Marine Corps defends treatment of troops in brig

NORTH COUNTY TIMES ^ | June 15, 2006 | MARK WALKER and DAVID STERRETT

[stinkerpot65]

One of several cases where innocent soldiers have been put through hell for doing their jobs.

[Windsong]

Hmm, well Ive never heard of Leathernecks eating all that well. Meat n Potatoes, most likely (if thats your thing)

[The Blitherer]

"Restriction as in other forms of restraint is a prudent measure that all law enforcement agencies use in order to ensure those accused of serious misconduct are not allowed to flee or take actions which could endanger law enforcement personnel or hurt themselves while initial allegations are investigated," the statement said.

Maybe I'm just being naive, but these guys are in the middle of a MILITARY BASE, and I'm guessing their little trips outside are into a small courtyard with high walls and marines with machine guns on top. Exactly WHY are shackles necessary?

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

One of several cases where innocent soldiers have been put through hell for doing their jobs.

How do you know that they are innocent?

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Maybe I'm just being naive, but these guys are in the middle of a MILITARY BASE, and I'm guessing their little trips outside are into a small courtyard with high walls and marines with machine guns on top. Exactly WHY are shackles necessary?

Actually, military detention facilities do not usually have those features.

Also, there may be a risk of retaliation against one or more witnesses, or there may be a suicide risk.

[radar101]

We want to make sure the Rags in Iraq are not offended, and that:
1. We will treat them like murderers, and
2. The Rags get their 2500 dollars, or what ever a family members goes for.

[el_texicano]

"These boys are involved in some bad sh*t."

So, in the military, the accused are considered guilty until proven innocent?

[RichRepublican]

How do you know that they are innocent?

Because they haven't been proven guilty. This whole thing is political. Because of the comments of Murtha and others, the military has to appear harsh with these men.

[em2vn]

When did the Marine brass become so politically correct? Cowards, every one of them who would do this to Marines who haven't even been charged.
It's time to write your senators about this betrayal.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Cowards, every one of them who would do this to Marines who haven't even been charged.

The standard for detention is "probable cause," not actual filing of charges, and the chain of command always evaluates the degree of risk involved to determine just how stringent said detention needs to be.

[RichRepublican]

Agreed. But I don't know how much good it will do in this case if we have to save face internationally.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Actually, this sort of decision is made by the local commander, but it gets reviewed all the way up. In two cases I know of from my time in the Army, the accused got the same treatment before charges were filed--one case was rape, the other was grand larceny, assault, and battery. (In the second case, the A&B were made against a witness.)

[RetiredArmy]

That is gonna piss the liberals off! Get ready for a fight with the ACLU!

Forgitaboutit. They are being held in what is called "pretrial confinement." This is where the military puts soldiers accused of serious crimes, i.e., in this case, murder. While in the Army JAG corps, working on the defense side of the house, I never saw the accused that we visited being led around in chains. This seems very excessive to me. However, any soldier that was ever accused of murder, rape, serious offenses, was put in pretrial confinement. That is no surprise. Only, this chain thing bothers me. Are the Marines expecting one of these guys to try to bolt or something? Plus, whenever an accused visited with his attorney, he was free to move about in the room, communicate, and there were never any chains involved.

Even back when I was stationed in Germany, and we had GI's serving sentences in German prisons for murders, we were required to visit them once a month from our JAG office. Even the Germans did not treat convicted murders like this. Seems excessive, especially when they are behind bars.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Are the Marines expecting one of these guys to try to bolt or something?

Two things come to mind:

1. Risk of retaliation against a witness;

2. Suicide risk.

[usmcobra]

You can end up in the brig for having sex with your wife...

UCMJ has many hooks in it.

but only if you are on duty when you are caught in the act.

[P-40]

Seems excessive, especially when they are behind bars.

True. I meant that statement in jest...as I doubt either group would take the time to raise much of a fuss over the treatment of our troops...unless it involves troops that hate the President...then they will get all sorts of attention. :)

[RetiredArmy]

Witnesses are not in the confinement facility. And, if under suicide watch, which I know of some who were, a guard merely stood at the door and kept eye contact on the prisoner. No chains involved.

[conserv13]

Not according to many people here. Many people here have said this is all made up by Iraqis and the media.

Which is it??

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Witnesses are not in the confinement facility.

They may be. SEE ALSO: "SNITCH," "STATE'S EVIDENCE"

[TomGuy]

On Hannity now, their status has 'improved' some as a result of the publicity.