[BLOG NOTE:  A heart-felt THANK YOU to the many hundreds of you who donated to Jose's legal defense through United American Patriots.  We will continue with our efforts until all of Jose's legal expenses have been paid!]

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 28 — A former Marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqi detainees was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter Thursday in a first-of-its-kind federal trial.

The jury took six hours to find Jose Luis Nazario Jr. not guilty of charges that he killed or caused others to kill four unarmed detainees Nov. 9, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

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FALLUJAH MURDER TRIAL UNDERWAY By: Nathaniel R. Helms

Thursday, August 21, 2008 | 

View from the courtroom: The Nazario trial, day one Riverside, CA – Former Marine squad leader Jose L. Nazario showed little emotion Thursday morning when the presiding US District Judge granted a defense motion to exclude the incriminating statement of a former squad member that triggered the world-wide investigation.

Nazario is charged with voluntary manslaughter, abetting murder and unlawfully using his weapon in a crime. He was charged under a new federal law that provides the government with the authority to prosecute former service members who have completed their military obligation and no longer subject to military law.

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Former Marine decries trial in civilian court [Blog note: Chelsea finally got it right...Jose Nazario is a FORMER Marine...not an "ex-" Marine]

By Chelsea J. Carter – The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Aug 19, 2008 12:41:35 EDT
  
IRVINE, Calif. — A former Marine sergeant facing the first federal civilian prosecution of a military member accused of a war crime says there is much more at stake than his claim of innocence on charges that he killed unarmed detainees in Fallujah, Iraq.

In the view of Jose Luis Nazario Jr., U.S. troops may begin to question whether they will be prosecuted by civilians for doing what their military superiors taught them to do in battle.

Nazario is the first military service member who has completed his duty to be brought to trial under a law that allows the government to prosecute defense contractors, military dependents and those no longer in the military who commit crimes outside the United States.

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DEFEND OUR MARINES

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Trial for Marine in civilian court two weeks away

Defend Our Marines offers match for defense fund donations
 
by David Allender | August 7, 2008

Major Bill Donahue (USMC, retired) heads United American Patriots, a national non-profit 501(c) 3 organization and its Warrior Fund project. His mission is to ensure justice for soldiers and Marines accused of crimes arising out of combat in Iraq.

Donahue speaks with passion about his cause. And he speaks with understandable pride about his successes. Donations from Warrior Fund were crucial to the recent exonerations of Sgt. Leonardo Treviño and Sgt. 1st Class Trey Corrales. Regarding contributions from across America, lawyer Rick Stevens said “you all played a part in these victories”. 

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Ex-Marine decries prosecution in civilian court (Chelsea Carter’s call)

[Blog Note:  Jose Nazario is NOT an "ex-" Marine. He is a FORMER Marine...Murtha IS an EX-Marine!]

By CHELSEA J. CARTER – 23 hours ago

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — A former Marine sergeant facing the first federal civilian prosecution of a military member accused of a war crime says there is much more at stake than his claim of innocence on charges that he killed unarmed detainees in Fallujah, Iraq.

In the view of Jose Luis Nazario Jr., U.S. troops may begin to question whether they will be prosecuted by civilians for doing what their military superiors taught them to do in battle.

Nazario is the first military service member who has completed his duty to be brought to trial under a law that allows the government to prosecute defense contractors, military dependents and those no longer in the military who commit crimes outside the United States.

(continue reading…)