Marine Pleads Guilty To Murdering Iraqi

Corporal Is Fifth Member Of Squad To Plead Guilty In Shooting Death Of Civilian

(CBS/AP)  A Marine corporal pleaded guilty Thursday to murder, kidnapping and other charges stemming from the shooting death of an Iraqi man last year in the town of Hamdania, and told the court that his sergeant made sure the victim was dead by firing a burst of gunfire into the man's head.

Cpl. Trent Thomas, 25, entered the pleas through his attorney, Victor Kelley, in a military court. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy, making a false official statement, larceny, assault and housebreaking.

The murder charge had been filed with the characterization of "premeditation," but that element was struck from the charge when the plea was entered.

Thomas was the fifth member from an eight-man squad to plead guilty in the case, in which seven Marines and a Navy corpsman were accused of kidnapping 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad and shooting him to death on April 26, 2006. Three junior Marines and the sailor pleaded guilty earlier to reduced charges as part of plea deal that require them to testify about the incident. Thomas was the first to plead guilty to a murder charge.

Thomas also pleaded guilty to assault in an earlier incident involving a beating of a different individual.

He is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

Prosecutors say the squad kidnapped Awad, took him to a roadside hole and shot him to death in Hamdania. They then placed an AK-47 and shovel by his body to try to make it look like Awad was an insurgent who had been caught in the act of planting a bomb, prosecutors said.

After the pleas were entered, Thomas gave the judge, Lt. Col. Tracy A. Daly, an account of the killing, saying that the eight-man squad agreed to plan to kidnap and kill a known insurgent.

He and three other troops went to the insurgent's house, but were "compromised," so they instead turned their attention to a neighboring house, Thomas said, speaking in a loud, clear voice.

There, two members of a four-man "snatch team" — Thomas and Cpl. Marshall L. Magincalda — entered, awakened the victim and took him outside, Thomas said. All four of them then forcibly walked Awad about 1,100 yards from the house to a roadside hole, cuffed his hands and feet and threw him to the ground, he said.

The squad leader, Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, ordered the entire squad "on line" and called in over the radio that they had spotted a man digging a hole, said Thomas. Someone fired a shot and then the others in the squad opened fire, he said, adding he also shot Awad and that Hutchins went up to the victim to make sure he was dead.

"Sgt. Hutchins shot Mr. Awad with a three-round burst to the head to do the dead check," Thomas said.

Hutchins III, is awaiting trial on murder and other charges. He has not yet entered a plea.

Magincalda, 23, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges and is awaiting trial.

The killing is but one in a series of alleged atrocities committed by U.S. forces in Iraq.

In another case Thursday, one of five U.S. soldiers accused of the March 12, 2006, rape and murder of 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, who was killed along with three members of her family in Mahmoudiya, a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad, is expected to plead guilty to rape and premeditated murder, his attorney said.

Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24, of Barstow, Calif., is expected to enter the pleas during a hearing next month at Fort Campbell, Ky., attorney William Cassara said.

"Sgt. Cortez is going to go in and accept the responsibility for his part in what occurred," Cassara said. "Our version of events is that he knew what was going to take place and participated as an observer."

Cassara would not discuss specific details of the agreement, but said Cortez will no longer face the death penalty. Military prosecutors have also declined to discuss legal cases.

[gypc29]

yaaa! We sure showed those stupid iraqis that no one - and I mean no one- saddam or who ever - could be a terrorist as good as us americans. no one could beat us eh? lets hear it for democracy and the fight against terror! look out ppl I see an iraqi child....lets show her the face of democracy!!

[brandonsmail]

You were preceded by the greatest generation. You became the most useless generation. However you did do one thing right. And that was to spawn the GENERATION FOR ALL. Don't worry, we'll return the favor and clean up after you now.

[brandonsmail]

By the way, not to offend any baby boomers, but have you noticed that the generation who was for love and peace, anti-war rallies and sitting around protesting, is the same generation that can't seem to get it together when it comes to making any good decisions about this country what so ever. You liberal people have sold this country out to NO STANDARDS, NO DECENCY, and absolutely NO FUTURE for anyone after you retire with the last of the country's money. Thanks again for not being able to agree on ANYTHING in order to leave us NOTHING. The "baby" in baby boomers was right on.

[brandonsmail]

Good for you Santo, I think it is time to hold alot of these anti-war folks accountable. Sometimes it is more important to hold on to the positive points if that is all you can do for the brief moment.

[santo_marco]

This situation has nothing to do with Bush. Had your liberal self been to combat, you might know that. The minute your feet hit the ground, you can trust no one. Combat makes some crazy. They do bad things and get held accountable. All out of frustration. You are an American; NOT some neutral globalist...or are you? If so, GET OUT OF HERE!!! YOU go live in a country like Iraq and see how badly you want a country like America to liberate you. Ignorant scum.

[mh4cbs1]

Another victim of the BUSH CHENEY NeoCon War for Power and Profit.

[mh4cbs1]

So when will BUSH plead guilty to mass manslaughter of a few hundred thousand Iraqis?

No Joke. No exaggeration. Bush LIED his way into invading a sovereign nation that was NOT a threat, and they knew it. That makes all the Death and Destruction a CRIME.

Impeach Cheney and Bush, then throw them in JAIL and throw away the key.