CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) – A Marine intelligence officer accused of trying to cover up the killings of 24 Iraqis appeared stunned at first when a jury acquitted him of the charges.
For more than two years, 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson had been under suspicion, accused of ordering the destruction of evidence in the biggest U.S. criminal case involving Iraqi deaths to come out of the war.
“I didn’t really believe it was going to end until they said not guilty,” Grayson said in his first public comments following the verdict. “The case was so volatile, you didn’t know which way it was going to go.”
Grayson had always maintained his innocence. On Wednesday, a military jury agreed with him.
[…]
“I think it sets the tone for the overall whirlwind Haditha has been. It’s been a botched investigation from the get-go,” he said. “I believe in the end all of the so-called Haditha Marines who still have to face trial will be exonerated.”
Prosecutors said Grayson, whose job was to analyze intelligence, ordered the photos deleted in an effort to protect the Marines.
But outside the courtroom, Grayson said the charges appear to be the result of a misunderstanding. He has always maintained he was following Marine Corps policy that prohibits the keeping of pictures on personal computers of Iraqi bodies.
Grayson fought back tears as he described the months leading up the trial.
He said he first found out he was under suspicion when he got a call from his commander months after the killings. A short time later, he was read the charges.
“It was surreal,” he said. “You can’t quite believe you are hearing all this.”
Grayson’s life was thrown into turmoil. He was barred from leaving the Marine Corps until the case was adjudicated. He had been scheduled to get out in June 2007.
Grayson said early on in the case he refused a deal that would have reduced charges and kept him out of prison.
“I was the one that had to look at myself in the mirror. To take the easy way out, you are the one that has to live with that,” he said.
I’ve read a great deal on this topic and from what I can gather it never happened. It was reported and fabricated by Terrorist and the US accepted Islamic Propaganda as truth. This lie has destoyed the lives of good men, and even when it was proven to be an Islamic Hoax the US government and Military made that man a scape goat. One senator was directly involved in pushing Islamic Propaganda as truth, I think his name was Murtha. He’s been silent since the hoax has been made public, he wanted these soldiers strung out and hung up to die based on a Terrorist Plot and lie.
It astounds me that the most powerful military in the world can’t weed out fake incidents and Islamic Propaganda and when they did realise it was a lie and a hoax they continued to presecute and persecute innocent men. Their own government and country were more concerned with appeasing public outrage than the truth, how utterly sickening to think they were willing to die for their country and their country was willing to sacrifice them to improve pubic opinion.
I have told my daughter who sometimes thinks about a military career “It is the most noble career that I can think of; but, when they are finished with you. they will just throw you away with the trash(they being Canadians).
“Semper Fidelis”, or “Semper Fi” (IPA: sɛm pər ˈfаɪ) for short, is Latin for “Always faithful.” Best known to Americans as the motto of the United States Marine Corps
Carry on soldier.
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht
Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
I’ll never forget the Canadian vet vacuum salesman that came to my door once who couldn’t collect UIC after 13 years of service (no bullshit).
I’m not at all suprised by the verdict because Military Courts have always been notoriously lenient on soldiers facing in-theatre and/or battlefield charges.
And rightfully so in my opinion.
He has a lot of recovering to do in the months ahead and I wish him well.
That’s because there are only four ways to leave the Forces Knight. Quit at the end of a contract – no EI. Not have a contract renewed before retirement – no EI. Quit during a contract – no EI. Retire – no EI.
None of the above meet the criteria for EI benifits………
As to the story above, they say once a Marine always a Marine. I wonder if the Corps is trying to figure out a way for to not apply to Murtha….
A real man of principle. Rare breed these day’s. Brings home though how demoralizing wrongful accusations & court cases, real or Canadian phony ones, against people who didn’t do anything are distressing on people.
Remember the dem crook murtha convicted these guys long ago. He should make a public apology. Murtha is despicable.
They should have seasonal armed forces personnel. That way, they could go on E.I. every winter — year after year.
Is that the Nashing of Teeth I hear?
Bush should have pardon these marines who offer their lives and put that idiot Murtha on trial for treason instead.
Why do military officials do this to their soldiers both here and there?
Lt. Andrew Grayson, I salute you sir…Semper Fi
“I have told my daughter who sometimes thinks about a military career “It is the most noble career that I can think of; but, when they are finished with you. they will just throw you away with the trash(they being Canadians).”
Be aware, a new generation of Canadian veterans are coming back, many of whom are contemplating political careers after they leave the CF.
Should be interesting…
What bothers me is that he can’t recover his costs of going through this for years, or his reputation, or anything.
It’s great that he’s been found not guilty, but who is going to compensate him for all the pain he and his family have been through? It just isn’t right to treat a vet that way.
I think Murtha should have to pay him.
Sue Murtha for defamation.
That piece of scum should be sentenced to latrine duty at some desolate marine base.
Quote: Sue Murtha for defamation.
That piece of scum should be sentenced to latrine duty at some desolate marine base.
Posted by: Fred at June 5, 2008 7:48 PM
His role in setting up those soldiers for a non-crime won’t be forgotten by American bloggers. When he runs for re-election he’ll be run out of town on a trike. He’s a hateful media whore who sold those soldiers down the river to appease the left. Pig.
Quote: Bush should have pardon these marines who offer their lives and put that idiot Murtha on trial for treason instead.
Why do military officials do this to their soldiers both here and there?
