Charges against Marine in Haditha case dropped

[unhappycamper]

Charges against Marine in Haditha case dropped
AFP
Published: Tuesday September 18, 2007


A Marine Corps officer accused of failing to properly investigate the alleged massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha has been cleared of wrongdoing, the military said Tuesday.

A statement released from the Marines Camp Pendleton base in southern California said all charges against Captain Lucas McConnell stemming from the Haditha investigation had been dropped.

The charges against McConnell had been dropped following a ruling by Lieutenant-General James Mattis, commander of the US Marine Corps Forces, the statement said.

~snip~

The prosecutions of Marines involved in the case have slowly unraveled however. McConnell and another officer, Captain Randy Stone, have both had charges of failing to investigate the killing withdrawn.

Two soldiers originally charged with murder in the case have also been cleared, while an investigating officer has recommended that charges against a third soldier are also dropped.

That would leave only one soldier, Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, facing murder charges in connection with the deaths.


Rest of story at: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Charges_against_Marine_in_Haditha_c_09182007.html