Marine says he erased photos of Haditha victims

[RamboLiberal]

Source: LA Times

A staff sergeant testified Thursday that he was ordered to destroy grisly pictures of women and children killed by Marines so that the images would not be part of a statement being prepared for an investigative officer and a magazine reporter.

The testimony by Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner, taken under a grant of immunity, is the first evidence suggesting that any Marine officer may have engaged in a coverup in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.

Other testimony has suggested that officers made only a superficial review before deciding that the deaths were combat-related and thus no war crimes investigation was required.

At the Article 32 inquiry, similar to a preliminary hearing, for a former battalion commander, Laughner testified hat he felt the order to destroy the pictures, which he said was given by Lt. Andrew Grayson, amounted to obstruction of justice but that he complied and later lied when asked whether any pictures had been taken.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-haditha8jun08,0,317727.story?coll=la-home-center

[uppityperson]

1. k&r for the sheer brazenness and appalling arrogance

[IndianaGreen]

2. A clear case of obstruction of justice

They are trying to stop the command responsibility at the feet of the colonel that commanded the task force, but this shit goes a lot higher than that.

[bjobotts]

3. Marines are humans too...and can act just as vile and vengeful as

others are capable of acting. Sounds like anger and revenge to me. War doesn't excuse outright murder.

[The Stranger]

8. Actually, Marines claim to be so many things most humans aren't.

And aren't they supposed to be trained to deal with situtations without emotion? Actually, I know many humans that do this without even being Marines.

They need to be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law -- every single last one of them.

[elocs]

4. And so continues the age old excuse: "I was just following orders".

It not only makes a good soldier, but it is the thing that keeps dictators in power and allows atrocities to happen.

[USMC_Liberal]

5. Not Good.

[Cults4Bush]

6. The entire invasion and occupation is a war crime.

as is this.

[UpInArms]

7. fortunately, those pictures still exist

from the op link:

Although Laughner deleted the pictures from his computer, the images remained on his digital camera and are now part of the criminal case against four officers and three enlisted Marines.

[gratuitous]

10. Well, they got Laughner now

See, he was ordered to erase those pictures and he didn't do it! Dereliction of duty, failure to obey an order, insubordination! Bad Marine! No pension!

Wait, what were we talking about?

[Barrett808]

9. k & r