JURIST - Paper Chase: US Marine convicted of murdering Iraqi civilian in Hamdania

[JURIST] A military court-martial jury Thursday found US Marine Corps Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III [JURIST news archive] guilty of murder [press release] for his role in the April 2006 kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi civilian in Hamdania [USMC timeline; JURIST news archive]. Hashim Ibrahim Awad [Wikipedia profile] was removed from his residence and killed. His body was subsequently arranged with a shovel and firearm to appear as if he had been planting an improvised explosive device. Hutchins was also found guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, making a false official statement and larceny, but acquitted on charges of kidnapping, assault and housebreaking. Prosecutors previously indicated that they would not seek the death penalty, but Hutchins could be sentenced to life in prison.

On Wednesday, a military jury found Marine Cpl. Marshall Magincalda guilty [JURIST report] of conspiracy to commit murder, larceny and housebreaking in the same incident. Five other defendants have pleaded guilty [JURIST report] in Awad's death. AP has more.

For a one-stop snapshot of the latest legal news that matters, with breaking documents, new legal videos, live law-related webcasts, commentary by expert law professors and more - all updated through the day in real time, with no ads and no registration barriers - visit JURIST's homepage and check back often...