Another Week, Another Protest At Camp Pendleton

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- For a third week, families and supporters of seven Marines and a Navy sailor charged with murder in the death of an Iraqi civilian gathered at Camp Pendleton to protest the arrests.

The supporters of the servicemen first protested that the men were being held without being charged. Now that they have been charged, the protestors say the men are innocent.

The military has paid money to the family of the slain Iraqi man, according to Marine officials.

The servicemen were formally charged Wednesday but they have been in custody since a May investigation prompted authorities to put them in pre-trial restraint status.

Charged with murder, kidnapping and other counts in connection with the April 26 slaying of Hashim Ibrahim Awad were Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III; Cpl. Trent Thomas; Lance Cpl. Tyler A. Jackson, Cpl. Marshall L. Magincalda, PFC. John J. Jodka, lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate Jr. and Lance Cpl. Robert Pennington.

Also charged was Navy hospital corpsman third-class Melson J. Bacos.

The men allegedly entered Awad's home with the intention of kidnapping him, then forcing him to the ground and binding him before shooting him to death, officials said.

The servicemen are also accused of stealing an AK-47 rifle and a shovel, which they allegedly planted near the body to make it appear that the victim was setting a roadside bomb.

The suspects were infantrymen attached to Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

Jodka's father has set up a Web site to aid in his son's defense.

The next step in the case is an Article 32 inquiry to determine whether the case should move forward to courts martial, officials said.

The servicemen have all retained attorneys but the Marine Corps have also provided defense lawyers, Marine Col. Stewart Navarre said.

Long Beach-based attorney Joseph Low said it was "amazing" to him that the news media knew of the charges before any civilian defense lawyers had gotten charge sheets on the servicemen.

Low represents Magincalda.

Four other Marines originally implicated in the Hamdania case were placed on pretrial restriction but eventually released, though the investigation is continuing, Navarre said.

"They are performing appropriate duties here at Camp Pendleton," Navarre said.