Posted by: jckirlan at June 5, 2008 7:26 PM
Why? Because those that are willing to die for their country are desposable, it doesn’t matter if it’s a left or right leaning government the PM or Pres will sell the military member out to get the vote. In Canada the RCMP and Federal Employees get full pensions but the Military Members who retire get indexed, which means Canada Pension pays some pityful amount and VA cuts that amount out off the former Military Members Pension. The message that sends to former Military Members is this, you don’t count, you suck and you aren’t worthy of the FULL benifits you pay into but we are cause we’re special. The important thing is that Federal Employees can double dip, goberment lingo, but not Military Members who serve their country. It took a public scandle before Harper started paying for the full cost of Funerals for our fallen soldiers in Afghanistan. Yea Harper cares once the public screams other wise it’s treat ex-Mil like garbage.
Leftard or pretend Conservative PMs can use our Military Members as pawns to get elected then they could care less.
Sorry Rose, but you don’t have a clue about how military pensions work. They work the same way as public service and RCMP pensions. In fact, the early retirement provisions are much more generous. And before you tear into me, I’ve been in for 28 years, and unlike some military personnel, I’ve actually paid attention to all the SCAN seminars that explain about military pensions.
You are wrong. Totally wrong. Please stop spreading BS. Let’s just take the term ‘indexing’, which means increasing the pension amount by the increase in the cost of living – be happy that pensions are indexed. Otherwise, they’d lose value.
I can say how tired I am of people who don’t pay attention spreading hysterical disinformation about the military pension plan. Just get informed, Rose, please…
2 words: kangaroo court
Time to go back and review how that whole thing got started…
“2 words: kangaroo court
Posted by: atheist quebecois separatiste at June 5, 2008 9:36 PM ”
Ummmmmm…AQS…the BCHRT thread is in a different location.
Tanker….does the military/RCMP indexing start at the magic # 85? Just curious. I was in 20 years,but took return of contributions. Figured I could invest it better then the guberment. Boy. Was I right…heh
AQS, if you want to see a kangaroo court, look at your ridiculous Human Rights Tribunal. A court-martial convened under the United States Uniform Code of Military Justice is just about the antithesis of that in every conceivable measure. A legal proceeding more professional and more serious about its procedural integrity you’d be very hard-pressed to find anywhere in the world.
AQS: Go read the Uniform Code of Military Justice
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sup_01_10_10_A_20_II_30_47.html
Tell me about Kangaroo Court like the BCHRC.
When AQS steps into the “sh*tstorm under fire” and has to make split second decisions based on incomplete information, we will take your mental ruminations into account.
His wife, Susan, cried as she said what she had only dared to think about for months: “It’s over.”
Time for that Hawaiian vaction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A2Jt4WOxN8
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht
Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
history repeat…
1 name: William Calley, google it.
Three and a half years of house arrest for killing hundreds of civilians. that’s terrorist american style.
AQS: My Lai was 1968, perpetrated by someone in the Army. Your information is about 40 years old.
Maybe try the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials for being on topic?
Try and come up with something relevant out of Iraq, if you are going to attempt a cogent rebuttal. Or better yet, if you have information of war crimes in Iraq you better catch the next flight down and testify before the trials are over.
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht
Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Monsieur Separatiste-
What to do, what to do…
Al Dura. Jenin. What are the lessons to be drawn? Are we back in school? Excellent! While you “teach” me of the actions of an accountable individual that was sent to prison for his depraved acts, I will talk over your head about the techniques of the jihad and assymetrical warfare. The manufactured horrors of both Muhammed al Dura and Jenin display the perfect use of media in educing guilt. In the first instance, the boy used, blinks and looks around his “father” about a minute after his “death” by the hands of the ever nefarious IDF. France2, recently, got in a bit of trouble for it. You know, those comrades you want to separate with or for, that are proven to lie to reach their goals. (Old quiz clue: “Manifest Destiny” isn’t a French concept either, so dig deeper.) Finally, the Jenin “massacre”, of course you’re familiar with this other “known” atrocity. It’s the one with no bodies. None. Not one. So, with whom do you place your trust? With those that manipulate the dead (or “dead” but not quite), with those that create “massacre” out of whole cloth where none exists? Or can your trust plumb the weight of a jury of one’s uniformed peers, who take an oath that defines courage, duty, and honor on a level that defines and guides their lives in a way that you will never even remotely taste for yourself?
So, you cite an atrocity from your history, of your choosing, to suit your ends. How effete, nuanced even. Life is full of more learning than you have selected to hear, and besides, if people see you running around with galvanized hair, they might begin to talk.
Yeah, that was a bucket joke. I had to…
Doesn’t the constant ringing bother you?
Rose: Johnstown,PA=Murtha (unfortunately. more later…)
A breath of sanity for this good man. I think that the left is starting to loose…It is ever so wonderful to see the good guy win for a change. God Bless you for your Honor and intregity 1st Lt Andrew Grayson.
I hope Murtha reaps what he has sown.
Tanker, take some of your own advice wrt to our pension plan. Did you sleep through the SCAN seminars?
I am still trying to fiqure out how you get charged for murder when at war ?
,
leftards like AQS never cease to amaze me.
They can hold an unlimited number of wacky conspiracy theories like nobodies business when it comes to the US government but can’t ever believe that a terrorist may be lying.
It must be happy place living in the minds of people too stupid to know better…