Sentence cut for Hamdaniya squad leader

[unhappycamper]

Sentence cut for Hamdaniya squad leader
By Thomas Watkins - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 8, 2008 7:48:12 EDT

LOS ANGELES — A Camp Pendleton Marine who was sentenced to 15 years in the brig for killing an Iraqi man has had his sentence reduced by four years, the troop’s attorney said Wednesday.

Rich Brannon, the civilian lawyer for Lawrence G. Hutchins III, said the reduction came after he appealed to Lt. Gen. Samuel T. Helland, Hutchins’ commanding general, for clemency.

“I was pleased to see a reduction, but I would like to see more,” Brannon told The Associated Press in a phone call from North Carolina.

Brannon said he had not yet seen official paperwork approving Hutchins’ sentence reduction, but he learned of the decision Tuesday from the Marine’s legal team at Camp Pendleton.

A Marine spokesman was not immediately available to comment late Wednesday.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_hutchins_050708/