The judge presiding over the sentencing hearing for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich has recommended he serve no jail time, according to the Associated Press. On Monday, Wuterich pleaded guilty to dereliction of duty in a plea deal. He faced nine counts of manslaughter as the leader of a squad that killed 24 Iraqis, many of them unarmed woman and children.
The commander of the Marine Corps Forces Central Command, Gen. James Mattis, will make the final decision on Wuterich's punishment based on the recommendation of military judge Lt. Col. David Jones.
Prosecutors had asked for the maximum punishment for Wuterich, which would've been three months confinement, two-thirds pay reduction, and demotion to the rank of private.
During today's sentencing hearing, Wuterich apologized to the Iraqi families:
