Court-martial begins for Marine charged with murder

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http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6334045

Court-martial begins for Marine charged with murder
By THOMAS WATKINS Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 07/09/2007 02:32:32 PM PDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.—A Marine corporal played a key role in the kidnapping and shooting death of an Iraqi man and should be convicted of murder, a military prosecutor said Monday.

Prosecutor Lt. Col. John Baker's opening statement came at a court-martial for Cpl. Trent D. Thomas, a 25-year-old infantryman who belonged to an eight-man squad involved in the death.

"I will prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that Corporal Thomas is a murderer," Baker said. "This is an old-fashioned, premeditated, conspiracy to kill."

The court martial is the first trial among seven Marines and a Navy corpsman charged in last year's slaying of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad in Anbar province. Thomas will be judged by a panel of three officers and six enlisted Marines.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Maj. Haytham Faraj said Thomas was only following orders the night of April 25, 2006. He said Thomas' judgment was affected after he suffered brain injuries in explosions on an earlier combat tour.

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