Haditha - Murtha May be called as a Witness
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Filed under "heh":
Marine may call Murtha as witness
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published June 15, 2006A criminal defense attorney for a Marine under investigation in the Haditha killings says he will call a senior Democratic congressman as a trial witness, if his client is charged, to find out who told the lawmaker that U.S. troops are guilty of cold-blooded murder.
Attorney Neal A. Puckett told The Washington Times that Gen. Michael Hagee, the Marine commandant, briefed Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, on the Nov. 19 killings of 24 Iraqis in the town north of Baghdad. Mr. Murtha later told reporters that the Marines were guilty of killing the civilians in "cold blood." Mr. Murtha said he based his statement on Marine commanders, whom he did not identify.
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"Congressman Murtha will be one of the first witnesses I call to the witness stand," Mr. Puckett said yesterday...