Lt Col Chessani's Haditha Case is Over
Marine Corps Lt General George J. Flynn has determined to drop all charges of dereliction of duty for Chessani’s investigation and reporting of the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, November 2005. The general directed a board of inquiry for Chessani to determine his final rank for retirement.
Boards of Inquiry
The North County Times article indicates that this may be an unusual action for the Marine Corps to take a senior officer to a board of inquiry. Most officers who are retirement eligible and faced administrative or legal actions under the UCMJ during their last held rank are usually required to demonstrate honorable service to be eligible to retire at that rank. The Law Firm of Puckett & Faraj, PC has represented several mid-level and senior officers in boards of inquiry in the last 10 years. Lt Col Chessani’s attorneys, Robert Muise and Brian Rooney have the opportunity to provide the board the chain of events in Haditha, 19Nov09 to show no dereliction of duty. We have no doubt that they will prevail and that LtCol Chessani should retire as a LtCol.
Haditha Courts-Martial
What is of concern in this latest Haditha decision is the fact that the Marine Corps has determined that seven of the original eight military members were not guilty of manslaughter, murder or dereliction of duty. They appear to be hoping they can blame the entire incident on the remaining member of the squad, SSgt Frank Wuterich, who has yet to be given either a fair or speedy trial.
Proof of Wrongdoing
Throughout the course of the last 3 ½ years of investigations and military courts-martial, the Marine Corps has yet to prove wrongdoing according to the battlefield rules of engagement or failure of command. In their zeal to convict a Marine, any Marine, they apparently have proceeded on a false premise of what actually happened during an complex insurgent attack in what was the first of five attacks on U.S. Forces in Haditha, Iraq, in November of 2005.
