BREAKING: FINAL ‘HADITHA’ MARINE EXONERATED- Wuterich Reaches Plea Deal For Misdemeanor

“Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich agreed to plead guilty Monday to one count of negligent dereliction of duty, ending his trial on manslaughter and related charges for his role in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.”

SHAME ON JOHN MURTHA—
The former Democratic representive smeared innocent men serving their country.
There was no “murder in cold blood.”

Cold-blooded John Murtha was wrong about the Haditha marines.
Barack Obama was wrong about Haditha, too.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani was found not guilty of all charges on June 16, 2008.
That made 7 of 8 Marines who had their charges dismissed.
Today the 8th and final Marine was found not guilty.

Photos via Defend Our Marines
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani became the 7th of 8 marines cleared of wrongdoing in the Haditha, Iraq killings in 2005.

The final Haditha Marine to stand trial reached a plea deal today ending his trial on manslaughter and related charges.

The NC Times reported:

Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich agreed to plead guilty Monday to one count of negligent dereliction of duty, ending his trial on manslaughter and related charges for his role in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.

“This was his decision and his decision alone,” Neal Puckett, Wuterich’s lead defense attorney, told the North County Times. “Staff Sergeant Wuterich believed this was the right and honorable thing to do.”

Negligent dereliction of duty is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 90 days in custody and a reduction or forfeiture of pay. Sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday.

The deal was announced in court early Monday morning. Afterward, Wuterich hugged his parents, who have been watching the courtroom proceedings since the trial began.

Under the plea deal, Wuterich acknowledged he didn’t maintain “adequate tactical control” of troops he was leading and made a “negligent verbal order.”

In statements to the judge, Wuterich said comments he made to troops he was leading were negligent and may have led to the the “tragic” events.

“I took a team of Marines to clear houses to the south of the site (of an IED explosion) and did use the words ‘shoot first, ask questions later,’ or something to that affect prior to clearing or entering there,” he said.

Wuterich said the troops he was leading may have taken his words to mean they should disregard the rules of engagement, and not make positive identifications before shooting.

United States Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich arrives at a court room at Camp Pendleton with lead defense attorney Neal Puckett Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012 in Camp Pendeton. (AP Photo\/Lenny Ignelzi)

Maggie’s Farm has more on the trial.

Thanks to Defend Our Marines for their tireless work in defending these innocent men.

#1 January 23, 2012 at 5:00 pm
FurryGuy commented:

The lies at the start of this sad affair is all many people will remember. The truth now will be quickly ignored and forgotten.
#2 January 23, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Remco Kimber commented:

Pretty rotten when your government turns on you as you’re doing the job you’ve been asked to do.

The Marines may call themselves a band of brothers. That’s largely true among the troops, but the USMC brass will turn on any individual Marine if it perceives that Marine stands in the way of their retention or promotion.

Rules of engagement are designed to give our enemies more than an even break. Just ask any Marine or soldier fighting these murderous muslims.
#3 January 23, 2012 at 5:03 pm
mamagriz68 commented:

Thank God true justice was done. So glad this young man can move on from this fiasco now.
#4 January 23, 2012 at 5:05 pm
FurryGuy commented:

JOHN MURTHA LIED—
He smeared innocent men serving their country.
There was not “murder in cold blood.”

Cold-blooded John Murtha was wrong about the Haditha marines.
Barack Obama was wrong about Haditha, too.

Lies are part and parcel of the Leftist/Progressive DNA. Facts never further the agenda.
#5 January 23, 2012 at 5:12 pm
bg commented:

++

Congratulations & Thank You Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich!!

It Has Always Been The Soldier

It is the soldier,
not the President who gives US Democracy.

It is the soldier,
not the Congress who takes Care of US.

It is the soldier,
not the Reporter who has given us Freedom of Press.

It is the soldier,
not the Poet who has given us Freedom of Speech.

It is the soldier,
not the campus [community] Organizer who
has given us the Freedom to Demonstrate.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag;
who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
that allows the protester to burn the flag.

~ Father Dennis O’Brien, US Marine Corp. Chaplain

God Bless America!

God Bless Soldiers everywhere for putting THEIR
lives on the line to protect us ALL from terrorism!

Good Lord, i had no idea that was till going on..

==
#6 January 23, 2012 at 5:20 pm
bg commented:

++

oh yeah, speaking of Iraq..

