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• Frank Wuterich is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, accused of leading the killing of as many as 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in what became known as the Haditha Killings of November 19, 2005.

  On April 14, 2009, a federal court of appeals dismissed Wuterich's defamation case against U.S. Congressman John Murtha, saying that his comments about the Haditha killings were within his scope of employment.RCFP: Murtha's immunity claim upheld in defamation suit (April 14, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Birthplace: New London, Connecticut
  2. Grew up in |Meriden, Connecticut
  3. Graduated high school in 1998
  4. Was an honor student, jazz trumpet player and drama club president
  5. Service: U.S. Marine Corps
  6. Originally wanted to join the Marine Corps. band
  7. Rank: Staff Sergeant
  8. Unit: 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines
  9. Battles/Wars: Iraq War
  10. Previously stationed in Hawaii and Camp Pendleton, California
  11. If he is judged to have broken the rules of engagement he faces murder charges and possible life sentence
  12. Women and children were among the dead at Haditha—many shot at close range
  13. A US military statement after the killings reported that 15 people had died in a roadside bombing
  14. Four commanding officers were accused of covering up the alleged crimes
  15. Charges against other marines suspected of involvement have been dropped

• Key Dates

  1. November 19, 2005: Hadith killings took place
  2. June 11, 2006: The Washington Post printed a detailed account of Wuterich's side of the story
  3. August 2, 2006: Wuterich filed a lawsuit against John MurthaWashington Post: Marine Names Murtha in Defamation Suit
  4. June 19, 2007: Marisol Wuterich and her father-in-law were interviewed on Hannity and Colmes
  5. August 30, 2007: Article 32 trial held to determine whether Sergeant Wuterich broke US military's rules of engagement
  6. September 1, 2007: Reports on Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz testimony were printed

• Dela Cruz Testimony

  Allegedly, according to testimony given by Dela Cruz, Wuterich ordered his men to kill any Iraqi citizen that were close by, in order to "teach them a lesson." Dela Cruz also alleged that Wuterich shot and killed some civilians that were standing near by. Much of what Cruz reported contradicted reports taken from Wuterich. Wuterich's lawyers questioned Dela Cruz's credibility since he had changed his story several times throughout the course of the investigation into the killings.Washington Post: Witness Describes Iraq Killing

• Wuterich Charged

  Wuterich was charged with 12 counts of unpremeditated murder against individuals on December 21, 2006. He was also charged with one count of the murder of six people "while engaged in an act inherently dangerous to others."AlertNet: U.S. Marines charged with murder in Haditha

• Defamation Case Against John Murtha

  In August 2006, Wuterich sued U.S. Congressman John P. Murtha for defamation, for calling the Hidatha killings "cold blooded murder and war crimes". The appeals court found that by being interviewed by the press about the Iraq War, Murtha was performing his duties as a member of Congress and so could not be sued. The defendant in the case was changed to the U.S. government, and charges will likely be dismissed.

  Wuterich could still pursue the case to the U.S. appeals court in Washington, or even go to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. Politico: Court says Murtha can't be sued (April 14, 2009) RCFP: Murtha's immunity claim upheld in defamation suit (April 14, 2009)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Haditha Killings | Battle for Danny Boy Killings | Iraq War | Guantanamo Bay | American Prisoner Abuse Controversy | George W. Bush | Dick Cheney | Abu Ghraib Prison

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