Posted on 04/28/2005 8:47:28 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Apr. 28, 2005 - Marines testifying on behalf of a comrade accused of murdering two Iraqi detainees praised him Thursday as a model leader who showed compassion for Iraqi citizens.
Six defense witnesses spoke glowingly of 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano at a military pretrial hearing at one point moving him to tears after the prosecution closed its case with two Marines who described Pantano as sometimes overzealous or rough in his handling of prisoners.
"He's a great Marine," testified former Marine Martin McPherson, who served under Pantano in Iraq. "He had the attention to detail you need to bring back your men alive. He knew exactly what he needed to do, and he did it."
Pantano, a former Wall Street trader who rejoined the Marines after the Sept. 11 attacks, has said he shot the detainees in self-defense during an April 2004 search outside a suspected terrorist hideout in Iraq.
Pantano has said the men had moved toward him in a threatening manner. Prosecutors have introduced testimony that Pantano believed the men were insurgents who had been attacking his unit, but had been ordered to release them.
The Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury, will help determine whether Pantano, 33, will face a court-martial. If convicted of murder, he could get the death penalty.
Pantano's chief accuser, Sgt. Daniel Coburn, has not returned to the stand since Wednesday, when his testimony was abruptly halted. The investigating officer, Maj. Mark E. Winn, advised Coburn of his rights and said he was under suspicion for violating orders not to speak with the media about the case.
Late Thursday, Winn said military prosecutors had advised him they do not plan to charge Coburn, but he added that Coburn has informed Marine officials he does not want to return to the stand unless he is granted immunity from prosecution on a violating orders charge.
Earlier Thursday, prosecution witness Cpl. Spencer Stringham recalled Pantano mockingly threatening to kill an Iraqi detainee who had feigned an inability to speak English. The man ultimately asked Pantano in English not to shoot him.
Stringham also recalled Pantano ordering a pair of detainees to roll off the back of a moving Humvee. He acknowledged under cross-examination that he never considered Pantano's behavior abusive.
Another witness a Marine identified only as Sgt. G because he is applying for transfer to a counterintelligence unit testified that Pantano hung a sign that read, "No better friend, no worse enemy" on the car of the men he is accused of murdering.
The phrase is a Marine motto, but the witness said he removed it because he considered it unprofessional.
Defense witness Lt. Nathan Dmochowski, who trained with Pantano and served with him in Iraq, recalled one instructor who said hanging threatening signs could help Marines in hostile areas.
"If nothing else works, sir, when you've been in that environment ... you have to figure out ways to enforce your will upon the enemy," Dmochowski said.
Dmochowski said Pantano embraced the humanitarian element of the military's mission "almost to the point he endangered himself." He recalled a time when Pantano went door-to-door shaking hands until he was pulled away by worried colleagues.
Lance Cpl. James Faleris, a machine gunner who worked under Pantano in Iraq, said the officer gave local children candy, toys and soccer balls, and made his platoon study Iraqi language and culture for an hour each day as they prepared to deploy.
"He's hands-down the best officer I've ever had the privilege to serve under," Faleris said.
Have to wonder if it isn't better that Coburn not testify?
From what I've read, the prosecution's case rests solely on Coburn's testimony. Without him what do they have? Right now he seems to be a disgruntled Marine, who, by his interviews and posts, seems to harbor a grudge. They've already caught him disobeying orders, perjury and he was demoted for incompetence.
Coburn's admitted he didn't even see what happened. And not only has Coburn talked to reporters about this case but he apparently has also been posting on at least one website about the case.
Not sure who prevailed at the end of the day. One thing for sure, they are getting the best our court systems have to offer. OOPS that is MILITARY COURTS.
For those who may have missed it, the other case I was following the Hasan Akbar case, well he received death.
Who said there was no such thing as justice!
I agree with your comments. There are some issues that I hope will be addressed as the hearing continues. But, I have faith that the right decision will be made.
His life forever will be changed by this accusation, very sad if he is not guilty.
Sure hope this Marine can bet the rape and continue being a good Marine serving his country. It busts my gonads when I hear our guys being brought to court for defending themselves and their cohorts in such bad conditions. And the six Marines the defense called to the stand sure make it sound Pantano did nothing out of the code of conduct to warrant those charges being leveled at him. He sounds like a model Marine, the kind I would want my nephew to work with in Iraq.
