Posted on 08/28/2008 3:50:40 PM PDT by RaceBannon
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A former Marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqi detainees was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter Thursday in a first-of-its-kind federal trial.
The jury took six hours to find Jose Luis Nazario Jr. not guilty of charges that he killed or caused others to kill four unarmed detainees on Nov. 9, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war.
The verdict left the 28-year-old defendant in tears. He cried so loud that the judge smacked his gavel to call for order. Nazario's family and friends also sobbed in the courtroom.
"It's been a long, hard year for my family," Nazario said outside the courtroom. "I need a moment to catch my breath and try to get my life back together."
Thursday's verdict marks the first time a civilian jury has determined whether the alleged actions of a former military service member in combat violated the law of war.
One of the jurors, Ingrid Wicken, hugged Nazario's sobbing mother, Sandra Montanez, without speaking after the verdict was read. "I watched her all week. She was being tortured every day," Wicken said later.
Wicken said the panel acquitted Nazario because there was not enough evidence against him.
"I think you don't know what goes on in combat until you are in combat," she said.
Nazario's attorney, Kevin McDermott, said he believes the verdict will curb faulty filings.
"I don't think they are going to put on a case in the future with a lack of evidence," McDermott said.
(snip)
Hoorah.
>”I think you don’t know what goes on in combat until you are in combat,” she said.<
I don’t know where she got that opinion from but I hope that I had something to do with it.
Hooraaah.......
Indeed...great news.
Thank you Michael Savage and Savage listeners all over!
How this ever made it to trial in the first place is bewildering to me! Thanks, Brit, for the ping. I gave my first big WOO HOO on Red's thread. Here's another:
WOO HOO!
Obama would want him retried. Obama despises our military.
Thank you jury!! You are true Americans!
Praise the Lord.
No kidding.
This is good news, but this illegal trial should have never taken place.
I hope none of the fine people serving this country are killed or injured because they hesitated to defend themselves on account of persecutions like this!
F*** murtha.
Hoo Rah!
The Jurors were real Americans!
Obviously there are still some left in California!
Thank you God. The lefty liberal prosecutors deserve the loss.
Maybe they will think twice next time before conducting a political trial against a US Marine!
I am very moved by the jurors.
The polygrapher was doing his or her job in reporting the allegations of murder/manslaughter, however the investigation should have gone through NCIS, not the civilian court system. The judge should have dismissed the case due to a lack of standing on the part of the prosecution.
EXCELLENT NEWS!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
This Crap Act was designed by the Communists to deplete the ranks of our military. It’s going to work if we don’t do something about. This whole fiasco is a disgrace. Americans should be ashamed of themselves for allowing it to happen. Nazario should be allowed to sue every one of the shyter “lawyers” who tried to get away with pulling this crap.
A$$holes...
Yay!
Great news!
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