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More Haditha Charges Dismissed

A military judge has dismissed all charges against a Marine officer accused of dereliction of duty in connection with the killing of Iraqi civilians in Haditha. KPSB reporter Alison St John has more.

A military judge has dismissed all charges against a Marine officer accused of dereliction of duty in connection with the killing of Iraqi civilians in Haditha. KPSB reporter Alison St John has more.

Lt.Col. Jeffrey Chessani is the highest ranking officer charged in the Haditha case. The Judge, Col. Steven Fosom, dismissed the charges against him, after a defense motion accused the General who brought the charges of being unduly influenced by a Marine investigator.  
Chessani was not at the scene of the shootings, which killed 24 civilians including women and children. It happened in 2005 after a road side bomb killed a member of a squad of Marines. After the civilian deaths came to light in a U.S. publication, Chessani was accused of failing to investigate the incident aggressively enough.

 
The charges were dismissed without prejudice and the prosecution has 72 hours to decide whether to appeal. However the judge has excluded the Marine Forces Central Command from further involvement in the case.

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Only one of the eight marines originally charged in the Haditha incident is still waiting for a court martial. Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich was the squad leader.

Alison St John KPBS news.