Investigators found no evidence to support Marines' claim that Iraqis were fleeing bomb scene

Saturday, January 6th 2007, 3:10 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) A senior defense official says investigators found no evidence to support the claim of Marines charged in the deaths of unarmed Iraqi civilians that five were shot after trying to flee the scene.

Investigators determined that all five Iraqis were shot within arm's length of each other and no more than 18 feet from the white taxi they were ordered to exit by members of a Marine squad.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the killings on Nov. 19, 2005.

Two Marines are charged with murder in the five deaths.

Two other Marines, including Lance Corporal Stephen Tatum of Edmond, Oklahoma, face murder charges in connection with the deaths of other Iraqi civilians shot shortly after the killings by the taxi.