Free Republic

(CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.) - We pick up now where we left off in the timeline of events surrounding the incident that put far too many Marines in prison for killing the enemy. If you didn’t see Part 1 yesterday, you can find it here: Pendleton 8 Exposed - The Real Story, Part 1 January 18, 2007: Marine Pleads Guilty to Iraqi Kidnap, Murder “The Marine said ‘Someone’ fired a shot,” and then he and the others in the squad opened fire. Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III went up to the victim to make sure he was dead, [Cpl Trent] Thomas...

ANN ARBOR, MI – Military Judge Colonel Steven Folsom, USMC, will issue his ruling on the crucial Unlawful Command Influence motion brought by LtCol Jeffrey Chessani’s defense counsel in a Camp Pendleton, California, courtroom on Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at 9:00am PST. Col Folsom had originally scheduled hearings in Chessani’s case to last for three days, June 16–18. However, in an announcement that might prove to be significant to the Chessani case, Col Folson indicated late last week that he will announce his decision on the defense motion to dismiss on June 17 in a hearing that should last approximately...

I heard from Blue Star Dad Don Dinsmore a short while ago, from in the Sacramento area. They expect to ride around the State Capitol Tuesday morning and proceed to other California destinations after that. Expected arrival in the Los Angeles area is Thursday 6/28 at about 10am, rendezvous point to be announced in this thread after confirmation. Arrival at Camp Pendleton is scheduled for approx. 1pm Thursday 6/28

CAMP PENDLETON – A prosecutor said Tuesday that a Marine accused of kidnapping and killing an Iraqi civilian in April while deployed should not face the death penalty. The recommendation came after the testimony of three investigators in Lance Cpl. Jerry E. Shumate Jr.'s Article 32 hearing – the military equivalent of a grand jury proceeding or preliminary hearing. A decision on whether Shumate will face court martial is to come later. During brief testimony in the hearing Tuesday, an investigator testified Shumate became emotional, grabbed a map and wrote a statement on the back of it while she interviewed...

CAMP PENDLETON – A 21-year-old Marine Corps lance corporal broke down in tears after being questioned for an hour on his squad's alleged kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi civilian, a Navy investigator testified today. Special Agent Kelly Garbo said Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate answered questions calmly and straightforwardly through the first part of the interview, conducted May 11 in Fallujah. He broke down about halfway through the two-hour interview today, she said, then composed himself, and then broke down a second time near the end of the interview. The statements came at Shumate's Article 32 hearing before Col. Robert...

Military officials Friday denied a request that U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Jackson, 22, of Tracy be allowed to leave the brig at Camp Pendleton. Jackson has been in jail going from maximum to medium security since May 12, when he, along with Cpl. Marshall Magincalda, 23, of Manteca, and six others, was charged with killing an Iraqi civilian in Hamdania on April 26. Jackson’s defense attorney quashed recent rumors that U.S. Marine officials are concerned the men might flee if released. “That’s their opinion,” said Thomas Watt, Jackson’s attorney. “I totally disagree.” Watts said “Tyler is doing exceptionally well...

   You Call This A War? June 29, 2006 Maybe those in command of the War On Terror should take a break and watch a movie.  They might get a clue about what to do when you ask brave Americans to go in harm’s way, and fight a WAR.  Ask Sean Connery...You wanna know how you do it? Here's how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send on of his to the morgue!...Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? Perhaps W and Rummy have...