[RedRover]

Key dates in cases against Camp Pendleton troops

By Mark Walker, North County Times

Fallujah case

Nov. 9, 2004: Four detained insurgents allegedly killed by a Camp Pendleton squad.

Nov. 19, 2006: Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe begins.

Aug. 16, 2007: Former Marine Sgt. Jose L. Nazario Jr. charged by civilian prosecutors in U.S. District court with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Aug. 20, 2007: Murder charge filed by Marine prosecutors against Sgt. Jermaine Nelson.

Sept. 12, 2007: Charges against Nelson withdrawn by the Marine Corps pending review of investigation.

Dec. 6, 2007: Murder charge and dereliction of duty filed against Nelson by the Marine Corps.

Haditha case

Nov. 19, 2005: A four-vehicle convoy containing U.S. service members from 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division and Iraqi forces encounter a roadside bomb and small-arms fire ambush near Haditha, Iraq. One U.S. Marine was killed and two wounded. Twenty-four civilians killed by Marines searching for their attackers.

Nov. 20, 2005: Military issues news release stating that 15 civilians were killed by an improvised explosive device and that U.S. Marines and Iraqi forces killed eight insurgents in the ensuing firefight.

Jan. 24, 2006: Time Magazine reporter contacts the Multi-National Force-West (2nd Marine Division) public affairs officer, claiming he is investigating the deliberate killing of civilians during an incident in Haditha, Iraq, on Nov. 19, 2005.

Feb. 14, 2006: Multi-National Corps - Iraq directs an investigation concerning the circumstances of the civilian deaths.

March 12, 2006: Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation launched into possible criminal conduct.

Dec. 21, 2006: Murder and related charges against four Marine enlisted men are announced. Dereliction of duty and related charges against four Marine officers for their failure to properly report and/or investigate the deaths also announced in briefing at Camp Pendleton.

April 2, 2007: Murder charges against Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz dismissed in exchange for his testimony.

Aug. 8, 2007: Murder charges against Lance Cpl. Justin L. Sharratt dismissed after finding he acted within rules of engagement.

Aug. 9 2007: Dereliction of duty charges against Capt. Randy W. Stone dismissed.

Aug. 30-Sept. 6, 2007: Article 32 hearing for enlisted men squad leader at Haditha, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich. Result pending.

Sept. 12, 2007: Dereliction charges against Capt. Lucas M. McConnell dismissed.

Oct. 19, 2007: Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum ordered to trial by court-martial in homicide and related charges.

Oct. 19, 2007: The battalion commander at Haditha, Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani, ordered to trial by court-martial for dereliction of duty.

Nov. 13-17: Article 32 hearing for 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson conducted. Result pending.

Hamdania case

April 26, 2006: Hashim Ibrahim Awad taken from his home and killed.

May 2006: Complaints from Awad's relatives result in investigation.

May 25, 2006: Seven Marines and one Navy corpsman placed in Camp Pendleton brig.

June 24, 2006: All eight troops are charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and other offenses for Awad's death.

Oct. 6, 2006: Corpsman Melson Bacos pleads guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy. Murder charges are dropped.

Nov. 17, 2006: Lance Cpl. Tyler Jackson sentenced to 21 months in jail for conspiracy and aggravated assault.

Nov. 18, 2006: Pvt. John Jodka sentenced to 18 months in jail for conspiracy and aggravated assault.

Nov. 22, 2006: Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate sentenced to 21 months for conspiracy and aggravated assault.

Feb. 17, 2007: Lance Cpl. Robert Pennington sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to murder and related offenses.

July 21, 2007: Cpl. Trent Thomas sentenced to time served after military jury convicts him of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder.

Aug. 2, 2007: Lance Cpl. Marshall Magincalda sentenced to time served after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.

Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins II sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of murder.

Aug. 8, 2007: Lt. Gen. Hames Mattis orders early release of now-Pvts. Shumate and Jackson.

