Exclusive Look Inside the Fallujah Investigation

Defend Our Marines ^ | September 4, 2010 | Nathaniel R. Helms

[jazusamo]

NOTE:

SSgt Wuterich Court Martial Postponed

by Nathaniel R. Helms | September 4, 2010

The general court martial of SSgt Frank Wuterich has been postponed due to the serious injury of a former NCIS crime scene reconstructionist injured in a fall. SSgt Wuterich was scheduled to go on trial September 13, 2010.

Neal Puckett, lead attorney for Wuterich, said military judge LtCol David M. Jones, currently stationed in Okinawa, has postponed the trial until November 1. This will give time for the witness to recover from surgery for serious injuries to his hands and legs, Puckett said.

Prosecutor Major Nicholas Gannon informed Puckett late Thursday that former NCIS Special Agent Mike Mahoney sustained the injuries when he fell from a cliff while recreating with his son. Mahoney is the government’s expert on what happened in the houses where civilians died at Haditha.

The so-called “Hutchins Motion” hearing seeking dismissal of the charges will go on as scheduled, Puckett said.

“We have to remain pessimistic the trial will go forward and we have to continue to prepare,” Puckett said.

SSgt Wuterich Court Martial Postponed

[jazusamo]

Article by Nat Helms
.

HADITHA MARINE PING!

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP!

[Islander7]

Mike Mahoney sustained the injuries when he fell from a cliff while recreating with his son.

Ewww! Is that legal?

[Marine_Uncle]

So again, the good Sargent must wait while some idiot (NCIS) heals this time around. What bull shit.

[jazusamo]

Yep, yet another delay but if the “Hutchins Motion” is ruled on like it should be ruled on there’ll be no CM!

[bigheadfred]

the serious injury of a former NCIS crime scene reconstructionist injured in a fall.

Sorry, but that part strikes me as hilarious.

I can't believe this person is SO "critical" medically or to the prosecution that they can't proceed. This is such B.S.

They need to pull the plug on this and let it die.

[bigheadfred]

he fell from a cliff

I would take that as a SIGN. A wise and prudent person should.

[4woodenboats]

FWIW, Gannon falling on his face should enhance Puckett's argument for an acquital.

NCIS scores another own goal.

[4woodenboats]

I can't believe this person is SO "critical" medically or to the prosecution that they can't proceed. This is such B.S.

No shit.

How long could it possibly take him to grow a new set?

[Gene Eric]

>> The day they marched into the Federal courtroom, snapped to attention and refused to testify was a proud moment,

I remember the news of that event very well. It was a big deal.

Thanks for the ping.

[HiTech RedNeck]

evading the justice system is a cause for pride?

[Girlene]

Good summary of the Fallujah cases. It will be interesting to read through the NCIS summary.

I can’t believe they are delaying SSGt Wuterich’s court martial, once again. They couldn’t find another “crime scene” reconstructionist to replace Mr. Mahoney? Maybe the outcome of the Hutchin’s motion will make this whole CM a moot point. Thanks for the ping, jaz!

[Girlene]

evading the justice system is a cause for pride?

What justice? From Nat Helm's article:

..........."Why the charges were brought in the first place still mystifies the lawyers who defended Nazario. There was never any corroborating physical evidence to support the charges, McDermott says. Despite intensive records searches during the worldwide investigation that followed no evidence of the insurgent’s existence or deaths was ever found. The investigation officially began on October 16, 2006 and ended on April 8, 2009. The last entry in the 2,700-plus page report merely says, “This investigation is closed.” "............

............The Thundering Third used every weapon at its disposal; bombs, rockets, grenades, machine guns, rifles, knives and fists to exterminate a ruthless al Qaeda led enemy that thought beheading civilians was great sport. Nobody knocked first to see who was inside a barricaded house. Their calling card was something that exploded. After they finished the enemy off the Thundering Third sometimes ordered Israeli-made armored bulldozers to grind the flattened houses containing their bodies into the dirt. It was that kind of war.

The two Marines who refused to testify had already been jailed and faced criminal contempt charges for their refusal to testify. Here's what the judge in Nazario's case thought about their "evasion of justice". From VIEW FROM THE COURTROOM: NAZARIO TRIAL, DAY TWO

Larson, [the judge] who has shown remarkable restraint during the entire bizarre proceeding, shrugged off Behnke’s demand to immediately jail the Marines. Instead, he ordered the men before his bench on September 29th to decide what he ought to do with them.

“There is no maximum limit to what sentence this court can impose,” he warned the assembled cast.

Both Nelson and Weemer already spent three weeks in civilian confinement in May and June after Larson, and another US district judge, sent them to the slammer for refusing to testify to the Grand Jury that indicted Nazario. They never budged.

"Placing either of these two men in jail would have no effect,” Larson reasoned. “There is probably not a whole lot in this world that these men fear."

Eventually, the government dropped the criminal contempt charges (Sept. 23, '08) before any hearing was held.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the clarification J.

[Marine_Uncle]

Heheh. Pretty good Fred.

[Marine_Uncle]

I wouldn’t trust the NCIS further then I could throw the whole unit. They screwed the pouch on this whole incident, and they continue to get away with their screw ups.

[bigheadfred]

evading the justice system is a cause for pride?

Most of the sitting judges in this country make a career of it.

[Saoirise]

We all know that NCIS fell off something a long time ago, myabe Gannon is just getting it now. LOL

[HiTech RedNeck]

Bush apparently called the dogs off. If this had been going on under Obama the court would still be holding the man defying the court in that “nasty jail.”

However, what was to be lost in testifying except some ego? This lowered the contest from one of truth and honor, to one of battling wills.