2 of 3 accused SEALs to appear in court Monday

[unhappycamper]

2 of 3 accused SEALs to appear in court Monday
By Larry O’Dell - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Dec 7, 2009 5:23:23 EST

RICHMOND, Va. — Two Navy SEALs are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in military court on charges that they mistreated an Iraqi suspect in the gory slayings of four U.S. contractors in Fallujah.

One of the SEALs is accused of punching the detainee after his September arrest, while the other is accused of lying to investigators. A third SEAL also accused of lying to investigators about the episode will be arraigned later.

All three men have men have received an outpouring of support from people who view them as heroes. A Facebook page created to support the SEALs had more than 45,000 members as of Friday, and a California congressman is spearheading a campaign to persuade Defense Secretary Robert Gates to intervene.

Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class 2nd Class Matthew McCabe of Perrysburg, Ohio, and Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe of Yorktown, Va., and Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Julio Huertas of Blue Island, Ill., face courts-martial at a date to be determined. Keefe’s arraignment has been continued.

The men refused an administrative process known as “nonjudicial punishment” because they feared unfair treatment by military brass, said Neal Puckett, an attorney for McCabe.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_accused_seals_court_120609/