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Marine Videotaped Urinating On Taliban Found Dead (Video)

Marine veteran Cpl. Robert Richards, one of four Marines videotaped in 2011 urinating on the corpses of Taliban, was found dead at his home Wednesday night.

Richards' attorney told the Marine Corps Times his death does not appear to be self-inflicted:

A medical examiner will look at the mix of medication Richards was taking.

The former Marine sniper was still plagued by the wounds he suffered during his second deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. According to the website DefendSgtRichards.com, Richards suffered devastating injuries from an improved explosive device blast:

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His injuries included extensive shrapnel to the neck, groin, legs, and left arm. One of the most severe wounds was a quarter sized hexagonal nut that scraped the sheath of the carotid artery and was lodged in his neck, destroying his Adam's apple and damaging his vocal chords.

After Richards recovered from his injuries, he deployed a third time to Afghanistan in 2011. And it was during this deployment he was videotaped, along with three other Marines, urinating on Taliban corpses. The video was posted to YouTube, and the story immediately grabbed national headlines and outraged Marine Corps' senior leadership.

As a result of the videotape, Reuters reports, the Marine Corps charged Richards with "dereliction of duty, violation of a lawful general order, and conduct prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the armed forces."

He pleaded guilty in 2013 to two counts and was demoted from the rank of sergeant to corporal. Richards retired from the Marine Corps soon after.

The Marine Corps Times last year conducted a candid interview with Richards about the Taliban urination controversy. I've posted that video up top.