18 Murder Charges Against Marine Could Be Drastically Reduced
A military investigator has recommended a big reduction in the charges against a Marine Sergeant accused of killing civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha.
Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich was originally charged with 18 counts of murder for the killings in Haditha in the fall of 2005. He'd been leading a squad of Marines who opened fire on civilians after one of their comrades was killed by a roadside bomb.
A Marine investigator is recommending a reduction in charges. Defense lawyer Mark Zaid says Wuterich may now face trial on just seven counts of negligent homicide.
Zaid : The biggest difference is that negligent homicide carries just a three-year jail term versus life imprisonment. But it also goes very much to the level of mental culpability.
Ultimately, it's up to a Marine General to decide what charges Wuterich will face, or whether he'll be tried at all.
