.