Marine heads to trial on obstruction charges in Haditha case [Lt Grayson court martial]

Associated Press via Mercury News ^ | May 28, 2008 | Chelsea J. Carter

[RedRover]

SAN DIEGO—A Marine intelligence officer heads to court Wednesday to answer charges of obstruction of justice and making false statements during an investigation into the killings of 24 Iraqis.

The court-martial of 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson is the first case to come to trial in the biggest U.S. criminal case involving civilian deaths to come out of the Iraq war.

Authorities maintain eight Marines killed the Iraqis shortly after a roadside bomb hit a convoy, killing the driver of a Humvee and wounding two Marines.

Grayson of Springboro, Ohio, was not present at the scene of the killings on Nov. 19, 2005, in Haditha, but is accused of telling a sergeant to delete photographs of the dead from his digital camera.

Investigators allege after the bombing, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich and a squad member allegedly shot five men by a car at the scene. Wuterich then allegedly ordered his men into several houses, where they cleared rooms with grenades and gunfire, killing unarmed civilians in the process.

Charges against all but three Marines, including Grayson, have been dropped.

[Allegra]

GREAT news! Thanks for the “heads up.”

[jazusamo]

Outstanding, Red!!

One fourth of the way to Lt. Grayson being fully exonerated and HE WILL BE!

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP!!!
Next, the rest of the bogus charges must go!

[ticked]

Great news!!!!!!!!!

[Girlene]

In a courtroom shocker today, military judge Major Brian Kasprzyk dismissed one of four charges pending against Lt. Andrew Grayson. The charge dismissed is obstructing justice.

WHAT????!!!!!

Isn't this the "crux" of the prosecution's case against 1st Lt. Grayon? Hallelujah! Throw the rest of the extranious "crap" out. It was only put out there to try to convict him of obstruction.

[brityank]

The charge dismissed is obstructing justice.

Three charges still stand against the lieutenant: two charges of making a false official statement and one charge of attempting to fraudulently leave the Marine Corps.

Woo hoo !!

Great news, Red.

So he is NOT GUILTY of Obstructing Justice. That is the spec of ordering Laughner to delete the photos from his laptop, right?.
Without the charge on the pictures of Laughner's computer, the other charges of False Official Statements thereto are moot -- they are invalid.

Now to blow them out on that ridiculous charge of trying to get out of the Marines illegally. Then I hope he can recover damages for false arrest (he was held) and misprision of felony and acts under colour of authority. Yeah, I know -- fat chance!

[amom]

Excellent good news! Thanks for keeping us posted.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the summary.

[Girlene]

So he is NOT GUILTY of Obstructing Justice.

It appears this case has fallen apart. From what little I've seen reported about "lying" to investigators......I think he told the truth. The pictures did not exist; they were deleted; end of story.

Fraudulently trying to seperate from the Marines......ummmm... they granted him his discharge papers then took them back.

Dismising the obstructing justice charge is a HUGE deal, imo. It almost equates to a Matlock moment.

[brityank]

It almost equates to a Matlock moment.

Think we should ping jude? ;^)

[Girlene]

"It almost equates to a Matlock moment. "

Think we should ping jude? ;^)

Okay! Hey, jude, pinging you to a Matlock moment. (However, we Freepers have no idea why. If we did, we'd take credit!) :-)

[4woodenboats]

It almost equates to a Matlock moment.

Think we should ping jude? ;^)

I'm wondering if the only reason the judge didn't throw the rest of charges out is that he can't wait to hear the prosecution explain the whopper about handing Grayson his discharge papers and then filing charges against him for signing them.

We might have to add Rockford. This sounds like something right out of a Rockford File.

[brityank]

LOL.

Now go here and see what I told MU. I think I need some speed-up pills!

[brityank]

This sounds like something right out of a Rockford File.

Or maybe Joe Gannon.       ;^)
Dum. De dum dum.

[jazusamo]

I can’t believe the charge wasn’t thrown out on the discharge matter after a panel member asked LtCol Gillan if anyone told Lt Grayson not to check out till everything was settled and the Col said no. That seems to me to be a clear cut reason to dismiss the charge.

[Semper Fi Mom]

YES, YES, YES!!!! Now let’s drop the rest of the charges and let Lt. Grayson get on with his life!!

[StarCMC]

EXCELLENT news!! Now for the other three!!

[StarCMC]

"This sounds like something right out of a Rockford File."

I'm thinking A-Team -- "I love it when a plan comes together."

[xzins]

Threw out the obstruction charge!!!

The obstruction charge was the whole point. The false statement charges stemmed from the obstruction charge. If he hadn’t been charged with obstructing justice, then he would have been charged with stating that he’d deleted pictures. It was evident that the pictures had been deleted and that he’d been truthful about it.

Wasn’t there a comment in the Art 32 by someone to that effect that he couldn’t wait to see how they tried to prove the lying charge?

The big question in my mind is will we hear the trial judge’s reasoning for dropping the obstruction charges.

As always, there’s no way that the discharge from the Marines issue should be attached to this case. It is a separate case.

[RedRover]

That was (partly) why it was shocking.

Defense attorney Joe Casa introduced a motion to dismiss the fraudulent discharge. The judge denied it, but said he had a motion of his own.

The reason for the move to dismiss was based on procedural issues. We’ll have more on it later.

Whatever the reason for the dismissal, it knocks the legs out from under the prosecution’s case.

It’s possible that the defense could wrap up today but I imagine the trial will go at least through tomorrow.