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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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December 3rd,
2006 - Local Man under Scrutiny in Haditha Case |
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Local Man under Scrutiny in
Haditha Case Houston attorney defends lance corporal, saying no crimes committed The Edmond Sun December 03, 2006 02:15 am Edmond - Military
authorities soon might charge five Marines, including a 25-year-old lance
corporal from Edmond, in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in the city of
Haditha just more than one year ago, according to a recent national radio
news story. Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum is
among the five men named in a Nov. 21 report by National Public Radio saying
prosecutors are weighing whether to file charges of negligent homicide or
murder. But Tatum’s attorney,
Houston-based Jack Zimmerman, said he has a problem with reporters who get
their information from anonymous sources or unnamed sources. “I don’t have
any information that the story is correct or incorrect, but it’s possible
that that might happen,” Zimmerman said. “I have no information that would
confirm that. There were 13 people in that squad including the individuals
(who) were wounded. But I don’t know where this reporter got the fact that
only five of the remaining people would be sent forward.” Zimmerman has handled
numerous high-profile military cases and is a former prosecutor and general
court-martial trial judge in the Marine Corps. He said he was retained by
Tatum on July 12. “We were told there would be charges the following week
back then. The poor Tatum family was struggling and jumping through hoops to
get civilian counsel because of that sense of urgency and here it is Dec. 1 and
there’s no charge,” he said. On Nov. 19, 2005, U.S.
Marine Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas was killed in Haditha in a roadside bomb
attack on Marines from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. Afterward,
24 Iraqis, including 11 women and children, allegedly were killed by 12
Marines from the unit. The U.S. military began
investigating the claims, and two captains and a lieutenant colonel were
relieved of duty. In August, a commission reviewing the killings found
probable cause for charging the Marines. On May 18, Rep. John P.
Murtha, D-Pa., said during a news conference the Marines “killed innocent
civilians in cold blood.” “He should have known better,” Zimmerman said.
“Especially of his former affiliation with the Marine Corps. He shouldn’t
have made those comments. He makes it sound like he has accepted the insurgents’
view of what happened lock, stock and barrel and the facts don’t support
that.” Zimmerman said Tatum and his
fellow Marines responded to the attack the way they were trained to and
committed no crimes whatsoever. “I think that most people would assume everybody
in that squad that responded the way they were trained to respond would be
investigated by an Article 32 to see if formal charges should be referred or
not,” he said. Military authorities have
investigated the events of that day and have compiled a 3,500-page report
that has yet to be released. Zimmerman said he counseled his client to not
talk with the media. A family member in Edmond declined to speak with The
Edmond Sun on Thursday. But Zimmerman said there is
one thing he wants to make clear about his client. “Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum
comes from a great family, a patriotic family that is proud of what he is
doing for our country as I think we all should be. I think he is a good
representative of Edmond.” External link: http://www.edmondsun.com/homepage/local_story_337021546.html |