Marines’ Charges Dropped in Civilian Deaths
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
LOS ANGELES — The Marine Corps has dropped all charges against a captain accused of failing to investigate the deaths of 24 civilians and another Marine accused in some of the killings, the Corps announced yesterday.
Captain Randy Stone, 35, a battalion lawyer from Dunkirk, Md., was one of four officers charged with failing to adequately probe the deaths in Haditha.
“It is clear to me that any error of omission or commission by Captain Stone does not warrant action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” Lieutenant General James Mattis wrote.
The Corps also announced that charges had been dismissed against Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt, who was accused of murdering three brothers in the assault that followed a deadly roadside bombing of American troops.
Four enlisted Marines and four officers were initially charged in the killings. Prosecutors dropped charges against one, Sergeant Sanick Dela Cruz of Chicago, who was charged with five counts of murder, and gave him immunity to testify against his squad mates.