Aug. 10, 2007: Lt. Gen. James Mattis orders early release of now-Pvt. Robert Pennington.

[Just A Nobody]

Thank you for posting this and for your concise list of events.

the prosecutions are sending a dangerous message

Yes they are. "Win the War" should be the only message

[RedRover]

Looking back over 2007, the outstanding individual who deserves the most applause for his defense of our Marines is Phil Brennan of NewsMax.

Long-time Haditha watchers will remember how bleak things looked a year ago. After charges were announced on December 21, there were a series of leaks damning the Marines.

It was Phil Brennan who struck back with Haditha Accusations Unmasked and other NewsMax articles beginning in late January that brought much needed perspective and accuracy (imagine that!) to the situation.

Additionally, it was through Phil Brennan's efforts at NewsMax that more than $200,000 was raised for the enlisted Marine defense funds.

For those reasons, Phil Brennan is the Defend Our Marines Man of the Year!

[RedRover]

Looking back over 2007, the outstanding individual who deserves the most applause for his defense of our Marines is Phil Brennan of NewsMax.

Long-time Haditha watchers will remember how bleak things looked a year ago. After charges were announced on December 21, there were a series of leaks damning the Marines.

It was Phil Brennan who struck back with Haditha Accusations Unmasked and other NewsMax articles beginning in late January that brought much needed perspective and accuracy (imagine that!) to the situation.

Additionally, it was through Phil Brennan's efforts at NewsMax that more than $200,000 was raised for the enlisted Marine defense funds.

For those reasons, Phil Brennan is the Defend Our Marines Man of the Year!

[lilycicero]

In the end, however, Coakley said the cases do serve as a lesson for present and future Marines

[Dick Vomer]

All this is, is showing the after action reports on the legal war against the Marines fought by the press, the libs and the other low life parasites that want to destroy the Marines fighting ability by introducing doubt at a critical time in a battle.

Don't ping me, don't reply to me about the sanctity of the legal system, don't try to convince me otherwise cause I've read the reports, I've served in combat, I've made decisions that lead to deaths of the enemy and others.

I've also got faith in the "system". It's just a cr#ppy way to treat a man that was willing to give his life for his country to be sold out by reporters, JAG ticket punchers, liberals, jihadist propaganda fighters and the rest of the democrat party like psuedo-Marine Murtha. (may he rest in a special sewer in hell)

[bray]

Our men are fighting a War, let them fight.

Pray for W and Our Marines

[brityank]

Thanks, Red.

Maybe our prayers will get answered in 2008, and these brave Marines can reclaim their honour and pride. Know that I am proud of them; that they have willingly placed themselves in harms way to help secure all of our freedoms.

Semper Fi, Marines, and God bless you all.

[PurpleMan]

Another daate forgotten:

June 8, 2007: Gates refuses to renominate Gen Pace as Chairman Joint Chiefs becasue he was afraid of the Senate. (Gates’ first step in trying to be SecDef for the next administration)

[RaceBannon]

April 26, 2006: Hashim Ibrahim Awad taken from his home and killed.

May 2006: Complaints from Awad’s relatives result in investigation.

And as this moron knows, the identity of the body was never proved, the family members all disappeared and there was zero forensic evidence connecting these Marines to the body.

Walker also knows that to a man, each one in private testifies to their own innocence and took plea bargains under direct threat of life in prison charges.

Walker also knows, because he attended the trials, that Lt Phan’s thumb drive was lost by NCIS, the evidence the men needed to exonerate themselves.

Mark Walker has no honor.

[xzins]

"No one has more of an interest in keeping their honor clean than the Marine Corps," he said. "Hopefully, at the end of the entire process, there will be enough facts for the commonsense American to understand what happened and why and be satisfied with the outcomes, whatever they may be

No way will I be satisfied if even one of the Haditha soldiers are convicted of anything at all.

There is extensive and logical reasons for believing that unlawful command influence has been at work in the Haditha case. The appearance of unlawful influence comes from the Pentagon and from Congress.