Intro: "Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the court-martial of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, accused in the killing of 24 unarmed Iraqis in 2005, announced an agreement Monday to settle the case. Wuterich will plead guilty to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty. Other charges were dropped. No announcement was made on what kind of discharge Wuterich would receive. The maximum sentence is three months in the brig. That decision will be made by the judge."
Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich arrives at a courtroom at Camp Pendleton, 01/05/12. (photo: Lenny Ignelzi/AP)
Marine Accused in Killing of 24 Iraqis in Haditha Makes Plea Deal
24 January 12
rosecutors and defense attorneys in the court-martial of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, accused in the killing of 24 unarmed Iraqis in 2005, announced an agreement Monday to settle the case.
Wuterich will plead guilty to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty. Other charges were dropped. No announcement was made on what kind of discharge Wuterich would receive.
The maximum sentence is three months in the brig. That decision will be made by the judge.
With the trial set to resume at 8:30 a.m. Monday, the judge, Lt. Col. David Jones, sent jurors home without explanation.
Neal Puckett, one of Wuterich's lawyers, told the North County Times that the decision to accept an agreement was made by Wuterich and that his client thought it was the "right and honorable thing to do."
Wuterich hugged his parents and members of a small support group that had attended the trial. The agreement has been approved by Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser.
Wuterich, 31, was accused of manslaughter, assault and dereliction of duty for allegedly leading his squad on a bloody rampage on the morning of Nov. 19, 2005, after a roadside bomb killed one Marine and injured two in the Euphrates River town of Haditha.
When the smoke cleared, Wuterich's squad had killed 24 Iraqis, including three women and seven children, in a fruitless effort to find the gunmen that the Marines believed was firing on them from a house near the bomb blast.
Wuterich's case is the last to be settled among the eight Marines accused in the killings: four enlisted Marines accused of firing the fatal shots and four officers accused of not investigating thoroughly.
Six cases were dropped, one officer was acquitted at court-martial.
Wuterich's court-martial was recessed for a day and a half last week while prosecutors and defense attorneys sought to reach a bargain. After they failed to do so, the court-martial resumed Friday.
Negotiations continued over the weekend.
Although Wuterich, in an unsworn statement at his preliminary hearing, had admitted giving his Marines a "shoot first, ask questions later" order as they stormed two houses, the prosecution's case was undercut by its own witnesses.
The former platoon commander who had ordered Wuterich to "clear" houses testified that he and his Marines followed their orders and training when they stormed homes by throwing grenades and firing their M-16s.
The hearing officer at Wuterich's preliminary hearing in 2007 predicted the prosecution would fail because of inconsistent testimony from witnesses and poor forensics.
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Comments
People get longer sentences for driving without a license.
Support the troops, my ass.
So true. Ninety days in the brig is what one used to get for engaging in a bar fight while on liberty overseas.
But, WTF, no one did that much "brig time" for the slaughter of over 300 women, children and old men at My Lai in Viet Nam either.
March 25, 2009|Associated PressFT. BRAGG, N.C. — "A onetime Army paratrooper was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for killing a fellow soldier and wounding nearly 20 others in a sniper attack at this North Carolina base more than a decade ago.
The sentence had been expected since Sgt. William J. Kreutzer, 39, of Clinton, Md., pleaded guilty earlier this month to one charge of premeditated murder and 18 other charges to avoid a possible death sentence."
One Amerucan soldier's death=life in prison. Twenty-four Iraqui civiolians deaths=3 months in the brig. (And the other 7 participants get off completely.)
These brainwashed kids will be assigned to kick OUR asses and keep US "in our place" once our outrage surpasses the cops ability to REPRESS.
While the troops are being castigated for the (inexcusable) deaths in Haditha, remember one thing - they didn't choose to be there. They were there because George W. Bush wanted to go to war with Iraq and chose for them to be there.
Did the Devil make them do it? Seriously! WHEN does ANYONE take Personal Responsibility for their actions, EVER? The Nazi Defense of "following orders" just doesn't cut it! WHERE are a few GOOD MEN when you need them???!!
@ papabob
"they didn't choose to be there" ? papa, did you not receive the memo stating that the U.S. repealed it's draft laws shortly after the end of the Viet Nam War ?
ALL of today's troops are volunteer troops. When you volunteer to go IN, you volunteer to follow orders. All orders. But, since the repeal of the draft, you DO volunteer to join up. Big difference.
Decorated hero for killing 24 people!
Wonder when the boys will come home and do what they know - to kill - what sentences they will get?
Wait, they will be police fighting 99% - all will be O.K.
I am ashamed of being an American a nation built on the misery of others. Disgusting!
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