Posted on 12/21/2006 11:03:18 AM PST by areafiftyone
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine Corps squad leader was charged Thursday with 13 murder counts stemming from the killings of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha last year, his attorney said.
Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich was charged with 12 counts of murdering individuals and one count of murdering six people by ordering Marines under his charge to "shoot first and ask questions later" when they entered a house, according to charging sheets released by defense attorney Neal Puckett.
As many as eight Marines could be charged in the case, the biggest U.S. criminal case to emerge from the war in Iraq in terms of people killed.
The deaths occurred on Nov. 19, 2005.
Lawyers for two Marines already have said they expect their clients will be charged and its believed up to six others could join them.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Sad ping.
And so it begins...
They'll get their day in court, and if they're innocent then they'll go free. If they're guilty then it'll be life at Leavenworth.
He's being used as a scapegoat and probably all in an attempt to appease the Sunni Terrorist.
oh, dear....I have been dreading this.
Sad is right.
What begins? This isn't the first time charges such as these have been leveled against our Soldiers or Marines in Iraq.
Me too. I've been dreading this also. The Leftists (Murtha) are going to love this one - they hate our soldiers!
Sad when warriors are treated like criminals.
I have too. Looks like they are going all out on this.
I have faith in our military justice system. They will have a fair trial.
My prayers for every warrior under more duress than any 100 cops.
Every man here, that has been in a barroom fight or schoolyard fight understands what quick thinking followed by action ... is all about.
And we don't condemn the guy that stood up and tried, but may have screwed up (ya shoulda' blocked, man)
God bless, protect and forgive our warriors, protecting us from being annihilated off the world stage.
He's first. Wait for the other five or six or seven later today.
Let jazusamo or me know if you want on the Haditha Marine Ping List.
I betcha Sissy Chrissy will base his whole show on this tonight...
I really, really hate this.
The article says it all goes to "motive"...and I have said all along that I can't imagine that they did not believe that there were terrorists mixed in with the residents.
Plus, the pictures so soon after the "event" has always bothered me.
I would really like to be in the courtroom and listen to ALL of the evidence.
I know that I don't want any of them to "flip"...UNLESS, they are guilty.
I pray you are right...
I wonder. I think if there are Judges on the Court put that came up in the Clinton years the odds would be against them.
The Clinton administration cast a long shadow in the US military.
TRUE!! I'm praying for him and the others!
Dang...I am really hating this.
In the kind of environment that they are fighting in...the "shoot first, ask questions later" lesson is probably the only reason we don't have MORE dead troops.
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