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Just off hand, why would Wuterich want to cut a deal? It appears that he’ll be exonerated.

I can’t imagine why he would want to, he’s repeatedly proclaimed his innocence. He’s winning his case!

I think the prosecution is grasping at straws in an attempt to save face.

Just off hand, why would Wuterich want to cut a deal? It appears that he’ll be exonerated.

Here's an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times by Tony Perry. Rules of engagement a key issue in Marine's court-martial A few excerpts from the lengthy discussion on the Rules of Engagement/Haditha

............All eight jurors served after that event, which scandalized much of the American public and shook the Marine Corps............

............Wuterich's lawyer, Haytham Faraj, questioned prospective jurors to see whether they could place themselves in the boots of an untested squad leader deployed in the fall of 2005, when the rules for combat may have been different. He asked them if they had served in Iraq, whether they had "cleared" houses and, if so, whether they had fired their weapons.

The answers may not always have been to his liking.

One prospective juror said that before a Marine clears a room by firing his M-16 rifle and throwing grenades (as Wuterich did), he would have to be confident that he was under fire (which Wuterich was not).

That Marine is on the jury.

Nearly all of the prospective jurors said they had experience clearing houses by separating military-age males from women and children. None said they had killed anyone in the process..............

............... So although the rules of engagement may remain the same pre- and post-Haditha, Donovan said, the interpretation is sometimes different, such as with the definition of hostile.......

The article is lengthy, but I think Perry's point is interesting. This may not be a jury of Wuterich's peers. These men served after Haditha.....it doesn't say whether they served before Haditha. They may have a far different opinion of Wuterich's actions not having served prior to this action (Fallujah, etc.) Just a thought....