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The trial of SSgt Frank Wuterich continued into the third week with testimony from two forensic pathologists who identified with certainty that 5 military aged males were shot at close range with a high velocity rifle. The military aged males had driven up in a white car simultaneously with the explosion of the IED and the initiation of small arms fire on the Marine squad. In previous testimony, Sgt Dela Cruz indicated he was the closest Marine to the white car when the IED explosion occurred that was felt and heard 3 kilometers away by the Firm Base command center. He demonstrated in court with a fake M16 rifle, how he had watched SSgt Wuterich open fire from down the hill and over 30 meters away saying Wuterich shot the men first. Then he held his rifle above his head and “dead checked” the men by shooting at them.

The forensic pathologist identified stippling on the bodies of the military aged men consistent with a weapon being fired at close range, which they identified as within 3 feet. Not only did this contradict Sgt Dela Cruz statements of how he shot the men, Dela Cruz himself testified that it was not normal Marine procedures to hold a rifle in that manner. When asked how he knew if he had actually hit the men, he stated “I know because I never miss.” He also testified that when he shot them he knew they were dead. Odd that one would need to fire at close range into suspected insurgents who were already dead. The pathologist proved that they at least two of them must have been still alive when Sgt Dela Cruz shot them.

That's a wow.