Assad’s fall could solve Iraqi weapons mystery

heck, i’m still awaiting answers as to what these Barack
Obama/Saddam Hussein pals may have to do with it..

and while i do not believe they are connected,
the timing sure makes me wonder anyways..

==
#7 January 23, 2012 at 5:23 pm
gee! commented:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/nyc-police-throw-navy-seal-into-psych-ward-for-claiming-hes-a-seal/ ……………..just sayin
#8 January 23, 2012 at 5:33 pm
zooomzooom commented:

God Bless you MARINES!!

I sleep well every night knowing that Marines, Sailors and Soldiers are standing watch.
#9 January 23, 2012 at 5:35 pm
dfbaskwill commented:

Rep. Murtha could not be reached for comment…
#10 January 23, 2012 at 5:36 pm
squeaky commented:

bg
the talk was always on the bekka valley.
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/3/2/230625.shtml
#11 January 23, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Rhoda R commented:

I hope that wherever Murtha is today that he had to pass through the spirits of all the deceased Marines to get there.
#12 January 23, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Larkin commented:

I say disband the U.S. Marine Corps.

The next time there is a war, send in the altar boys from St. Michael’s and St. John’s.

And then when the islamists behead a few of THEM, we’ll see how angelic they remain.
#13 January 23, 2012 at 5:48 pm
bg commented:

++

squeaky #12 January 23, 2012 at 5:36 pm

ah yes, here you go..

[1. Documents Moved to Syria: In essence, documentation of that small portion of the WMD program which was administered directly in Iraq was moved, along with other sensitive material and resources, to the Hshishi Compound at al-Qamishli (Kamishli) in Syria, just near the Iraqi border,
in August-September 2002. This was noted by GIS at that time.1

2. R&D Conducted in Libya: The great bulk of the work on WMD and on associated missile delivery systems, however, was conducted since 1991 in a partnership with Libya, and also with Egypt, at facilities in Libya, in order to keep the programs away from US and United Nations (UN) probes. That, too, was noted by GIS.2]

scroll up for more..

==
#14 January 23, 2012 at 5:50 pm
bg commented:

++

Larkin #14 January 23, 2012 at 5:44 pm

wth??

like too numerous to count Christians haven’t been defending US??

slip we much??

==
#15 January 23, 2012 at 5:51 pm
squeaky commented:

“… send in the altar boys from..” skip the alter boys and send in the ows troop. nothing like comparative study.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fTfGtC_8Qw
#16 January 23, 2012 at 5:58 pm
NR commented:

Off topic: “Buffett’s Railroad Among Winners From Keystone Denial”

“Warren Buffett’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC is among U.S. and Canadian railroads that stand to benefit from the Obama administration’s decision to reject TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s Keystone XL oil pipeline permit.

With modest expansion, railroads can handle all new oil produced in western Canada through 2030, according to an analysis of the Keystone proposal by the U.S. State Department.”

And the left claimed Cheney was corrupt….
#18 January 23, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Beverly Perlson commented:

Thank you Jim Hoft for posting!

After all these Marines have been through, dragging their noble service, good names and families through the mud, the last Haditha Marine, Sgt Wuterich is charged with dereliction of duty?!!!! What an outrage and what a disgrace what this Marine and all the Haditha Marines have been put through! This entire disgraceful treatment of our Marines was fueled by a tantrum thrown by the corrupt Ex-Marine John Murtha and fueled further by those on the left who know nothing about loyalty to our brave men and women and their honorable service!

Thanks to all who have stood by our Marines and those who support them! Our prayers have been answered. Special thanks to Neil Puckett for his excellent defense! If only he could help our Soldiers in Leavenworth!

Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
#19 January 23, 2012 at 6:24 pm
USMC Thomas commented:

Piss on those charges!
#20 January 23, 2012 at 6:27 pm
RealMc commented:

Now……..

Where do THEY go to regain their good reputations?

They sure as sam freaking hill deserve them back, and some.
#21 January 23, 2012 at 6:36 pm
burt commented:

Obama continues his war on the military.
#22 January 23, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Koda commented:

Admitting guilt to a lesser charge does not equal “Exonerated”

Exonerate-

1: to relieve of a responsibility, obligation, or hardship
2: to clear from accusation or blame
#23 January 23, 2012 at 6:43 pm
gee! commented:

Leavenworth 10 are soldiers convicted by military courts …………for murder of Iraqis over the pass 7 years……………for job that our government sent to do…….. their families speak-out…………..http://www.news919.com/news/world/article/97287–military-families-say-soldiers-marines-were-wrongly-convicted-for-doing-duty-in-iraq
#24 January 23, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Koda commented:

#24….what does Obama have to do with an incident whith took place in 2005, and charges which were brought while Bush was in office?

