Marine Convicted of Murder

Plymouth Marine sergeant convicted of murdering Iraqi man
THOMAS WATKINS / Associated Press

CAMP PENDLETON, C.A.— A Marine Corps squad leader was convicted Thursday of murdering an Iraqi man during a frustrated search for an insurgent.

Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, 23, also was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, making a false official statement and larceny. He was acquitted of kidnapping, assault and housebreaking.

Hutchins, of Plymouth, Mass., could be sentenced to life in prison without parole. He had been charged with premeditated murder but the military jury struck the premeditation element from the verdict.

Hutchins stood rigidly and stared straight ahead in the silent courtroom as the verdict was read. A few minutes later he answered a procedural question with a loud and clear, “Yes, sir.”

Prosecutors said that during a nighttime patrol in Hamdania, Iraq, in April 2006, Hutchins’ squad hatched a plan to kidnap and kill a suspected insurgent from his house. When they couldn’t find him, they instead kidnapped a man from a neighboring house, dragged him to a hole and shot him.

Prosecutors said squad members tried to cover up the killing of Hashim Ibrahim Awad by planting a shovel and AK-47 by his body to make it look like he was an insurgent planting a bomb.

Several witnesses testified the plot was born out of frustration after suspected insurgents kept evading prosecution.

The squad was pulled from the battlefield after the slaying.

Lawyers for Hutchins argued that he participated in the plot because his own officers had set a poor leadership example and given approval for Marines to use violence in capturing and interrogating suspected insurgents...

Eight other squad members were charged with kidnapping and murder. Cpl. Marshall Magnicalda, though not convicted, was also charged with murder for participating in the plot. Faced a sentencing hearing yesterday after being found guilty of larceny and house breaking.

Four lower-ranking squad members bargained out over the course of the past 15 months. One corporal was acquitted last months, and another was given a conduct unbecoming discharge.