Marine acquitted on all counts

North County Times | April 9, 2009 | Mark Walker

[Sergeant Tim]

CAMP PENDLETON -- A military jury this morning acquitted Marine Sgt. Ryan Weemer in the killing of an unarmed Iraqi insurgent during the battle for the city of Fallujah in 2004.

The 26-year-old Illinois native hugged his attorney, who broke into tears on hearing the not-guilty verdict.

Weemer's wife, sister and high school English teacher, who attended each day of the trial that started March 30, also cried as the decision was read.

Weemer was charged last year with unpremeditated murder and dereliction of duty. Prosecutors alleged that as a corporal, he killed one of four captive insurgents the government says were slain on Nov. 9, 2004.

Defense attorney Paul Hackett had urged the panel of eight combat-experienced officer to acquit his client, arguing Wednesday that the slain man had lunged for Weemer's gun causing him to shoot in self-defense.

Prosecutors argued that in taped interviews Weemer said he shot the man and told a squadmate that he would "have to live with that for the rest of my life."

The incident emerged when Weemer told a Secret Service job interviewer about the killings that took place in the opening hours of the fight for Fallujah.

Two other men from Weemer's 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment Kilo Company squad also were charged with taking part in the slayings. One, Weemer's squad leader former Sgt. Jose Nazario Jr., was tried and acquitted on two counts of manslaughter.

[Sergeant Tim]

http://nctimes.com/articles/2009/04/09/military/z4fabcc0761ce2b2c88257593005dcd7e.txt

[LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot]

Thank God.

HEY MURTHA:

SUCK IT.

[Izzy Dunne]

Yet Murtha still goes free...

[tatsinfla]

its a shame that we train these men and women to be killers and then send them off to kill only to bring them home on murder or manslaughter charges....God Bless them all and thank God for the verdict......

[Sergeant Tim]

Hey, justice is for just us peons.

[texrepub76]

Best news I have heard it quite soem time. How appaling is it that people who were not in there; nor seem to have a clue as to what events transpired in the Battle of Fallujah believe they have the right to charge a protector of their own freedom for performing his duties admirably.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

WooHoo!!!

[lakeman]

Uh Rah

[Kansas58]

Did I not hear Murtha say, recently, “innocent until proven guilty” concerning the criminal investigations into some of HIS associates?

But that jerk will not give the SAME respect to our Marines!

[Syncro]

Good news, that was fast.

Shame on the government for pushing these false charges against all of those brave Marines.

Double shame on the cowardly self-agrandizing traitor Murtha

[Sergeant Tim]

Ping

[Tribune7]

I’m starting to think one of the biggest problems with this country is trophy-hunting prosecutors without any common sense or human empathy.

[dirtymac]

But! But! I thought Murtha said they were guilty. Why did we have to go and get a verdict?

[Sergeant Tim]

Ping!

previously on this:

http://warchronicle.com/TheyAreNotKillers/Fallujah04/DefendOurMarines.htm

[Dubya]

Shame on the government for pushing these false charges against all of those brave Marines.

AMEN

[MarkT]

One shot, one kill. If he used two or more bullets, consider re-charging him for wasting ammo...Semper Fi.

[windsorknot]

Yet Murtha still goes free...

...and dumbasses keep voting for him.

[Dubya]

SGT. DUB

[Publius6961]

The incident emerged when Weemer told a Secret Service job interviewer about the killings that took place in the opening hours of the fight for Fallujah.

ELR!
Extremely Lousy Reporting.

We have lots of information here, except the weasel, and others subsequently, who decided it was necessary to prosecute this soldier.

Names, please.

As for the Secret Service, this anecdote gives me mixed feelings about the common sense and competence at that agency. At least for the next four years.

Just saying.

[DallasDeb]

Yippee! Ya-hooey!

[JamesA]

Hoo-ra Marine; Take a night off and have ya a brew or two.

[Chet 99]

There’s an old saying that a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich if he wanted to.

[Dubya]

Thanks for posting this news.

[Non-Sequitur]

Justice is done.

[ex91B10]

The incident emerged when Weemer told a Secret Service job interviewer about the killings that took place in the opening hours of the fight for Fallujah.

All this happened because of a job interview?

[mass55th]

Great news!! Hey Murtha, eat $hit and die!!

[ardara]

I will say prayers of thanks today at Holy Thursday services for my fellow Marine Sgt.Weemers,his family and his great friends.GOOD NEWS on a GREAT DAY.

[Hulka]

Probably a pre-polygraph interview, and given the fact he felt bad about the shooting, he fessed up about feeling bad. That was all it takes for a modern-day witch doctor (polygraph operator) to kick off an investigation.

Poly's are not nearly as accurate as most think. Heck, every polygraph operator will tell you the instrument is not accurate 100% of the time, BUT, each polygraph operator will tell you THEY are accurate 100% of the time.

[Taxman]

Semper Fi!

[oneamericanvoice]

Thank God for this good news!

Murtha needs to apologize.

[kellynla]

Excellent News!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BTTT

[SuperLuminal]

Semper Fi victory bump!

[Amerigomag]

I'm awestruck.

Someone in the chain of command bowed to politcal pressure and prosecuted a young Marine for killing an enemy combatant in the midst of an active conflict?

My understanding is that we send Marines to war zones to kill as many of the enemy as possible. That's what our warrior class does. Kill people and destroy things.

I can still remember the rolling eyes in the civilian sector when Bill Clinton suggested that the US should use it Marines as peace keepers

[usurper]

Yet Murtha still goes free...

And gets an award from the Navy.

[lakey]

Very good news!

[happinesswithoutpeace]

: )