It would be eye-opening to know just what occurred in the court-room in the ten minutes or so prior to LCol. Jones stopping the prosecution's interrogation of Mendosa, as reported by both Helms and Woolfolk. Did a runner bring in a message to anyone leading to Jones sending all off to bargain? I doubt Jones would do that on his own without giving the defense opportunity for cross - that creates a reversible error to appeal.
Thanks for your reply above, Lancey - you summed up my view too. Indeed - God bless the USA, and especially the Haditha Eight and the Iraqi Families that they all acquire peace.
As Nat Helms mentioned, those “Iraqi families” watched as terrorist insurgents planted a massive IED in the road in front of their houses and then disguised it with a layer of paving. Remember the little girl who claims she was getting ready for school and covered her ears when she heard the Marine convoy coming, because she knew they were about to get blown up?
Yeah, maybe those “Iraqi families” found themselves between a rock and a hard place, but that’s not the Marines’ fault. Maybe some members of those families were complicit, and maybe not. In the end, those “Iraqi families” allowed themselves to be used by the enemy as human shields, and the deaths of those people following the deadly ambush must be laid solely at the feet of the terrorist insurgents.
I recall Mendoza on the stand was being questioned by Sullivan and Mendoza wasn't answering as Sullivan expected him to.
An article I read stated Sullivan wanted to impeach his own witness (Mendoza) and that's when the judge stopped proceedings to meet with attorneys and resume the trial after lunch. I can't find that article.
Of course that recess extended to the next day due to discussing a deal.
After the trial was recessed for that length of time a lot could have happened.