US marine jailed for Iraq death
Scratchin a Letter
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A US marine has received an 18-month prison sentence for his part in killing an unarmed man in Iraq.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6152636.stm
Pte John Jodka is one of eight servicemen implicated in the attack seven months ago in Hamdania, in which a 52-year-old man died.
The judge said he would have sentenced Jodka to five years, but he was bound by a "very fortuitous" pre-trial deal.
Jodka, who apologised to the victim's family, is expected to give evidence against the other defendants.
The BBC's David Willis, in California, says other more senior officers among the defendants are expected to face kidnapping and murder charges.
They could face the death penalty if convicted in trials that are likely to drag on towards the end of 2007, our correspondent says.
By giving evidence against them, Pte Jodka stands to receive a general discharge from the marines, although the judge, Lt Col David Jones, said that he would have given him a dishonourable discharge.
"You have a very fortuitous pre-trial agreement," the judge told Jodka.
Disabled grandfather
At 20 years of age, Pte Jodka is the youngest and lowest-ranking member of a group of marines who were deployed in Iraq earlier this year.
It is alleged that the eight-strong team went looking for a suspected insurgent.
When they failed to find him the men became frustrated and dragged a disabled grandfather from his home, bound and beat him and then shot him to death.
In court, Pte Jodka apologised to the family of the Iraqi man who died and to fellow members of the Marine corps.
He also talked about conditions in Iraq, referring to the fear and frustration he and his colleagues felt there and telling the court that he often felt poorly trained for the duties he had been asked to undertake, including counter-terrorism.
The case comes on the heels of the US mid-term elections, where Iraq featured as a key issue for voters.
Our correspondent says the case will feed into public disquiet about the conduct of the war in Iraq.
In another high profile case, soldiers from the same base as Jodka - Camp Pendleton - are facing the prospect of prosecution over the deaths of 24 Iraqis at Haditha in November 2005.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6152636.stm
Pte John Jodka is one of eight servicemen implicated in the attack seven months ago in Hamdania, in which a 52-year-old man died.
The judge said he would have sentenced Jodka to five years, but he was bound by a "very fortuitous" pre-trial deal.
Jodka, who apologised to the victim's family, is expected to give evidence against the other defendants.
The BBC's David Willis, in California, says other more senior officers among the defendants are expected to face kidnapping and murder charges.
They could face the death penalty if convicted in trials that are likely to drag on towards the end of 2007, our correspondent says.
By giving evidence against them, Pte Jodka stands to receive a general discharge from the marines, although the judge, Lt Col David Jones, said that he would have given him a dishonourable discharge.
"You have a very fortuitous pre-trial agreement," the judge told Jodka.
Disabled grandfather
At 20 years of age, Pte Jodka is the youngest and lowest-ranking member of a group of marines who were deployed in Iraq earlier this year.
It is alleged that the eight-strong team went looking for a suspected insurgent.
When they failed to find him the men became frustrated and dragged a disabled grandfather from his home, bound and beat him and then shot him to death.
In court, Pte Jodka apologised to the family of the Iraqi man who died and to fellow members of the Marine corps.
He also talked about conditions in Iraq, referring to the fear and frustration he and his colleagues felt there and telling the court that he often felt poorly trained for the duties he had been asked to undertake, including counter-terrorism.
The case comes on the heels of the US mid-term elections, where Iraq featured as a key issue for voters.
Our correspondent says the case will feed into public disquiet about the conduct of the war in Iraq.
In another high profile case, soldiers from the same base as Jodka - Camp Pendleton - are facing the prospect of prosecution over the deaths of 24 Iraqis at Haditha in November 2005.
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Comments
Plea bargaining:
"As part of a plea bargain, Jodka pleaded guilty in October to charges of assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice, while prosecutors dropped other charges including murder and kidnapping."
Plea bargaining is just plain wrong. How can one accept plea-bargaining with charges of murder and kidnapping. Shouldn't be allowed. I find that disgusting.
http://www.myspace.com/thelastreel http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19604327965
Which is what the others, who do not seem to have been offered any plea-bargain, are facing. That's why I feel it doubly wrong (if that can be possible). Adding insult to injury.
i think that if this guy had killed an american he wouldn;t have been let off so lightly.
http://www.myspace.com/thelastreel http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19604327965
I don't know.. the guy basically testified against the others and maybe he was just more part of the group than the one that actually committed the crimes. It really just depends on the circumstances. I'm not saying I agree with it. I'm just not all that surprised.
I know i am just talking shit here and the American people would never stand for
but i think drastic measures are needed if Iraq is to be organized in to a democracy.
i think the americans and british said they wanted their troops to be safe from iraqi justice, that they wanted to prosecute their own forces...
http://www.myspace.com/thelastreel http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19604327965
I kwon that, but as long as their soldiers can get away with things like this the Iraqi people will see them as invaders and occupiers instead of liberators. If the Iraqi people see that their justice system is above everyone including Americans then they will feel like they have some type of control
And now we can see clearly why the U.S decided not to sign up to the International criminal court.
"What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact."
Camden 5-28-06
Washington, D.C. 6-22-08