[smoothsailing]

Mark Walker’s report on Tatum’s morning testimony...

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/military/military-marine-describes-blasting-way-through-iraqi-homes/article_a0a35a62-2ddf-55d2-8971-4296f38f6553.html

“Other members of Wuterich’s squad from Camp Pendleton’s 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment Kilo Company squad are expected to testify Tuesday afternoon.”

I’m pretty sure Justin Sharratt has been called as a witness.

[RedRover]

Thanks, smooth. Justin is there—not sure if he’ll be called today. So is Maj Dinsmore.

The major prosecution witnesses from the squad will be Mendoza and Dela Cruz. Both were terrible in the Article 32 so we’ll see how the prosecution uses them.

[jazusamo]

Thank you both. Walker doesn’t seem to have much detailed testimony.

[Girlene]

The NC Times write up says:

:Tatum said he never heard any being fired from inside the rooms.

He said he wasn't certain who he was shooting, but believed they were insurgents because of Wuterich's actions.

"The only thing that gave me an indication that there was hostile intent was Staff Sgt. Wuterich firing," Tatum said.

And yet in the piece by Nat Helms, we read something different:

At one point Tatum told Puckett he heard an AK-47 being “racked,” a sound he recognized instantly.

“Once I heard that AK-47 racking, I wasn’t going in that room to endanger myself or my Marines. At Fallujah we learned we never went into a room without throwing in a grenade.

So......I'm wondering if the first version was what NCIS was able to get Tatum to sign after his 12 - 16 hour interrogation in which he was forced to relieve himself on the floor (who does that?), and his testimony to the defense, the real one.

North County Times didn't bother to point out the two versions.