Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Marine convicted of conspiracy

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A military jury on Wednesday convicted a Marine of conspiring to murder an Iraqi man in a bungled attempt to abduct and kill a suspected insurgent in Hamdania.

Cpl. Trent Thomas, 25, was the first of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman to go to trial in the killing, which squad members tried to cover up by planting a gun near the victim after he was gunned down in a ditch.

Thomas faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to his defense attorney, Victor Kelley.

While several of the men pleaded guilty in the killing, Thomas withdrew his guilty plea on the eve of sentencing after having an "epiphany." His lawyer claimed Thomas was only following orders, and that repeated bomb blasts had impaired his judgment.....

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