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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Court hears Haditha death details | Court hears Haditha death details |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Iraqi civilians in the village of Haditha were shot by US marines at close range, a military court in California has been told. | |
| The commander of a battalion which is accused of killing 24 people in late 2005 is appearing at the military equivalent of a grand jury. | The commander of a battalion which is accused of killing 24 people in late 2005 is appearing at the military equivalent of a grand jury. |
| The hearing will decide whether Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffrey Chessani, 43, will stand trial. | The hearing will decide whether Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffrey Chessani, 43, will stand trial. |
| He is accused of dereliction of duty for failing to hold an investigation. | He is accused of dereliction of duty for failing to hold an investigation. |
| Lt-Col Chessani is also accused of failure to follow an order, after he did not launch an investigation into the killings. | Lt-Col Chessani is also accused of failure to follow an order, after he did not launch an investigation into the killings. |
| Twenty-four Iraqi civilians, including three women, seven children and several elderly men, died in the incident. | Twenty-four Iraqi civilians, including three women, seven children and several elderly men, died in the incident. |
| Three other officers are also charged with dereliction of duty and three marines face murder charges. | Three other officers are also charged with dereliction of duty and three marines face murder charges. |
| According to a prosecutor, some of the Iraqis were shot in the head, several at such close range, that their bodies had powder burns. | According to a prosecutor, some of the Iraqis were shot in the head, several at such close range, that their bodies had powder burns. |
| The victims were described in detail. One was a 66-year-old woman, another, a young woman shot while sitting with her back to a wall, and a teenage girl shot while on a bed. | The victims were described in detail. One was a 66-year-old woman, another, a young woman shot while sitting with her back to a wall, and a teenage girl shot while on a bed. |
| Another woman is said to have been killed while trying to protect several small children. | Another woman is said to have been killed while trying to protect several small children. |
| Women and children died in the attack in Haditha | Women and children died in the attack in Haditha |
| The prosecutor added that five young men killed near their car were apparently standing still, possibly with their hands in the air to surrender. | The prosecutor added that five young men killed near their car were apparently standing still, possibly with their hands in the air to surrender. |
| The court was told battalion commanders have a duty to report any possible alleged or suspected crime by their troops. | The court was told battalion commanders have a duty to report any possible alleged or suspected crime by their troops. |
| In this case, no such report was made. | In this case, no such report was made. |
| Instead, the commander made only a superficial enquiry after the killings. | Instead, the commander made only a superficial enquiry after the killings. |
| A defence lawyer disagreed with the prosecution's interpretation of how the Iraqis were killed, saying the account was based on photographs of the bodies taken by military personnel. | A defence lawyer disagreed with the prosecution's interpretation of how the Iraqis were killed, saying the account was based on photographs of the bodies taken by military personnel. |