Haditha case judge postpones hearings on motions before ruling on command influence
NCT:
A military judge has scrapped plans to hear motions in a key 2005 Iraq war crime case, telling attorneys he is limiting discussion Tuesday to a ruling on whether a Marine general was unlawfully influenced by a legal adviser.His ruling could be dispositive. If so it would leave the Haditha prosecutors with only one remaining case and no convictions.
The case involves charges against a commander tied to the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians killed in the city of Haditha following a roadside bombing.
The decision by the judge, Marine Col. Steven Folsom, suggests the case against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani may be over or set for substantial change when Tuesday's court session at Camp Pendleton concludes.
"We were originally scheduled for motions to be heard Monday through Wednesday, but on Thursday night, the judge said he would only take up the unlawful command motion and that it would be the only matter discussed," one of Chessani's attorneys, Brian Rooney, said Friday.
The message from Folsom buoyed the hopes of Chessani's supporters, who say the charges against him are unwarranted.
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