Posted on 08/21/2010 8:32:45 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
Nearly five years after 24 Iraqi men, women and children were slain by a Camp Pendleton squad as it searched for a roadside bomber, the last man to face criminal charges from the incident is about to go on trial.
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who told an investigator that he had directed his men to "shoot first and deal with it later," is due in a base courtroom next week as attorneys argue final motions in advance of his long-awaited trial.
A Connecticut native, Wuterich, 30, has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of voluntary manslaughter and related offenses arising out of the killings, which took place in the city of Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005.
"These past five years have been a long five years," Wuterich said earlier this year. "It's tough being the last guy going through this, but I'm confident everything will turn out how it should."
Wuterich's charges carry a maximum punishment of 160 years.
Seven others accused of wrongdoing at Haditha saw their charges dismissed or withdrawn by prosecutors.
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
(( ping ))
The Mark Walker version.
He goes back to the Gary Solis well. To Solis, Wuterich and the rest of the Haditha heroes are nothing more than pawns in an academic exercise.
I will be watching this as best as I can. You can bet that if the Marine wins the msm won’t say a word!
For all those interested in some reality-based reporting written by someone far more knowledgeable and gifted than Walker, see......
(Hat Tip to jazusamo and DOM)
That pretty much says it all.
But for the pathetic and biased reporting by Tim McGirk of TIME and the outrageous remarks by John Murtha on worldwide TV this incident would have been a sad one but not a criminal one.
Six Marines had the charges dropped against them and a seventh was found not guilty of all charges in a courts-martial. That should make it very clear there was no wrong doing on the Marines part despite the rantings of Murtha and McGirk.
Thanks for linking Nat Helms' latest article, Smooth, he doesn't interview Gary Solis and take his opinions as gospel.
Anybody who wants to read it let me know via freep-mail and we'll arrange it.
JimRob...the offer in post #6 applies to you too.
No Iraqis are scheduled to testify in person, but the government is expected to show videotaped interviews with surviving family members of some of those killed.
Prosecutors will introduce numerous photographs of the victims, and a government pathologist is expected to provide an interpretation of how their wounds were administered.
Wuterich probably will not testify, Puckett said.
Instead, the defense will make its case through cross-examining the prosecution's witnesses and a small number of defense witnesses, he said
How is the defense supposed to cross examine a video?
When in the almost 5 years that has passed has SSargent Wuterich's legal team have had an opportunity to do their own forensics?
Where are the prosecution's forensics?
Can they prove any of the "victims" were killed by Frank, or for that matter any Marine?
All they got is seven time loser Sullivan standing by himself muttering "I see dead people"
Walker's walking the wild tale trail agin with his "They were a bunch of crazies they were, looking for one man to question, yeah, that's it, no one in our Ediot board can figger what set them off on that beautiful day in that oh so peaceful town" /s
bump!
What Mark Walker and every other MSM reporter omits in their reporting is that Haditha on 11/19/2005 was under a CITY WIDE ATTACK, not just the one incident at Chestnut and Viper.
FYI - Final motion hearings are next week Thurs and Fri 8/26 and 8/27 at Camp Pendleton
Well said, jaz. Gary Solis asks, “When does lawful combat turn into murder. This case will go far in answering that question.”
Gary Solis needs to read the charges. There is no murder charge against SSgt Wuterich. The worst charge preferred againts Wuterich is voluntary manslaughter and even that was way beyond anything the presiding judge over the Article 32 recommended.
According to the article, bringing charges in this incident was the defining point in how/why we have our current ROE’s. That’s really working well, isn’t it? Hopefully the jurors keep this in mind when deciding Frank’s fate.
160 years???!!!! For what? Because the Marine Corps wants to send a message? Because the prosecutors want to prove they didn’t really waste all this time, money, and effort on an incident that, while regrettable, was within the ROE’s at the time? Because the convening authorities involved don’t want to admit they might be guilty of UCI?
Glad you brought up the CITY WIDE ATTACK, it’s seldom mentioned and puts a more realistic picture on the day this took place.
Thanks for posting the final motion dates.
Mark Walker started out doing fair reporting on the Haditha cases but I guess hanging out with Gary Solis and his ilk rubbed the stink onto him. Prayers up for a fair and just result in the case - AKA “not guilty”! (as we all have known since day 1)
Jaz,I found this and a few other pictures I hadn't seen before at the link below. The narrative that accompanies the pictures is interesting as are some of the comments. You'll probably be as surprised as I was by who was employing the photographer.
http://www.msgphoto.com/latestshot/2008/06/25/everyone-cleared-except-frank-wuterich/
Ha! I had forgotten that. THAT was a Very Good Day (~;
Good pictures. A couple of the comments at the bottom of that site are amazing.
Frank Wuterich is an American hero. He is a man who will stand and be counted. When his country called, he shouted his reply. S/Sgt Frank Wuterich is a United States Marine.
On 19 November 2005, S/Sgt Frank Wuterich led his 3rd squad- 3/1 Kilo Company Marines on a re-supply mission in Haditha, Iraq. The fourth Humvee in the convoy was hit by an IED. One Marine was killed, two others were severely wounded. The Marines were taking small arms fire from various locations around their position. S/Sgt Wuterich and his remaining Marines tended the wounded, secured defensive positions, called for assistance and returned fire against hostile insurgents. Wuterich and his comrades followed the ROE, implemented their training and survived this firefight in Haditha.
My Family and I have been praying for Frank and his family. Our thoughts have always been with them. Our strength has become their strength. Rosemarie and David, we know your pain. Soon, it will be gone. Your son is a hero, and the American people will not let their heroes down. When you enter the courtroom on 13th September, thousands of Freepers, thousands of Americans will give you strength. Frank is a good man, a good Marine, and God will not let him down. Our prayers are with you. Semper Fi Marine mom.
God Bless Our Haditha Marines
Darryl, Theresa, Jaclyn, Justin
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