“.... When pressed that four of the accused had been exonerated already, he continued his silence.”
Maybe he hasn’t apologized because he’s not through yet. The last I heard, he and his friends were still trying to get a few of these marines on “reduced charges” like “manslaughter” or “negligence”. You know, he’s a reasonable guy. He’d be satisfied with a couple of years in the jug and dishonorable discharges.
Use of a lower case M when referring to members of the United States Marine Corps is ill advised. These men are Marines.