Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 13, 2006 16:35:42 GMT -5
Marine Accused of Killing Iraqi Will Not Face Death----He is 1 of 8
service members who could be court-martialed in the kidnapping and
slaying.
At Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps prosecutors Tuesday dropped a request for
the death penalty in the case of a Marine accused of kidnapping and
killing an Iraqi man in April.
The decision came at the preliminary hearing for Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate
Jr., 1 of 8 troops accused in the April 26 death in Hamandiya, west of
Baghdad. A similar decision was made at a hearing 2 weeks ago for Pfc.
John Jodka.
The officer hearing the Shumate case will make a recommendation to Lt.
Gen. James N. Mattis Jr. about whether to convene a court-martial, drop
the charges, or refer it to an administrative hearing.
Prosecutors said that sworn statements given by Shumate to Naval Criminal
Investigative Service agents in May were key to their case, but did not
characterize the statements as confessions. An agent testified that
Shumate cried during their interview.
Under an agreement between prosecutors and defense lawyers, none of the
evidence was discussed at the brief hearing Tuesday. Defense lawyer Steven
Immel had asked that the hearing be closed to the public, but hearing
officer Col. Robert Chester declined.
Shumate's father, Jerry Shumate Sr., attended the hearing wearing a
T-shirt that read, "My Son Is One of the Few, the Proud, a Marine."
(source: Los Angeles Times)
service members who could be court-martialed in the kidnapping and
slaying.
At Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps prosecutors Tuesday dropped a request for
the death penalty in the case of a Marine accused of kidnapping and
killing an Iraqi man in April.
The decision came at the preliminary hearing for Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate
Jr., 1 of 8 troops accused in the April 26 death in Hamandiya, west of
Baghdad. A similar decision was made at a hearing 2 weeks ago for Pfc.
John Jodka.
The officer hearing the Shumate case will make a recommendation to Lt.
Gen. James N. Mattis Jr. about whether to convene a court-martial, drop
the charges, or refer it to an administrative hearing.
Prosecutors said that sworn statements given by Shumate to Naval Criminal
Investigative Service agents in May were key to their case, but did not
characterize the statements as confessions. An agent testified that
Shumate cried during their interview.
Under an agreement between prosecutors and defense lawyers, none of the
evidence was discussed at the brief hearing Tuesday. Defense lawyer Steven
Immel had asked that the hearing be closed to the public, but hearing
officer Col. Robert Chester declined.
Shumate's father, Jerry Shumate Sr., attended the hearing wearing a
T-shirt that read, "My Son Is One of the Few, the Proud, a Marine."
(source: Los Angeles Times)