southchild

Newsmax reports that the 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano’s nightmare is finally over. I think we should give him an award for marksmanship. Good shooting, Sir!

A former Wall Street trader who rejoined the Marines after the Sept. 11 attacks will not be tried on murder charges for killing two suspected Iraqi insurgents, a Marine general decided Thursday.

. . .

Witnesses testified the sergeant who was Pantano’s main accuser was a weak Marine who was bitter about Pantano removing him from a leadership role within the platoon.

More than a half-dozen Marines who served with Pantano in Iraq praised him in testimony, saying he was an able leader who remained cool in combat and was amiable with Iraqis.

Winn wrote in his recommendation that Pantano should face nonjudicial punishment for allegedly desecrating the bodies by reloading his weapon and repeatedly shooting them. Pantano said he shot the men until they stopped moving.

. . .

“I think (the decision) demonstrates that Ilario acted honorably in combat and the suggestion that he didn’t that tarnished his reputation was unjustified,” Gittins said. “I’m pleased for Ilario and his family because the nightmare is over.”

This entry was posted on Friday, May 27th, 2005 at 10:30 pm and is filed under General, politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.