Marines Drop Case Against Corporal Charged in Haditha Killings

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

Mar 28, 2008 13:04 EST

The Marine Corps is dropping all charges against a lance corporal who was accused of involuntary manslaughter in a squad's killing of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in 2005.

The Marines dropped the case against 26-year-old Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum on Friday as jury selection was about to begin for his court-martial at Camp Pendleton. He had also been charged with reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.

The case against Tatum stemmed from a squad's assault in response to a roadside bombing of a convoy that killed one Marine and wounded two others.

The government says a sergeant and another Marine shot five men at the scene and the squad leader ordered his men to clear homes with grenades and gunfire.



Read more: http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=105358

[wtmusic]

1. Pig.

The family of those killed should get off so easily. :grr:

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[scratchy]

3. God Damn Amerikkka

[leftynyc]

4. Why did they drop the charges?

Is he testifying against the others? I'm confused.

[merwin]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

(I figured I'd just post a deleted message before the message I actually want to post got deleted)
:wtf:

[Voltaire99]

6. Oh, what a surprise.

This is the third one to get off. All together now:

Jestice bin soorved!

[struggle4progress]

7. Third Marine Is Cleared of Charges, Given Immunity (WaPo)

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 29, 2008; Page A03

The Marine Corps yesterday dismissed all charges against one of the Marines accused of killing women and children in the Iraqi town of Haditha in late 2005, the third time a Marine linked to the slayings has been exonerated after one of the most notorious episodes of the war.

Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum, who has admitted shooting civilians inside their homes as part of a pursuit of insurgents, was cleared and granted immunity to testify in further hearings related to the investigation. The move leaves only Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich to face charges in connection with the shootings on Nov. 19, 2005. As many as two dozen civilians were killed that day after a roadside bomb hit the Marines' convoy and killed a member of their unit.

Tatum's trial was slated to begin yesterday at Camp Pendleton in California, but Marine Corps officials announced that his charges were dismissed "in order to continue to pursue the truth-seeking process into the Haditha incident." Tatum's lawyers said the decision was made as they were preparing for the case to go to trial ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/28/AR2008032801923.html?hpid=moreheadlines