SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2006
2nd Marine Pleads Guilty In Iraq Killing
Makes Deal On Lesser Charges; Five Others Still Face Courts-Martial
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An undated family photo of Marine Pfc. John J. Jodka III, who pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of assault and obstruction of justice in the death of an Iraqi civilian last April. (AP Photo/Jodka Family)
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Pfc. John J. Jodka III, 20, entered the pleas through his lawyer, Joseph Casas, after telling the judge at his court-martial that he understood his rights.
Jodka was one of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman initially charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, assault and housebreaking in the killing of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad in the Iraqi town of Hamdania.
Jodka — the squad's youngest and lowest-ranked member — was among five Marines who shot at Awad while others stood by then helped cover up the killing, the government charge sheets allege.
"The interest of justice and the best interests of my client will be served by this plea," Casas told the San Diego Union-Tribune before Thursday's hearing. Neither Casas nor Jodka's father would say whether the Marine would have to testify against his co-defendants as part of the deal.
"I'm very disgusted that the case even exists and that (Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Melson J. Bacos and Jodka) have rolled over on their former brothers, and I emphasize 'their former brothers,'" Terry Pennington of Hawaii, father of Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pennington, told the Union-Tribune. "It angers me totally."
Navy corpsman Bacos pleaded guilty earlier this month to kidnapping and conspiracy.
"He was trained to follow his leaders and do as they commanded without questioning," said Jodka's grandfather, Joe Snodgrass, 71. "He was trying to be the best Marine possible."
He said his grandson had paid for any wrongdoing: Jodka had been locked in the brig since May and his flak jacket had come back peppered with bullet holes from when he had been shot at on patrol.
At his court-martial, Bacos testified that he and the Marines were searching for a known insurgent who had been captured three times and released. The group approached a house where the insurgent was believed to be hiding, but when someone inside woke up, the Marines instead went to another home and grabbed Awad, Bacos said.
The squad took Awad to a roadside hole and shot him before planting a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an insurgent planting a bomb, he said.
Bacos was sentenced to a year's confinement; murder and other charges were dropped.
Former Army prosecutor Tom Umberg said other Marines in the case might follow Bacos' and Jodka's lead and negotiate pleas.
"As the government's evidence gets stronger, the defendants start to look around," Umberg said.
But he acknowledged that deciding to make a deal would be difficult.
"You are trained from day one to support your buddy, and also taught that there are certain values as a soldier or Marine you are fighting to uphold," he said. "The resolution for a young man can be heart-wrenching."
Five other Marines face courts-martial. A decision has not yet been announced on whether squad leader Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins will be referred to a court-martial.
©MMVI CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 21 Comments"America's problem is with ISLAM!
islam, its signs, and symbols are our problem!
islam, its signs, and symbols need to be eradicated from the planet, beginning here in the US."
You sound just like Hitler and his supporters talking about the Jews.
Islam is NOT the problem.
Fundamentalists are the problem - be they Muslims, Christians or Jews.
You appear to forget about all the "holy wars" waged by Christians against others throughout history and the terror they inflicted on innocent lives - not all that different to terrorism today except for the means of delivery.
There are many who argue that this world would be better off without religion - I disagree.
Fundamentalist idiots would just find another reason to persecute those who they see as different.
Those idiots aren't that different to you - and just like you, they are part of the problem, not part of the solution.
I'm not sure what your problem is? The general rejection by Americans of Vietnam vets is still bothering you may be?
One thing you may have learned by now, Americans don't like losers or losing causes. Americans like to have something to always cheer/brag about to keep them on a perpetual 'high'.
Our fear is that this bunch of soldiers in the Iraq losing may suffer the same fate as the Vietnam vets, unless they do something constructive about their predicament of being used as a private army to go and avenge an alleged plot against the dad of the present president and help to grab some enviously oil wealth for their dear leaders.
America's problem is with ISLAM!
islam, its signs, and symbols are our problem!
islam, its signs, and symbols need to be eradicated from the planet, beginning here in the US.
We can't go around slaughtering people, when it is the idiotic ideology islam that needs to be stamped out!
