Source: Military news.... A Marine facing life in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and murdering an innocent Iraqi man asked to withdraw his pleas Thursday, saying he no longer believes he's guilty.
"He believes he acted with lawful authority, and for that reason he is withdrawing his plea," attorney Victor Kelley said at Cpl. Trent Thomas' sentencing hearing.
The military judge ordered a 30-minute recess and asked Thomas's defense team to present their case as to why they no longer believe his is guilty.
Thomas, 25, pleaded guilty Jan. 18 to eight felonies including kidnapping, murder and assault. He was one of a squad of seven Marines and a sailor accused last year of hatching a plot to kill an innocent Iraqi in the town of Hamdania. Four others pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Thomas, the squad's second in command, could face life in prison. It is now believe the Marines did him wrong.
2007-02-08 10:01:19 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Its hard to say,military courts are run much differently then civilian courts.
In the military your rights are not the same.
2007-02-08 10:06:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question.
One that is something that is just hard to explain in "this war', in other wars in the last century: WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam, well this would not be done as it is.
First, this is no "massacre" on a grand scale, it is youthful Marines in an impossible situation.
Next; the attorneys may be less than "qualified" both sides,
the Military has just "piled on" charges as in some insane legal game, they are all likely very much not combat troops.
The USMC and the Army actually make a great many veterans, are "ill' as to their conduct. All they have done is try enlisted for situations of "extreme stress" and go for long jail time, or worse, like they think they could execute a marine or soldier for an act in the "heat of battle"? Recall Nixon pardoning that evil LT Calley for "mass murder' well if you be "Joe PFC" you are doomed in today's military.
It is a theater of the absurd. I would present every photo, story of all this man's and the others comrades killed and wounded to the court, no I do not want this Marine to serve in "The Corps" anymore but he should not rot in a military prison because he was young and not well supervised.
"Not well Supervised" where in the world, under God's Grace were his NCO's and Officers/
I will tell you at the same bar or whatever with those Army enlistedmen that were "prison guard's", what a female with a "borderline" IQ, and a SSg with the IQ of a donut? Who was also sexually assualting her?
Dirty laundry: make marines and Professional soldiers ill: but no JAG or such has examined officer "underwear", to be tasteless:
not even considered. Perhaps "political pressure".
Nixon knew calley was a murderer, a loser who the Army allowed to rise to "power", grant him that this Pres, is well not in "the loop", he is not involved.
Everyone is "afraid' of Arab opinion, their press and such, sad.
The entire "show' is a bad TV movie in which the "evil enlisted" will again be shown to be such.
But one can 'rant and rave" - rage against all and the "system' has become one of elite over the soldiers and marines.
2007-02-08 10:52:09 · answer #2 · answered by cruisingyeti 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To start with, I will reply to Norman V. You are way off sir in your statement about rights in the military being different than civilian life. I served in the Navy 24 years and had no problem seeing the same rights. You are still under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
As to the Marines turning on their own, I doubt if they turned on their own. Like most of the respondents said, lets wait for the facts, however you most likely will never hear the entire case, the same as with a civilian court. I do believe after my years of service including working with Marines at several bases, that like all branches, they will turn in someone in violation of the U.C.M.J. (Uniform Code of Military Justice) which all military members are held accountable to. I personally along with all retirees are held accountable for life.
2007-02-08 10:18:12 · answer #3 · answered by handyman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Haven't you people figured it out yet that this clown is nothing more than a troll who intentionally designs and posts irrational questions for the sole purpose of stirring up trouble?
2007-02-08 11:05:52 · answer #4 · answered by Team Chief 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Erudite, you should be aware that quoting an article without citing it and then modifying the text to present a false image of what was stated is plaguerism and illegal.
2007-02-08 11:02:13 · answer #5 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think we should wait for the facts before we make a judgment about anything
2007-02-08 10:05:03 · answer #6 · answered by kapute2 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Until we know ALL the facts of the case we can't say if they did or not.
2007-02-08 10:05:33 · answer #7 · answered by John B 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Whre did it say that they turned on their own? I missed it!
2007-02-08 10:05:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
ERUDITE=DOUCHE NOZZLE!!!!!!!!
2007-02-08 13:32:03 · answer #9 · answered by lance h 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