Haditha Update
By streiff Posted in War — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
What is increasingly appearing to be a politically motivated CYA prosecution of a handful of Marines over alleged atrocities in Haditha seems to be unraveling. (For background read my interview with the Haditha defense team)
On June 9 the Article 32 investigating officer recommended that court martial charges against Marine Captain Randy Stone be dropped.
Marine Lieutenant Andrew Grayson faced similar charges but now his hearing is clouded by the fact that the Marines probably do not have jurisdiction over him as he has been discharged.
Today the Article 32 officer investigating three counts of murder laid against Marine Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt expressed doubt at the government's case.
Lt. Col. Paul Ware, who will recommend whether to send Sharratt to trial, challenged the prosecution, saying the government's theory of the case does not warrant the three counts of unpremeditated murder filed against Sharratt in December.
"The account you want me to believe does not support unpremeditated murder," Ware told the lead prosecutor, Maj. Daren Erickson. "Your theories don't match the reason you say we should go to trial."
Ware's comments came as the government and defense presented him with summations of the case on the fifth and final day of a hearing that will determine if the 22-year-old rifleman from Camp Pendleton's 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment will be ordered to stand trial.
More updates as they become available.
This is absolutely brilliant, first cut coverage; I really mean that.
This is reported almost nowhere now the "defendants" are moving towards successful adjudication. Where is the front page MSM follow up to their initial reporting? Can anyone point me to it?
I am going to retract my previously posted "tongue in cheek" apology for Haditha.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report