Post by Anja on Jun 22, 2006 18:16:48 GMT -5
Marine from Mukilteo could face death penalty
A 21-year-old Marine from Washington state is among 8 servicemen who have
been charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of an Iraqi
man who was pulled from his home and shot while U.S. troops hunted
insurgents.
If convicted, Marine Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pennington of Mukilteo could
face the death penalty.
Pennington was among the seven Marines and a Navy corpsman who were
charged with premeditated murder on Wednesday. All 8 also were charged
with kidnapping.
Terry Pennington, 56, of Mukilteo denied the charges against his son.
"They've been accused of something that did not happen," Terry Pennington
told The Herald of Everett on Wednesday night.
The father criticized the U.S. government's filing of charges as an
"overreaction" and said, "The fact my son is involved in this has
devastated us, but we're willing to fight."
Robert Pennington, a 2002 graduate of Kamiak High School, was in his 3rd
deployment in Iraq. He was in the initial assault on Baghdad and also
fought in Fallujah, Terry Pennington said.
Late last month, Pennington learned from military officers that his son
was being held in the brig at Camp Pendleton. Calif. He didn't learn of
the accusations against his son until he heard about it on the news, he
said.
Pennington said he talked to his son on the phone every day. The family is
hurting, but Robert Pennington remains upbeat because he believes he'll be
cleared of the charges, his father said.
More troubling to his son Wednesday was learning that his best friend in
Iraq was nearly killed in an explosion this week, Terry Pennington said.
Pennington described his son as fun-loving and disciplined.
"Everyone who knows him is totally shocked by this," he said. "They know
it's not in his nature."
"He says the truth will come out and we'll see at that time how wrong the
charges and the allegations are," Terry Pennington said.
(source: Associated Press)
A 21-year-old Marine from Washington state is among 8 servicemen who have
been charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of an Iraqi
man who was pulled from his home and shot while U.S. troops hunted
insurgents.
If convicted, Marine Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pennington of Mukilteo could
face the death penalty.
Pennington was among the seven Marines and a Navy corpsman who were
charged with premeditated murder on Wednesday. All 8 also were charged
with kidnapping.
Terry Pennington, 56, of Mukilteo denied the charges against his son.
"They've been accused of something that did not happen," Terry Pennington
told The Herald of Everett on Wednesday night.
The father criticized the U.S. government's filing of charges as an
"overreaction" and said, "The fact my son is involved in this has
devastated us, but we're willing to fight."
Robert Pennington, a 2002 graduate of Kamiak High School, was in his 3rd
deployment in Iraq. He was in the initial assault on Baghdad and also
fought in Fallujah, Terry Pennington said.
Late last month, Pennington learned from military officers that his son
was being held in the brig at Camp Pendleton. Calif. He didn't learn of
the accusations against his son until he heard about it on the news, he
said.
Pennington said he talked to his son on the phone every day. The family is
hurting, but Robert Pennington remains upbeat because he believes he'll be
cleared of the charges, his father said.
More troubling to his son Wednesday was learning that his best friend in
Iraq was nearly killed in an explosion this week, Terry Pennington said.
Pennington described his son as fun-loving and disciplined.
"Everyone who knows him is totally shocked by this," he said. "They know
it's not in his nature."
"He says the truth will come out and we'll see at that time how wrong the
charges and the allegations are," Terry Pennington said.
(source: Associated Press)