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Marine 'covered up' killings
29/05/2008 20:14 - (SA)
Camp Pendleton - A Marine intelligence officer lied to investigators to help cover up a squad's killings of 24 Iraqis, including women and children, a prosecutor said on Thursday during opening statements in the officer's court-martial.
First Lieutenant Andrew Grayson is the first of three defendants to go to trial in the Haditha, Iraq, killings, the biggest US criminal case involving Iraqi deaths to come out of the Iraq.
The prosecutor, Lieutenant Colonel Paul H Atterbury, also told the jury of seven officers there are key undisputed facts in the case: A roadside bomb killed a Marine and wounded two others, and two hours later the squad's actions resulted in the deaths of the 24 Iraqis.
Four enlisted Marines were initially charged with murder and four officers were charged with covering up or failing to investigate the deaths. Charges were dropped against five of them while the remaining three, including Grayson, face courts martial.
After the bombing, investigators say, Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich and a squad member shot five men by a car at the scene. Wuterich then allegedly ordered his squad into several houses, where they cleared rooms with grenades and gunfire, killing unarmed civilians.
Grayson, who was not at the scene of the November 19, 2005, killings, is accused of telling a sergeant to delete photographs of the dead from his digital camera.
'I did nothing wrong'
Grayson says he did nothing wrong. He rejected a plea deal under which his charges would have been dismissed in exchange for an admission that he covered up the killings, his attorney has said.
Jury selection concluded on Wednesday after prosecutors and defence attorneys questioned potential jurors over their knowledge of the case based on news reports.
Grayson is charged with two counts of making false official statements, two counts of trying to fraudulently separate from service, and one count each of attempt to deceive by making false statements and obstruction of justice by trying to impede an investigation.
If convicted of all charges, he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison, forfeiture of all pay and dismissal from the Marines.
Wuterich faces voluntary manslaughter and other charges. Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani, a battalion commander, is charged with dereliction of duty and violation of a lawful order on allegations he mishandled the aftermath of the deaths.
- AP
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