The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has overturned the murder conviction of ex-Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III.
Hutchins led an eight-man squad that kidnapped and killed unarmed Iraqi civilian Hashim Ibrahim Awad in Hamdaniya in 2006.
The judges agreed with Hutchins, who claimed his constitutional rights were violated when he was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for seven days during his interrogation.
A military court in 2007 convicted Hutchins of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, making a false official statement, and larceny, according to The Jurist.
Hutchins' lawyer, Babu Kaza, told the A.P. he anticipates his client will be released from the brig at MCAS Miramar in a matter of days.
But the story may not be over yet. U-T San Diego reports the Hutchins case could be brought before the U.S. Supreme Court for review. The military convening authority could also order a retrial for Hutchins.
