"Military jury sentences U.S. Marine convicted of Iraq murder to time served"

2015-06-22T10:35:57-04:00

Originally published on reuters.com:
--
A U.S. Marine convicted of the 2006 murder of a former Iraqi police officer was sentenced on Thursday to time he had already served in confinement, in a decision by a military jury at Camp Pendleton in California.

The jury also gave Marine Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins III a bad-conduct discharge from the Marine Corps. He had served about seven years in confinement and had faced a possible sentence of four more years.

After the killing in Iraq came to light, then-U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus called it a "cold-blooded murder".

On Wednesday, the military jury at the Southern California base found Hutchins guilty of murder, conspiracy and larceny but acquitted him of a charge of making false statements.

Defense attorney Christopher Oprison said Hutchins' family welcomed the sentence.

"I think they’re ecstatic right now," Oprison said.

Hutchins was initially convicted in 2007 and sentenced to 11 years in military confinement, which including the seven years he served pending appeal which had left open the possibility of a four-year sentence.

A military court overturned his conviction in 2010, finding a statement he gave in custody should have been ruled inadmissible.

A military appeals court later reinstated the conviction, then overturned it again in 2013 because Hutchins was denied access to a lawyer for a week early in the investigation.

Hutchins led a squad of Marines sent to Hamdania, Iraq, to combat insurgents launching sniper attacks and planting improvised explosive devices.

On Apr. 26, 2006, Hutchins led six Marines and a Navy corpsman in abducting 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad, a retired policeman. They killed him and placed an AK-47 and a shovel next to the corpse to suggest he had been planting a bomb, according to witness testimony.

The seven other squad members were convicted of crimes at courts-martial, but none were imprisoned for more than 18 months.

Hutchins on Thursday addressed the jury at his court-martial, telling them he was changed by what he had seen.

"I had ice in my veins," he said. "It’s not who I am. It’s who I had to be in the situation I was in."

Staff Sergeant Saul Lopez, who served under Hutchins, testified at the hearing, praising Hutchins and crediting him for Lopez's own survival.

"Every Marine on that patrol is now a convicted felon. Is that leadership?” prosecutor Samson Newsome challenged Lopez.

"They are alive, sir. They are alive," Lopez said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/19/us-usa-iraq-trial-idUSKBN0OZ02N20150619

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 22 at 2015 10:44 AM

2015-06-22T10:44:33-04:00

It sounds as if the prosecution was all over the place on this one.

Response by SGT Lawrence Corser made Jun 22 at 2015 10:50 AM

2015-06-22T10:50:40-04:00

Then didnt the leadership renege and put him back in the slammer?

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Jun 22 at 2015 12:24 PM

2015-06-22T12:24:59-04:00

As I understand (or, better put "don't understand") this case it has been a quagmire. Tragic all the way around. I guarantee it'll be a case-study in professional development courses for sometime to come.

Response by SSgt James Connolly made Jun 23 at 2015 1:10 AM

2015-06-23T01:10:07-04:00

He was set up to take the fall for someone higher just like Calley

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Nov 8 at 2015 10:48 AM

2015-11-08T10:48:00-05:00

After the killing in Iraq came to light, then-U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus called it a "cold-blooded murder".
This explains a lot as to the many different ways this case went. It should have been a simple open and shut case...

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 8 at 2015 2:50 PM

2015-11-08T14:50:00-05:00

Look at his eyes.

Response by SP5 Michael Chism made May 17 at 2019 4:15 AM

2019-05-17T04:15:12-04:00

God Bless you Sir...For OUR Republic

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Oct 22 at 2019 8:49 AM

2019-10-22T08:49:39-04:00

Navy’s made inappropriate comment (undue command influence [it’s cold blooded murder!]). The charges should of been thrown out and the Former Marine should fight that discharge because of mabus’s comment.. I truly hope he can still do that .

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jul 24 at 2021 12:26 PM

2021-07-24T12:26:26-04:00

Sounds like he got a good deal