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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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June 18th,
2008 - Benefit for Hindsboro Marine Saturday |
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Benefit for Hindsboro Marine
Saturday Weemer accused of killing Iraqi detainee during Fallujah combat By Rob Stroud Journal-Gazette/Times-Courrier June 18, 2008 Oakland - Marine Sgt. Ryan
Weemer of Hindsboro fought in one of the Iraq war’s fiercest battles - the
November 2004 offensive to drive insurgents out of Fallujah. Now, Weemer is fighting a
battle in military court. Weemer has been charged with shooting and killing
an Iraqi detainee during combat operations in Fallujah. His case is pending
at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Marine’s sister, Felicia
Hudson, and others in the Hindsboro-Oakland community have been raising money
for the Ryan Weemer Defense Fund. They have sold T-shirts and bracelets,
scheduled a poker run motorcycle benefit for July 26, and created
www.defendingahero.org. Weemer’s supporters also
have organized an all-you-can-eat fish fry for 4:30-7 p.m. Saturday at the
Oakland Veterans of Foreign Wars post. Entry is $7 for adults and $3 for
children 10 and under. “They are having financial
difficulty with everything, so we are trying to raise as much money as we can
to help them out,” Hudson said of her brother’s defense. She added Weemer’s
wife is raising funds where she lives in Kentucky. Weemer’s attorney, Paul
Hackett of Cincinnati, said funds raised by Weemer’s supporters could help
defray travel costs for court hearings in California and other legal
expenses. Still, Hackett said he has
always been prepared for working on a tight budget. “I did not take on this case
expecting to make money,” Hackett said. The Associated Press
reported Weemer was charged in March with murder and dereliction of duty in
the death of a detainee in Fallujah, after authorities say his involvement
came to light during a lie-detector test for a job with the Secret Service. Weemer is the third person
charged in a case that centers on allegations that a Marine squad shot a
group of unarmed captives on Nov. 9, 2004, during heavy fighting, the AP
reported. The alleged killings occurred after troops captured men they
believed had been shooting at them, the AP reported. Hackett said a U.S. District
Court judge jailed Weemer in the San Diego area after the Marine declined to
answer questions from a federal grand jury. Hackett said he believes the
grand jury is investigating Weemer’s former squad member Jose Nazario, now a
civilian. “We believe that (Weemer)
has been more than cooperative,” Hackett said of the Nazario investigation.
“All of the evidence has been made available to the federal prosecutor.” Hackett said Weemer has
pleaded not guilty to the charges filed by the military. He said an
investigating officer will hold a hearing on July 10 to hear the military
prosecution’s evidence to ultimately determine if the case should proceed to
trial. Hudson said dealing with the
accusations has been a frustrating experience for her brother. She said
Weemer also has been dealing with shrapnel wounds to one of his legs that
sometimes necessitate that he walk with a cane. The attorney said Weemer is
concerned about the impending court proceedings, but has faced tough
challenges in the past. “He has been through some
pretty pressure cooker situations in his young life,” Hackett said. External link: http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2008/06/18/news/doc4859ca2a84699896477850.txt |