Since it is blown's pet dream story, the 8 marines who he has already convicted in the Haditha "Masacre".
2 just had all charges dropped, late last week.
All over the news, the cbsnews.com version looks like this:
Corps Tosses All Charges Against Marines In Deaths Of 24 Iraqi Civilians
The decision to drop the charges against Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt followed an earlier recommendation from Lt. Col. Paul Ware, a hearing officer.
"The government version is unsupported by independent evidence," Ware wrote. "To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary."
Ware said prosecution of Sharratt could set a "dangerous precedent that ... may encourage others to bear false witness against Marines as a tactic to erode public support of the Marine Corps and its mission in Iraq."
"Even more dangerous is the potential that a Marine may hesitate at the critical moment when facing the enemy," Ware said.
Capt. Randy W. Stone, 35, a battalion lawyer from Dunkirk, Md., was one of four officers charged with failing to adequately probe the killings.
"It is clear to me that any error of omission or commission by Capt. Stone does not warrant action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice," Lt. Gen. James Mattis wrote. Also "Stone's experience in this incident offers many hard learned lessons that I am confident will serve him well in the future,"
Mattis concluded Sharratt acted within the rules of engagement.
So, bottom line, while further investigation continues, 2 Article 32 investigative hearings (not Court Martials) have been dropped, because the accused did nothing wrong.
Some further details:
The basic charges:
Four enlisted Marines were initially charged with murder, and four officers were charged with failing to investigate.
Prosecutors dropped charges against one of the enlisted men, Sgt. Sanick P. Dela Cruz of Chicago, and gave him immunity to testify against his squad mates.
It is my personal suspicion they may not have had much on him, but tried to leverage him.
Apparently it hasn't worked out well.
The other enlisted Marine, Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum of Edmond, Okla., has attended a preliminary hearing, but no recommendation has been made.
That is 3 of the 4.
The 4th, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., who faces 18 counts of murder. He is scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing Aug. 22.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani of Rangely, Colo., is the only other officer aside from Stone to attend an initial hearing, known as an Article 32 investigation.
2 officers still have not seen Art. 32 hearings yet.
I am apparently keeping a closer eye on this one than blown is. I was SURE he'd report the latest since he was sooooooooooo incensed at all 8 marines raping a 14-yr-old a year ago.
Guess the truth does not warrant coverage.
Innoscent untill proven guilty, still works most of the time.