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.

[ArmyTeach]

I do not condone the reckless killing of innocent civilians in any battle . Well, reckless isn't the issue. There's nothing reckless about soldiers under fire defending themselves according to their training. Your comments about the veracity of their being 'innocent' is to the point when you recall that the little girl who survived the incident testified that they knew that an IED was to be detonated and was told to cover her ears. For that matter, when women and children are deliberately used for cover, I have some difficulty feeling sorry for them.

[lilycicero]

Well I was hoping for a magic wand moment but after reading everything, I guess it’s game on.

[ArmyTeach]

My daughter had a soldier take a picture of their commander sleeping through a briefing. She ordered him to deleted it immediately. Obstruction of justice? :-)

[ArmyTeach]

That’s wrong. The soldier took the picture and she had him delete it.

[RedRover]

Game on. See you tomorrow, pal.

[xzins]

You’d think the North Country Times would have figured out by now that there were no murders. The statement about deleting photos if they were found NOT be be insurgents is also probably wrong. I believe it actually is determined by whether or not the photos have any intelligence value.

Also they are deleted because it is illegal to keep such pictures.

I occasionally had hopes the NCTimes would do a decent job of reporting this. They’ve gotten steadily worse.

[brityank]

Nearly all the Marines had either read or heard some report about the case.

Gee, I wonder why?
It wouldn't be because the General Staff officers all went on the rampage after Murtha's incendiary lies had them telling the troops about it, would it? Seems I recall Chiarelli (?) went all out in holding 'retraining' sessions on the Laws of War and 'correct' actions in armed combat, and those lessons were done theatre-wide.

I also agree with xzins; SSgt. Laughner should be up on charges. Did he get a deal in order to testify?

[Lancey Howard]

Seems I recall Chiarelli (?) went all out in holding 'retraining' sessions on the Laws of War and 'correct' actions in armed combat, and those lessons were done theatre-wide.

Marines Corps Commandant Conway led that charge. Apparently he was concerned about a survey that revealed that too many Marines would NOT rat out their brothers-in-arms.

(vomit)

[brityank]

The remaining Marine facing charges is Wuterich, the squad leader who led Marines as they stormed the homes of the Iraqi victims looking for their attackers. He is the only one of the gunman still charged in the case.

Nice to see there's no bias in their reporting!

Thanks for all the updates, Red.

[brityank]

Thanks, Lancy; I at least knew it was a 'C' something.

There was also some differences between the LOAC 'rules' as stipulated in the Bargewell Report, and I think those were also revised and promulgated at the same time.

Hey -- you go to war to kill the damned enemy, not play patty-cake! If we won't kill them, we will bury our own.

[Semper Fi Mom]

I’m the one who emailed Rick Rogers that SSgt. Wuterich was NOT charged with murder and that he could find the charges on the Iraqi Investigation site!! His reply, “You are correct and it is being corrected as we speak”. No apology, of course!

[4woodenboats]

"Triggermen", "Gunmen", 10 cent comic strip verbiage from a 2 bit journalist and an investigation that ain't worth a plugged nickle.

[4woodenboats]

The only way to make these reporters feel sorry is economically. Note that he didn't post a retraction (AFAIK), just changed the wording on the web site.

I don't know if he posted a retraction on the print version (assuming there is one), but anyone who has read the original false charges is not likely to go back and re read the story without a prominantly placed printed retraction.

Rogers should print a retraction and apology.

[RedRover]

Marine goes on trial on obstruction charges, Chelsea J. Carter, Associated Press, May 29, 2008

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) — A Marine lieutenant accused of helping cover up a squad's killings of 24 Iraqi civilians faces a jury of all officers.

The panel of seven officers was to hear opening arguments Thursday in the court-martial of 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson, who is the first of three defendants in the case to go to trial.

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.

After the bombing, investigators say, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich and a squad member 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.

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

Grayson, who says he did nothing wrong, rejected a plea deal under which his charges would have been dismissed in exchange for an admission that he covered up the killings, his attorney has said.

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

Grayson, of Springboro, Ohio, is the first of three defendants to go to trial in the case.

Jury selection in the case concluded Wednesday after prosecutors and defense attorneys questioned potential jurors over their knowledge of the case based on news reports.

Grayson is charged with two counts of making false official statements, two counts of trying to fraudulently separate from service, and one count each of attempt to deceive by making false statements and obstruction of justice by trying to impede an investigation.

Grayson faces a maximum of 25 years in prison, forfeiture of all pay and dismissal from the Marine Corps, if found guilty of all charges.

Still to face court-martial are Wuterich, of Meriden, Conn., who faces voluntary manslaughter and other charges, and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani of Rangely, Colo., who is charged with dereliction of duty and violation of a lawful order on allegations he mishandled the aftermath of the shooting deaths. Chessani was a battalion commander.

[RedRover]

Being a member of the media means never having to say you’re sorry. Sickening bunch of weasels.

[xzins]

I see no way this Marine can get an unbiased jury since the Marine Corps itself instructed all Marines to be taught about the “atrocity” during a regrouping “standdown” ordered by the Marines. They were then taught about the “atrocity” in every ethics class and law of war class the Marines have since held.

I would think that, to the extent this was ordered by someone in Grayson’s chain of command, that that would constitute some type of interference with justice. I would call it undue command influence.

Everyone of these jurors walks in having been taught by the TV that this was a murder/atrocity, and then they had that reinforced by the Marine Corps itself.

I don’t know if that makes this appealable or not.

[Girlene]

My daughter had a soldier take a picture of their commander sleeping through a briefing. She ordered him to deleted it immediately. Obstruction of justice?

lol. No, that's called good manners and keeping her commander happy. But what do I know. It seems charges can be pulled out of thin air if a prosecutor so desires.

[Girlene]

Both Briones and Andrew Wright were reported as ordered to take pictures.

Both have disappeared off the face of the earth.

True. Maybe prosecutors felt their testimony would be compromised because of their personal problems. I suppose they thought SSgt Laughner was all they needed to try and convict 1st Lt. Grayson. Since two other NCO's ordered SSgt Laughner to delete the photos prior to Lt. Grayson's order, that should be a difficult task.

[Girlene]

Grayson is accused of obstruction of justice for allegedly ordering a sergeant to destroy photographs taken of the dead Iraqis. ...

...A charge of lying to investigators arises from his alleged denial when asked if such photos existed.

LOL. Do the prosecutors realize the flaw in preferring both charges? How can he be charged with lying? The photos were deleted. They did not exist. He just kept his mouth shut on whether thay had EVER existed.

[Girlene]

Everyone of these jurors walks in having been taught by the TV that this was a murder/atrocity, and then they had that reinforced by the Marine Corps itself.

Not necessarily. The article also mentioned talk radio exposure. Talk radio has generally defended the Haditha Marines. And then there is the PBS documentary, Rules of Engagement. If the jury panel watched this broadcast, they would be more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the Marines involved. Add in the fact that there have been no prosecutions to date, the jury panel has a lot of reason to doubt any "crime" was ever committed. Although it's been excruciating for the families, both emotionally and financially, dragging this process out may be more beneficial to their defense.