Marine Faces Charges In Haditha Killings

Upton · #1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2007, 12:40 PM

I'm sure he'll be let off, in typical military fashion, with a nice big slap on the wrist.

Quote:

Marine faces charges in Haditha killings

By CHELSEA J. CARTER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

SAN DIEGO -- The highest-ranking U.S. serviceman to face court-martial involving combat since Vietnam was due to answer charges Friday of failing to investigate the killings of 24 Iraqis, including women and children.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani was to be arraigned on charges of dereliction of duty and violation of a lawful order on allegations that he mishandled the aftermath of the Nov. 19, 2005, shootings in Haditha.

Earlier that day, the squad's convoy was struck by a roadside bomb, killing one Marine and wounding another. In the aftermath, squad members killed 24 Iraqi civilians, authorities have said.

Chessani was commander of the Camp Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment that has been the focus of the largest prosecution of U.S. troops in the Iraq war.

The decision to send Chessani to trial came after a hearing officer blasted Chessani for failing to go to the scene of the killings immediately after they occurred.

"To not have made every attempt to be on scene as this action developed, or to not have at least reviewed this action in detail ... is in itself negligent," Col. Christopher Conlin wrote.

At Chessani's preliminary hearing in June at Camp Pendleton, several witnesses testified that Iraqis had complained to Chessani in the days after the killings and that he promised to look into what had happened.

But Chessani, of Rangely, Colo., said he never ordered a formal investigation because he believed the deaths resulted from lawful combat.

If convicted on all counts, Chessani faces up to three years in prison.

Chessani's civilian attorney, Brian Rooney, said the lieutenant colonel would reserve the right to enter a plea at a later date rather than at the arraignment, which is a standard practice when a case goes to court-martial.

"We fully intend to enter a not guilty plea," Rooney said.

Chessani is the most senior U.S. serviceman since the Vietnam War to face a court-martial for actions or decisions made in combat, said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps prosecutor and judge who teaches law of war at Georgetown University Law Center.

He is the second colonel to be court-martialed over actions in Iraq. Army Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan of Fredericksburg, Va., was court-martialed on charges of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. He was cleared of those charges but convicted on a lesser charge - disobeying a general's order not to discuss the abuse investigation.

Marine faces charges in Haditha killings

FedUpAmerican · #2 (**permalink**) 11-16-2007, 12:42 PM

***see Thread "another Bitch Ass Marine Goes Down***

wvpeach · #3 (**permalink**) 11-16-2007, 12:43 PM

Looks like the evidence in mounting in that black water shooting of 16 civilians that they just got trigger happy too, and killed innocent people.

This is all a disgrace to our brave military and a smear on this country.
Many serve honorably , but considering the fact this war should have never happened , this kind of stuff is inexcusable.

I hope Bush is happy.