Charges Dropped Against Another Marine In Probe Of Civilian Deaths In Iraq

Tuesday, September 18th 2007, 10:06 pm

By: News On 6

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) _ Charges have been dropped against a captain who was accused of failing to investigate the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha, the Marine Corps said Tuesday.

Capt. Lucas M. McConnell of Napa was granted immunity and ordered to cooperate with officials looking into the November 2005 killings, the Marines said in a news release.

Charges have now been dismissed against four of the eight Marines who were initially charged with murder or failure to investigate the deaths. A battalion commander has been recommended for a court-martial; a final decision is pending.

The killings occurred after a military convoy was hit by a roadside bomb that killed a Marine driver. Members of a Marine squad shot five men by a car, then killed 19 others as they cleared several houses in hopes of finding whoever set off the bomb.

Lt. Gen. James Mattis dismissed dereliction of duty charges against McConnell on Sept. 12. and determined that ``administrative measures'' were an appropriate punishment, the Marines said.

McConnell's attorney, Kevin McDermott, said his client was prepared to testify and had not asked for a quid pro quo grant of immunity.

``Nothing could be further from the truth,'' McDermott said. He said discussions about dropping the charges against his client began last July, once evidence including military message traffic and surveillance video began to surface.

The criminal case is the biggest to have emerged against U.S. forces for actions in Iraq.