Getting late. Have a good morning FMC.
Make the same offer to LT. Pantano.
I don't know about the Marines, but I thought Commanders .... not prosecutors .... 'charge' crimes and prosecutors ... well prosecute.
[[Another witness a Marine identified only as Sgt. G because he is applying for transfer to a counterintelligence unit testified that Pantano hung a sign that read, "No better friend, no worse enemy" on the car of the men he is accused of murdering.]]
LT Pantano is my kind of Marine. He is a hero and should be promoted not court martialed. I predict that he will walk very soon.
"LT Pantano is my kind of Marine. He is a hero and should be promoted not court martialed. I predict that he will walk very soon.
I pray you are right about his walking. I am appalled by this trial. I think he should have been given a medal.
IN SUPPORT OF LIEUTENANT PANTANO -- (House of Representatives - April 28, 2005)
[Page: H2722] GPO's PDF
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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, today is the third day of the Article 32 hearing for Second Lieutenant Ilario Pantano, a Marine who I have talked about here on the floor at great length and who has served our Nation bravely in both gulf wars.
In an action of self-defense a year ago in Iraq, Lieutenant Pantano made a split-second, battlefield decision to shoot two Iraqi insurgents who refused to follow his orders to stop their movement towards him. Two and a half months later, a sergeant under his command, who never even saw the shooting and who was earlier demoted for his lack of leadership abilities, accused him of murder. Because of that, Lieutenant Pantano today continues to face an Article 32 hearing where a hearing officer will determine whether he will face a court martial for two counts of premeditated murder.
Last night I described how yesterday's hearing came to a halt when it became apparent that Lieutenant Pantano's accuser, Sergeant Coburn, had recently violated his superior's orders not to give an interview on this case. The defense showed that he was interviewed for various media outlets, including last week's New York Magazine cover story on the case.
In fact, Sergeant Coburn may now face charges for disobeying orders, and he left the stand yesterday after the hearing officer recommended he get an attorney.
Madam Speaker, it seems obvious that this man's testimony cannot be considered credible. How can these charges move forward when the primary witness is someone who did not actually see the shooting and who may now face charges for disobeying serious orders about the case?
Let me also quote from Navy Medical Corpsman George Gobles, the only other person present at the time of the shooting, and the prosecution's other main witness who took the stand yesterday. He called Pantano ``a damn good leader.'' He continued to testify: ``I felt the safest with, you know, this platoon because more than anything, because of Lieutenant Pantano, because of his leadership.''
Madam Speaker, as I have said many times before, Lieutenant Pantano is by all accounts an exceptional Marine. I hope that yesterday's proceedings have finally begun to bring out the truth in this case. I pray that the end is near so that Pantano's family can put this behind them and move forward with their lives. I hope that in the next day or two, as this hearing ends, the hearing officer comes to the same conclusion that I and many like me have come to, that Lieutenant Pantano should never have been charged in the first place, and that all charges against him are dropped. I hope and I pray that the truth will prevail.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I Ðcontinue to ask my colleagues to Ðresearch the case and consider supporting House Resolution 167, my bill to help support Lieutenant Pantano as he faces this battle. I encourage them to visit his mother's Web site at www.defendthedefenders.org and learn more about this fine young Marine, and I would be proud to call him my son or my son-in-law.
I close by asking the good Lord in heaven to please bless Lieutenant Pantano and his family, and by asking the good Lord in heaven to please continue to bless our men and women in uniform, and I ask the good Lord in heaven to continue to bless America.
[[I pray you are right about his walking. I am appalled by this trial. I think he should have been given a medal.]]
This is not a trial YET. It is an article 32 of UCMJ hearing to decide when to court martial him or not.
I predict that there will NOT be enough evidence to court martial this fine young Marine officer (who was also an enlisted man at one time).
Pinging beloved seeking his thoughts on current developments in the case.
Let my people go!
It's the hanging of the sign (testified to by a fellow officer) that makes this whole incident worthy of investigation. It's against the UCMJ and probably violates certain of the laws of land warfare. If he hadn't done that, I doubt anyone would be questioning his actions.
Not to mention it's just plain stupid. It doesn't help us win the support of the population when we do things that are extremely culturally insensitive to them.
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