Marine’s defense to seek dismissal of Haditha killings case because of loss of military lawyer

Marine’s defense to seek dismissal of Haditha case

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Lawyers for a Marine sergeant whose squad killed 24 Iraqis say they will present a motion asking for his case to be dismissed because the Marine Corps retired his military attorney.

Defense attorneys for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich told a military judge Thursday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., that they are preparing the motion.

Lawyer Neal Puckett says the 2008 retirement of Marine Lt. Col. Colby Vokey violated Wuterich’s client-attorney rights and compromised his defense.

Vokey had wanted to extend his active duty to remain Wuterich’s military lawyer through the Sept. 13 trial.

Wuterich, of Meriden, Conn., faces reduced charges of voluntary manslaughter. He is accused of leading his men on a rampage that killed two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, in November 2005.