Last defendant in Iraq killings seeks to dismiss charges

Last Haditha defendant seeks to dismiss charges

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A four-star general is scheduled to make a rare courtroom appearance at Camp Pendleton over his role overseeing the biggest criminal case against U.S. troops to arise from the Iraq war.

Gen. James Mattis is scheduled to address a military judge Monday on a defense motion to dismiss charges including voluntary manslaughter against Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich (WOO’-tur-ich).

The defense argues Mattis was improperly influenced by a military lawyer who investigated the killings of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in November 2005 and later became a top aide to the general.

The 30-year-old Wuterich is the only remaining and perhaps the highest-profile of eight Marines who were charged in connection with the Haditha case.