When we allow our soldiers to wantonly slaughter humans across the planet, all we are doing is affording them the practice they need to return to the US and slaughter their own Americans.
Nothing is worse than a murderous soldier who turned on his own people.
And our veterans have and will turn on their own American people if they are too thoroughly brainwashed by the military, and are otherwise encouraged to be cold-bloodied murderers.
"How many of our soldiers have been killed by Iraqi citizens? Don't think for a moment this guy wouldn't have killed the soldier if he had the chance first."
Would you give the soldiers who raped the 14 year old Iraqi girl a medal as well? Would you honour their "bravery"?
Obviously, you have some issues that you need to be get sorted. I suggest you should get them looked at sooner rather than later - you are obviously mentally defective.
"They should not put these soldiers in jail. They should give them a medal and release them."
Wow. Just how sick and demented are you? People like you are just as bad as the insurgents.
Murder is murder, and if they are found to have committed murder, then they should be punished.
What a shame they can't punish idiots like you for being ignorant.
And then when I got home, I had to listen to pompous big-mouths like Agnim. Some things never change.
jgr3936
LOL. You are funny.
I'd have to say it is you guys who don't have 'respect' for your fellow soldiers that you would want to distance yourself from them to the ordinary civilian who couldn't and shouldn't give a dam about those military distinction.
See, the ordinary/average civilian doesn't need to know the distinction between the different classification in the military; since the civilians are not part of the 'private' military culture. And it is only overmuch brainwashing that would prevent a military person from understanding and appreciating that simple fact of civilian life.
When military people are back interacting with civilians, as is the case in these forums, then they need to 'stand down'! And leave the military jargon behind.
Now, we well can appreciate that re-adjustment may take some time; but distinguishing soldier from marine is not a burden ordinary civilians are required to bear; and it has nothing to do with 'respect' or lack thereof! OK, marine? LOL
As a current Marine I will tell you that it does matter whether or not you address a Marine as a soldier. As Marines I think we have the right to be addressed by whatever term we wish. I believe we have earned the right. Martini02 was just trying to express our desire to be called Marines, not soldiers and respect our wishes. I think perhaps its the concept of respect that you dont understand, not how to address those that wear the uniform, Agnim.
Martini Overdose?
This is PEACE, the NORMAL state of human affairs!
You justify whatever you feel to justify in war; and the others will justify whatever needs to be justified in peace -- the normal state of human affairs.
Without peace makers to jolt warmongers back to sanity, by making them accountable for their deadly deeds, we would live in a perpetual state of warfare until the last human is quickly removed from the planet.
It is the normal side of life that is responsible for setting the rules for living, and even for dying in worthless wars.
And with the much ado about the distinction between soldier and marine, it would appear that the military brainwashing has been too effective.
Please allow for a bit more adjusting to peaceful coexistence. LOL
Soldier is generally used to mean anyone in the military, even if one performs the service of cook or dog catcher.
J. Martini
GOLD Star brother
(for those of you who dont know, that means my brother was killed in action in Iraq this April)
We in America need to pull back from this Frenzy of Fear that has spellbound us since September 11, 2001. I am not saying to let down our guard or not be prudent with our Law enforcement, Intelligence agencies or Military as their constant job is to protect the American people and they do it well. Rationally speaking it is more likely that a person will be killed in a car accident on the way to get milk than killed by a Terrorist in America. Hispanics coming across our border for work are not the terrorist or the enemy. Unfair trade practices initiated by our government are the cause of our jobs leaving and the demise of the Middle Class in America not some Terrorist plot. Political Parties have been using fear in an attempt to maintain power in this country. Americans do the math you are more likely to do yourself bodily harm than to be harmed by a Terrorist. America is a Land of Opportunity and hopes where people live in Freedom. America is not a land were people will be governed by Fear.
Michael C. Boetjer
Captain U. S. Army
Double Blue Star Father
Read up before spouting off.
Calm down.
How many of our soldiers have been killed by Iraqi citizens? Don't think for a moment this guy wouldn't have killed the soldier if he had the chance first.
Decorating murder, which is what this is, is NOT appropiate behavoir for any military. It degrades the whole act of receiving a medal for whatever action taken under fire.
Keep your mouth shut.
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