Mattis says he was not influenced

[unhappycamper]

Marine Gen. James Mattis, right, arrives to testify at a hearing for Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani at Camp Pendleton on June 2. Chessani is the highest ranking officer to be tried in the case stemming from the shooting deaths of 24 people in the Iraqi town of Hadithah on Nov. 19, 2005.


Mattis says he was not influenced
By Chelsea J. Carter - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jun 3, 2008 8:25:09 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A four-star general denied Monday he was influenced by an investigator when he made the decision to charge a Marine officer with failing to probe the killings of 24 Iraqi men, women and children.

In a rare courtroom appearance for such a high-ranking officer, Marine Gen. James Mattis took the stand during a hearing to address a military judge’s finding there was evidence of unlawful command influence in the case of Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani.

Prosecutors must show at the hearing the general was not influenced and therefore his decision did not affect the direction of the investigation into the killings in the Iraqi city of Hadithah, the charges or the future of the case.

The finding by Col. Stephen Folsom, the military judge, stemmed from Chessani’s claim there was a conflict of interest in the case because Col. John Ewers, a military lawyer who investigated the November 2005 killings and took Chessani’s statement, became Mattis’ top legal adviser and sat in on briefings despite military policy prohibiting him from offering advice.

Mattis testified he never had a conversation with Ewers about Hadithah, although Ewers was present during a number of legal meetings where Hadithah and Chessani were discussed.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/06/ap_hadithah_mattis_060208/