Murtha argues for immunity from lawsuit

[unhappycamper]

Murtha argues for immunity from lawsuit
By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 16:15:05 EST

WASHINGTON — A Marine who sued Rep. John Murtha for defamation urged a federal appeals court Tuesday to order the Pennsylvania Democrat to testify under oath in the case.

An attorney for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., told the court that he needs Murtha’s deposition to determine how often the congressman made the claim that Marines in Iraq engaged in “cold-blooded murder and war crimes” in the slayings of civilians in Haditha.

A government lawyer representing Murtha told the judges that the lawmaker has immunity from the lawsuit because he was acting in his official role as a lawmaker when he made the comments to reporters.

Arguments over whether Murtha must testify was argued before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Wuterich filed the lawsuit in 2006. He is the only person still facing charges in the 2005 Haditha slayings. A second Marine also has sued over Murtha’s remarks.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_murtha_wuterichsuit_111808/%2e



uhc comment: Twenty four civilians died in Haditha. To date no one has been found responsible.