lily
06-05-2008, 02:59 AM
Not even perjury or obstruction of justice? (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24971270/)
Jury acquits Marine of covering up Iraq killings
Officer was accused of ordering troops to delete photos of 24 slain
civilians
BREAKING NEWS
updated 8 minutes ago
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine intelligence officer has been acquitted of
charges that he tried to help cover up the killings of 24 Iraqi men, women
and children.
A jury of seven officers delivered the verdict Wednesday in favor of 1st Lt.
Andrew Grayson after more than five hours of deliberation.
Grayson, who has always maintained he did nothing wrong, was not present at
the scene of the killings on Nov. 19, 2005, in Haditha. He was accused of
telling a sergeant to delete photographs of the dead from a digital camera
and laptop computer.
Grayson was found not guilty of two counts of making false official
statements, two counts of trying to fraudulently separate from service, and
one count of attempt to deceive by making false statements.
Grayson's lies hindered the investigation into the deaths, prosecutor Lt.
Col. Paul H. Atterbury told the jury.
Prosecutors said Grayson also lied five times to investigators before
admitting he ordered the photos deleted.
"Gentlemen, why would an otherwise promising officer make a statement like
that? The government's argument is that it was to avoid accountability,"
Atterbury said.
The statements came a day after a judge reduced charges against Grayson,
dismissing a charge of obstruction of justice.
The judge, Maj. Brian Kasprzyk, did not explain why he dropped the charge.
He told the jury Wednesday shortly before closing arguments that they should
not infer anything from his decision.
Grayson's court-martial was the biggest U.S. criminal case involving Iraqi
deaths to come out of the war.
Killings followed roadside blast
The Haditha killings occurred after a roadside bomb killed a Marine and
wounded two others.
After the bombing, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich and a squad member allegedly
shot five men near a car at the scene, investigators said. Wuterich then
allegedly ordered his men into several houses, where they cleared rooms with
grenades and gunfire, killing the Iraqis, including women and children.
Four enlisted Marines initially were charged with murder in the case and
four officers were charged with failing to investigate the deaths. Charges
were dropped against five of the Marines but remain against Grayson,
Wuterich and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani.
Still to face court-martial are Wuterich, whose charges include voluntary
manslaughter, and Chessani, who has been charged with dereliction of duty
and violation of a lawful order on allegations he mishandled the aftermath
of the shooting deaths.
Chessani was the battalion commander.
Jury acquits Marine of covering up Iraq killings
Officer was accused of ordering troops to delete photos of 24 slain
civilians
BREAKING NEWS
updated 8 minutes ago
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine intelligence officer has been acquitted of
charges that he tried to help cover up the killings of 24 Iraqi men, women
and children.
A jury of seven officers delivered the verdict Wednesday in favor of 1st Lt.
Andrew Grayson after more than five hours of deliberation.
Grayson, who has always maintained he did nothing wrong, was not present at
the scene of the killings on Nov. 19, 2005, in Haditha. He was accused of
telling a sergeant to delete photographs of the dead from a digital camera
and laptop computer.
Grayson was found not guilty of two counts of making false official
statements, two counts of trying to fraudulently separate from service, and
one count of attempt to deceive by making false statements.
Grayson's lies hindered the investigation into the deaths, prosecutor Lt.
Col. Paul H. Atterbury told the jury.
Prosecutors said Grayson also lied five times to investigators before
admitting he ordered the photos deleted.
"Gentlemen, why would an otherwise promising officer make a statement like
that? The government's argument is that it was to avoid accountability,"
Atterbury said.
The statements came a day after a judge reduced charges against Grayson,
dismissing a charge of obstruction of justice.
The judge, Maj. Brian Kasprzyk, did not explain why he dropped the charge.
He told the jury Wednesday shortly before closing arguments that they should
not infer anything from his decision.
Grayson's court-martial was the biggest U.S. criminal case involving Iraqi
deaths to come out of the war.
Killings followed roadside blast
The Haditha killings occurred after a roadside bomb killed a Marine and
wounded two others.
After the bombing, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich and a squad member allegedly
shot five men near a car at the scene, investigators said. Wuterich then
allegedly ordered his men into several houses, where they cleared rooms with
grenades and gunfire, killing the Iraqis, including women and children.
Four enlisted Marines initially were charged with murder in the case and
four officers were charged with failing to investigate the deaths. Charges
were dropped against five of the Marines but remain against Grayson,
Wuterich and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani.
Still to face court-martial are Wuterich, whose charges include voluntary
manslaughter, and Chessani, who has been charged with dereliction of duty
and violation of a lawful order on allegations he mishandled the aftermath
of the shooting deaths.
Chessani was the battalion commander.