Marine Seargent Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison In Killing Of Iraqi Civilian

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) _ A jury sentenced a Marine sergeant Friday to 15 years in prison for the murder of an Iraqi civilian during a fruitless search for an insurgent. <br/><br/>Sgt. Lawrence G.

Friday, August 3rd 2007, 2:38 pm

By: News On 6

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) _ A jury sentenced a Marine sergeant Friday to 15 years in prison for the murder of an Iraqi civilian during a fruitless search for an insurgent.

Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III also was dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank to private and verbally reprimanded.

His wife burst into tears as the verdict was read.

On Thursday, Hutchins became the first and only member of an eight-member squad to be convicted of murder in the killing.

He had been charged with premeditated murder but jurors struck premeditation from the verdict, meaning Hutchins no longer faced a mandatory life sentence.

Testimony from several of his comrades pointed to him as the mastermind of the plot to kidnap and kill a suspected insurgent.

Hutchins, of Plymouth, Mass., was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, making a false official statement and larceny. He was acquitted of kidnapping, assault and housebreaking.

Testimony showed the victim was kidnapped and killed when the squad couldn't find the suspected insurgent.

Prosecutors previously identified the victim as Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52. The name, however, was dropped from charge sheets.

All eight members of the squad were initially charged with murder and kidnapping.

Four lower-ranking Marines and a Navy corpsman cut deals with prosecutors in exchange for their testimony and received sentences ranging from one to eight years in prison.

Earlier in the day, a separate jury sentenced a Marine corporal to time served and reduced his rank to private for conspiring to murder an Iraqi civilian.

Cpl. Marshall Magincalda, 24, has already served 448 days in custody and was to be freed Friday.

``I was very happy that I got a fair trial,'' Magincalda said after his sentencing. ``I feel really good, and I feel proud to serve as a Marine.''

Magincalda was acquitted of murder but also found guilty of larceny and housebreaking, and cleared of making a false official statement.

A jury last month acquitted another corporal of murder but convicted him of conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping. According to testimony, Cpl. Trent Thomas of Madison, Ill., had greater involvement in the killing than Magincalda. Thomas was sentenced to a reduction in rank and a bad-conduct discharge but no prison time.

The squad was pulled from the battlefield after the slaying.