[4woodenboats]

The judge talked about the honor and integrity of the Marines who refused to testify. In light of the horrors of their battle of Fallujah. he may have given them a stick to measure it with.

Judge Larsen is channeling Marine honor to compel them to testify in a civilian court about evidence that will certainly land them in hot water in a subsequent military hearing IMO.

Not because they've done anything wrong, but because, as the entire civilized world (and the one lawyers live in, too) now knows, we prosecute misremembering as perjury, and there's easily enough scattered recollections to send everyone involved up the river.

I can see how there could be various opinions on Judge Larsen's conduct, seeing as he is reluctant to throw these veterans of Hell House in the slammer on nothing more than Binkie's stammering and stomping.

Still, he is not protecting defendants in his court from harm that could come to them from a branch of the federal government in which he has no jurisdiction, as a result of testimony he is attempting to compel by appealing to their honor - repeatedly.

I find that neither honorable (as in "His Honor") nor particularly well thought out.

I hope he thinks this one through a bit, as the honor he is invoking is what these men are made of and live by, not a salutation repeated countless times a day.

[Girlene]

Again, you make very valid points, 4wb.

Judge Larsen is channeling Marine honor to compel them to testify in a civilian court about evidence that will certainly land them in hot water in a subsequent military hearing IMO.

But..but...but...the prosecutor, Binkie (sp?) says he has an agreement with the military that the two Marines will only get a slap on the wrist. Their defense lawyers say it is not good enough since Gen. Helland did not sign off on the "agreement" that was offered by one of his SJA's. (I wonder if that was Riggs or Ewers?)

Still, he is not protecting defendants in his court from harm that could come to them from a branch of the federal government in which he has no jurisdiction, as a result of testimony he is attempting to compel by appealing to their honor - repeatedly.

Point taken.