Keep up your war on reality…
#25 January 23, 2012 at 6:47 pm
texas commented:

Hallelujah!!! or as they say in Texas, Yee Haw!!! Finally justice prevails. You’re right Koda, #25, he should have been exonerated. This has been a long process, thank God it’s over. (Glad I was able to donate to their defense funds.)

#6 bg Awesome poem, lovely post
#26 January 23, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Beachluver commented:

Jack Murtha is rotting in hell and these hero patriot marines are cleared to live and fight another day!!!!! JUSTICE FOR ALL!!!!!
#27 January 23, 2012 at 6:53 pm
FurryGuy commented:

#25 January 23, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Koda commented:

It is exoneration of the original inflated and inflammatory charges that were brought, but yes, it is not a full exoneration. This was just a quick and dirty end to a wretched chapter of military injustice.
#28 January 23, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Gimme a Break, I never crapped on a cop car commented:

Somewhere in Hell, ex-Marine Murtha is not happy about this.
#29 January 23, 2012 at 6:57 pm
la commented:

THANK GOD! Who cares what he did? He was protecting himself, and when you just went through a traumatic event, sometimes you don’t think straight….that’s WAR. I applaud what he did, because you never know who is a target until something goes wrong. I would have done the exact same thing. SEMPER FI.
#30 January 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Molon Labe commented:

I feel sorry for these men. They were offered up on the altar of sacrifice by greedy politicians and a corrupt media.
#31 January 23, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Campfollower commented:

These men have accomplished more in their young lives than the man who was running for president in 2008 and, unfortunately, won. They make the Occupy protestors look like worms. John Murtha turned on them for a cheap political score, and that will never be forgiven or forgotten, no matter how many ships are named after him.

Congrats, Staff Sgt. May you find wonderful things ahead in your life.

Sincerely,
Laura Armstrong
widow of 1Lt Rich Armstrong, USMC, deceased
wife of MGySgt Rich Monica, USMC retired
#32 January 23, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Rose commented:

Dims lost their Americanism 40-50 years ago. They ain’t got a QUARK of it left.
#33 January 23, 2012 at 8:20 pm
valerie commented:

The Murtha estate owes those men.
#34 January 23, 2012 at 8:37 pm
gus commented:

Koda. How deep do you have to be in your dishonesty to claim these Marines were not exonerated? You’d have to be a special type of FUKTARD to say something so stupid.
#35 January 23, 2012 at 8:37 pm
jmar commented:

I don’t normally speak ill of the dead, but John Murtha was a piece of S___!
#37 January 23, 2012 at 9:27 pm
L.E. Liesner commented:

This is not justice! He should have been cleared just like the rest of these Marines. Three months in a Marine Brig is never good for anybody. The people that started this garbage are the ones that should be in the brig, I’d even dig up that SOB Murtha and stick him in there.
#38 January 23, 2012 at 10:05 pm
kato commented:

Good riddance to John Murtha. He represented everything that is wrong with government.

Well, not everything. He can’t be accused of being the biggest jive act in American history. That honor belongs to someone else.
#40 January 24, 2012 at 12:23 am
Matt commented:

Stop treating these Marines as heroes. They are not. They shot unarmed women and children in their house to house search.

What was that? Fog of war?
#41 January 24, 2012 at 1:05 am
BarbaraS commented:

How can he be guilty of a non event? The others had their charges dismissed; therefore nothing happened. There is something going on when this one guy is left hanging in the wind for years. It is like the marine brass had to throw a bone to someone. When our military brass takes the word of known terrorists over our guys, we have a problem. War is hell and our guys should shoot first and ask questions later. They are not in the business of protecting civilians. They are there to defeat the enemy. It is well known that these terroist stage these incidents and don’t care who gets killed or hurt.
#42 January 24, 2012 at 8:59 am
Honda commented:

May God continue to bless you and favor you Staff Sgt. Wuterich through the rest of your days. May your example of courage stand as an example for all.

The United States Marine Corps will always represent what is best about America. I did not have the privilege of being a Marine, but I hope you understand my intent, Semper Fi!
#43 January 25, 2012 at 9:00 am
la commented:

Matt #40. You are not an American, you are a POS