Manslaughter case against Marine sniper under way [Sgt John Winnick]

North County Times ^ | July 1, 2008 | MARK WALKER

[RedRover]

Previous thread: Hearing in Marine sniper case set [Winnick family asks for prayers]

This is the first report I've seen from today's hearing. There should be a fuller report tonight.

[RedRover]

[tatsinfla]

sign up to protect your country but kill someone and we are gonna prosecute you....ya thats the American way anymore. appalling to say the least.

[Grimmy]

Only because we put up with it.

[RedRover]

Based on Lt. Corabi’s testimony, I really don’t understand why this hearing is taking place.

[free_for_now]

The family has my prayers. I wonder what is the standard? To me, if he was acting in good faith, he is innocent of manslaughter. Unless the prosecution could prove that he knew the Syrians were not planting a bomb, IMO he was totally within the rules of engagement.

[ZULU]

This is rediculous.

No nation that ever existed was able to conduct a war under “rules of engagement” like this. It sounds even worse than Viet Nam over there.

[GT Vander]

Accusing this guy of manslaughter is like writing speeding tickets at Daytona during speed week. He saw a threat and neutralized it. Sounds pretty straight forward to me.

[4woodenboats]

Odd that there is no word whether it was in fact an IED planted. Maybe NCT didn’t think that was relevant?

[Citizen Tom Paine]

What can the Marine Corp be thinking? How are they get to get men to fight in combat if they risk prison for following orders. Let the Legal Eagles go on some combat patrols and then get their reactions.

This guy deserves our support.

[Girlene]

A Marine sniper .........had the authority to shoot suspected insurgents if he deemed they posed a threat...

....."They were told to be prepared to engage targets of opportunity," ......

...."It looked the guy was laying down an IED," Wazenkewitz said. "It was definitely a threat."....

He could face 40 years for two deaths and two injuries of Syrians on a sniper/surveillance mission? Allrighty.

[arthurus]

This is in line with the Court granting of habeas corpus to POWs. All the soldiers on the battlefield now are subject to charges of murder or criminal assault and each may have to prove that the persons “damaged” were personally threatening them. Each incident in the campaign is now potentially subject to criminal action. The Court has converted War into police work and lawyer work. Our forces may have to begin lodging formal charges against individual enemy combatants and obtain warrants before they can attempt to “arrest” them. There will need to be as many attorneys on the battlefield as troops because each enemy combatant captured will have to be provided with an attorney.

[jazusamo]

Am I wrong in assuming these witnesses were called by the prosecution?

If they were I feel exactly as you, why were there any charges brought?

[Girlene]

Odd that there is no word whether it was in fact an IED planted. --- I was wondering about the same thing.

[piytar]

“Let the Legal Eagles go on some combat patrols and then get their reactions.”

Better yet, try these REMFs for treason and have them effing shot.

[xzins]

This is so clearly within his orders.

I have no idea why the government wasted money to have bring this even to an art 32.

It is sheer insanity.

Why not just charge every troop who has ever fired any round in Iraq or Afghanistan?

We can just have everyone read their rights are part of the predeployment briefing. /sarc.

[xzins]

We can just have everyone read their rights are part of the predeployment briefing. /sarc.

CORRECTION: AS part of...

Why do my fingers do that?!!

[messierhunter]

Disgusting. Who needs to receive the letters that say we will NOT put up with this bovine excrement anymore?

[RedRover]

I wonder what is the standard?

Based on what's been reported so far, I'd say there is none. I hope this prosecution makes more sense when we've heard about the whole day's testimony.

BTW, I also agree with your tagline--and he can bring the Del-Tones with him!

[Girlene]

Why do my fingers do that?!!

Sugar Shock.

Why not just charge every troop who has ever fired any round in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Maybe Marine leadership likes to pick select examples to make a point? I have no idea.