ON JACK MURTHA'S HEAD!
Posted on 08/28/2009 10:54:40 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
The Marine Corps has dropped its pursuit of criminal charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking officer accused of misconduct after 24 Iraqi civilians were slain in the city of Haditha in 2005.
Instead, Lt. Gen. George J. Flynn has decided to handle the matter administratively by appointing a three-member Board of Inquiry that will meet at Camp Pendleton this fall.
The board of Marine Corps officers will determine if Chessani should be reduced in rank if it finds he engaged in substandard performance of duty, misconduct and professional dereliction of duty.
Its finding will serve as a recommendation to the Secretary of the Navy, who will make the final decision.
At stake is Chessani's rank after he retires from the Marine Corps, a retirement that has been on hold pending a decision in the Haditha matter. Chessani's retirement pay will not be affected by any decision to reduce his rank, Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Roger Galbraith said Friday.
(snip)
Former Marine Corps judge and attorney Gary Solis said convening a Board of Inquiry to decide Chessani's fate is a rare step.
"This is beyond unusual," said Solis, who teaches military law at Washington's Georgetown University. "I have never heard of a senior officer being subjected to a Board of Inquiry. My guess is that at worst he will be found to have exercised substandard judgment and be admonished."
"I would be very surprised if Colonel Chessani is reduced in rank," Solis said. "This is a man who for 18 years has given great and good service to the Marine Corps and risked his life. I don't think his reward for all that will be anything too severe and he may even escape an admonishment."
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
(( ping ))
Here is the North County Times version of the story.
“the only remaining defendant is Wuterich, who led his squad on a deadly chase through several homes near the bomb site.”
They need to release this veteran and let him and his family get on with their lives.
Wuterich is the last chance the pantywaist Pentagon has to pin something on somebody. I hope he has good lawyers, because even though the scumbag leftist military lawyers have now lost 7 out of 8 cases, the perfumed princes of the Pentagon will do whatever it takes to help them finally nail somebody. A conviction in this case will help “win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people” don’t you know....
I still cannot believe Bush didn’t have the decency to end this disgraceful travesty during the three years he had the chance to. God knows Ubama isn’t going to end it.
He deserves to be tried, convicted and executed.
I’m very happy they have decided not to try to press charges yet again. Some form of justice in this case has been a very long time coming. It has also had a negative impact on Marines. I know my best friend’s son (Second Marines) is beyond angry about this whole thing.
To see the agony that his parents are going thru is truly a disgrace to this nation. I agree with you about Bush. Why he waited so long on the border patrolmen also was a travesty.
Keep doin’ the “chicken dance” on his empty head.
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