Conn. Town Honors Marine Convicted in Iraq Deaths

Conn. Town Honors Marine Convicted in Iraq Deaths
MERIDEN, Conn
August 19, 2012
(AP)

A Marine who was convicted in the 2005 killings of unarmed Iraqis returned home this weekend to Connecticut for a golf tournament organized by local veterans for his benefit.

Former Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich told the Record-Journal of Meriden on Saturday that some people think prosecutors let a child-killer go free. He says that's absolutely not the case.

"It wasn't the military letting off a murderer, rampager," he said.

In February, he received a general discharge under honorable conditions — one step below an honorable discharge. Wuterich was the only Marine convicted in the killings in Haditha.

Wuterich, who grew up in Meriden but now lives in California, pleaded guilty to negligent dereliction of duty as the leader of the squad that killed 24 Iraqis. He apologized for the loss of life but said his squad did not behave dishonorably.

Local veterans, including golf tournament organizer Chip Geriak, have rallied around Wuterich and criticized the military, which they say has given Wuterich a bad deal.
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