Code Of Injustice

IBD ^ | March 13, 2008

[Kaslin]

War Trial: Rep. John Murtha has been granted an exemption from testifying in the case of a Marine accused of crimes in the Iraqi town of Haditha. Isn't confronting your accuser one of the basic rights we're fighting for?

---

As our success in Iraq has caused it to fade as a campaign issue, so has the terrorist ambush of a Marine patrol in Haditha in November 2005 faded from public memory. But for the Marines charged with crimes in Haditha, it's an ongoing nightmare.

After one of their comrades was killed by an IED, the Marines of Kilo Co., 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, took small-arms fire from nearby houses. They returned fire and went house to house searching for their attackers.

For their efforts in responding to a terrorist ambush, four Marines were charged with murder of innocent civilians and engaging in a rampage of revenge for their fallen comrade.

Marine Lt. Col. Jefferey Chessani was battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, at the time, one of the most decorated battalions in the nation's history. He is charged with "dereliction of duty" and "orders" violations for allegedly failing to properly report and investigate the incident.

At the time, based on battlefield information, Chessani felt there was no crime to investigate.

A video presented at evidence at Chessani's hearing provides a minute-by-minute picture of that day's action, confirming the Marines' story that they were merely doing what they were trained to do — responding to a perceived threat with overwhelming force.

[freekitty]

And why is this?

[Kaslin]

It’s not right. The judge should have forced Murtha to testify

[deuteronlmy232]

And why is this?

Because CIC won't stand up for his men.

[dynachrome]

IBD editorial on POS murtha and the Haditha case.

[Eagles6]

Good run down.

[italianquaker]

This murtha really is a traitor even worse then kerry

[Viking2002]

If his coal field constituency didn't walk on all fours and bugger livestock, Big Fat Murtha would have been recalled in disgrace and exiled to the dilithium mines on Rura Penthe. New Yawkers inflicted Eliot Spitzer on themselves; Pennsylvanians thrust Big Fat Murtha up the rest of us like a muriatic acid enema.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This may be used as grounds for dismissal. That is, the defense can state that Murtha, a congressman influential with military appropriations, has directly or indirectly prejudiced the military command authority against the defendant(s).

Since Murtha has made statements clearly in reference to this particular case, yet the court has refused the request of the defense to subpoena him about specific knowledge he claimed to have received *from* the military command authority, especially specific individuals in the MCA who might have acted in a manner prejudicial to good military order and discipline, the legal assumption *has* to be that there was improper influence.

In other words, if *anyone* in the military command authority talked to Murtha at all about this case, then influence has to be assumed. And since the court refuses to determine whether or not this can be *refuted* (not *proven*—the assumption is that it has been proven), the defendant(s) have been denied the right to a fair hearing.

This is no different than if Murtha had publicly demanded that the defendant(s) be found guilty. Undue influence has happened. Now the court has in essence refused to allow the defense to ask the military command authority if they have been influenced. The court won’t allow them to deny it.

That should mean a slam dunk dismissal of all charges.

[PGalt]

The POS earmark pig is wallowing in his own excrement.

[RedRover]

[Girlene]

LOL. Where’s PigFoot? I guess he gets a free pass during the trials after calling the Haditha Marines “cold-blooded murderers”.

[El Gato]

It’s not right. The judge should have forced Murtha to testify

Darn right he should have. The only "military" exception to the 5th and 6th amendments involves the right to a grand jury indictment. No exception at all in the 6th amendment, which is the one that guarantees the rights "to be confronted with the witnesses against him" and "to have a compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor".

There's also no exemption for sitting CongressCritters.

[RedRover]

It’s a pretty funny video (the picture is a hyperlink) if you haven’t already seen it!

[Girlene]

It’s a pretty funny video (the picture is a hyperlink) if you haven’t already seen it!

Thanks, I hadn't noticed. I'll check it out.

[smoothsailing]

I stole your picture! HA!!!

[smoothsailing]

I agree with you. You sound like you may know more about the law than a layman such as I. Could this also be considered a denial of due process?

[jazusamo]

Good editorial by IBD, they did their homework and got the facts right.

[smoothsailing]

[jazusamo]

I agree with you also and with what Smooth said. If you’ld care to be on the Haditha Marine ping list let RedRover or me know.