This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6930257.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Marine sentenced over Iraq murder Marine sentenced over Iraq murder
(about 1 hour later)
A US marine has been sentenced to time served and demoted to private for conspiring to murder an Iraqi civilian during a raid near Baghdad last year. A US marine has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of an Iraqi civilian during a failed search for an insurgent by the unit he led.
Cpl Marshall Magincalda, who was also convicted of theft and housebreaking, has already served 448 days in custody. Sgt Lawrence Hutchins was convicted of unpremeditated murder for the killing of Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, during a raid near Baghdad last year.
He was a member of an infantry unit which shot dead Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, in Hamdaniya on 26 April 2006. Another member of the unit, Cpl Marshall Magincalda, was convicted of conspiracy to murder.
On Thursday the leader of the unit, Sgt Lawrence G Hutchins III, was convicted of unpremeditated murder. He was sentenced to time served and demoted to private.
Sgt Hutchins faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Cpl Magincalda, who was also convicted of theft and housebreaking, has already served 448 days in custody.
Both were members of an infantry unit which shot dead Mr Awad in Hamdaniya on 26 April 2006.
ReleaseRelease
Cpl Magincalda was acquitted of premeditated murder and kidnapping by the court martial at Camp Pendleton, California, on Wednesday. Cpl Magincalda was acquitted of premeditated murder and kidnapping by a jury at a court martial at Camp Pendleton, California, on Wednesday.
HAMDANIYA DEFENDANTS Sgt Lawrence G Hutchins: Guilty of premeditated murder, conspiracy, making a false statement, theft; awaiting sentenceL Cpl Robert Pennington: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping; eight years in prison, demotedL Cpl Tyler Jackson: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, making a false statement, housebreaking; 21 months in prison, demotedCpl Marshall Magincalda: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, theft, housebreaking; 448 days in prison, demotedPetty Officer Melson Bacos: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, making a false statement; One year in prison, demotedCpl Trent Thomas: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping; demoted, dishonourably dischargedL Cpl Jerry Shumate: Guilty of aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice; 21 months in prison, demotedPte John Jodka: Guilty of aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice; 18 months in prison, demoted Other US investigations HAMDANIYA DEFENDANTS Sgt Lawrence G Hutchins: Guilty of premeditated murder, conspiracy, making a false statement, theft; 15 years in prisonL Cpl Robert Pennington: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping; eight years in prison, demotedL Cpl Tyler Jackson: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, making a false statement, housebreaking; 21 months in prison, demotedCpl Marshall Magincalda: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, theft, housebreaking; 448 days in prison, demotedPetty Officer Melson Bacos: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, making a false statement; One year in prison, demotedCpl Trent Thomas: Guilty of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping; demoted, dishonourably dischargedL Cpl Jerry Shumate: Guilty of aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice; 21 months in prison, demotedPte John Jodka: Guilty of aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice; 18 months in prison, demoted Other US investigations
He was freed on Friday shortly after the jury ruled he should serve 448 days in prison - the number he has already served in custody.He was freed on Friday shortly after the jury ruled he should serve 448 days in prison - the number he has already served in custody.
Outside the courtroom, Cpl Magincalda's mother and grandmother wept as they embraced.Outside the courtroom, Cpl Magincalda's mother and grandmother wept as they embraced.
"We can take him home. God answered our prayers," his grandmother, Wynoma Leesch, said."We can take him home. God answered our prayers," his grandmother, Wynoma Leesch, said.
Another member of the unit, Cpl Trent Thomas, was acquitted of murder last month, but convicted of conspiracy to murder and kidnapping.Another member of the unit, Cpl Trent Thomas, was acquitted of murder last month, but convicted of conspiracy to murder and kidnapping.
He escaped a prison sentence but was reduced in rank and dishonourably discharged.He escaped a prison sentence but was reduced in rank and dishonourably discharged.
Five of the eight soldiers originally implicated in the murder entered plea bargain deals with prosecutors for their testimony and have already been sentenced to between one and eight years in prison.Five of the eight soldiers originally implicated in the murder entered plea bargain deals with prosecutors for their testimony and have already been sentenced to between one and eight years in prison.
Prosecutors said the unit had abducted Mr Awad from his house when it could not find a suspected insurgent who lived next door.Prosecutors said the unit had abducted Mr Awad from his house when it could not find a suspected insurgent who lived next door.
He was then taken to a ditch and shot in the head at least 10 times. The unit later placed a rifle and shovel by his body to make it seem as if he had been an insurgent planting a roadside bomb.He was then taken to a ditch and shot in the head at least 10 times. The unit later placed a rifle and shovel by his body to make it seem as if he had been an insurgent planting a roadside bomb.
The case is one of several in which US troops have been accused of killing Iraqi civilians.The case is one of several in which US troops have been accused of killing Iraqi civilians.