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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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December 7th,
2006 - Trial Date for Marine Charged in Iraq Killing |
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Trial Date for Marine Charged
in Iraq Killing By Marty Graham Reuters Thu Dec 7, 2006 3:35 PM ET Camp Pendleton, Calif - A
military court on Thursday set the court-martial of a U.S. Marine suspected
of being the ringleader in the kidnap and murder of an Iraqi grandfather for
April 23. Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins,
22, did not enter a plea to charges of conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and
obstructing an investigation in the killing of Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, in
the Iraqi town of Hamdania in April 2006. He could face life in prison
if convicted. Three other Marines and a
Navy medic have pleaded guilty and received sentences of 21 months or less in
prison in exchange for their testimony against the others. They have testified that
Hutchins led the group of eight on an unauthorized late-night mission to kill
an insurgent in which the wrong man was killed. According to their
testimony, four Marines stayed back to protect the area while three Marines
and the medic went to Awad's house, dragged out the disabled former police
officer and put him in a bomb crater with a stolen rifle and a shovel to make
it look like he was planting a bomb. Six of the eight then fired
at Awad, killing him. Hutchins' defense attorney
Rich Brannon said he intends to fight the charges. The killing is one of
several incidents in which the conduct of American troops in Iraq has hurt
the U.S. image abroad. Charges are expected in the
next few weeks in a November 2005 case in which Marines are suspected of
going on a rampage through the Iraqi village of Haditha, killing two dozen
civilians. One of the questions that
may emerge in the Hamdania court martial is whether there was a climate of
command allowing Marines to overstep their rules of engagement. Lance Cpl. Jerry Schumate,
who pled guilty last month and was sentenced to 21 months custody, testified
he had once seen Hutchins choke a civilian into unconsciousness while his
lieutenant participated in an interrogation. © Reuters 2006. All rights
reserved. External link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701066.html |