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Politics : I Will Continue to Continue, to Pretend.... -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (7778)	2/18/2005 1:42:20 AM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Pantano Update Powerline blog We've reported on the case of Marine Lt. Ilario Pantano, who has been charged by the U.S. military with murder. He killed two Iraqis who, according to his lawyer, threatened him after he stopped them when they were fleeing from a house where bomb-making equipment was found. We noted that Lt. Pantano's mother has set up a web site called Defend the Defenders. This morning the Washington Times reported that Lt. Pantano and his mother have come under attack from Islamic militants apparently headquartered in Pakistan: <<< Retired Marines set up a security watch yesterday around the North Carolina home of accused 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, after a Pakistan-connected Web site depicted a beheading of the Marine Corps officer. "It's a show of solidarity for Pantano," Charles Gittins, his civilian attorney, said of the former Marine volunteers. Mr. Gittins said Lt. Pantano has been charged unfairly with premeditated murder by the Corps at Camp Lejeune, N.C., arguing that he killed two Iraqi insurgents in self-defense. Mr. Gittins also said the FBI has opened an investigation after a Web site established by the officer's mother was shut down by repeated cyberattacks that might have come from Pakistan. The Web site, www.defendthedefenders.org, was set up by Merry K. Gregory Pantano to explain her son's case and his life story and to raise money for his criminal defense. The site crashed several times Tuesday and yesterday. >>> Our instinct, of course, is to be sympathetic to a dedicated Marine who killed two men, who gave every appearance of being enemies, in the heat of battle. And cyber-attacks from Pakistan can only increase that sympathy. At the same time, we are aware that only Lt. Pantano's side of the story has been told, and statements by his lawyer must be taken with a grain of salt. We'll withhold judgment at least until the prosecution has had an opportunity to be heard. In the meantime, though, it wouldn't hurt to contribute to Defend the Defenders. Posted by Hindrocket powerlineblog.com

To: Sully- who wrote (7778)	5/14/2005 3:12:52 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Report Exonerates Lt. Pantano Power Line We wrote about the case of Lt. Ilario Pantano, who was charged by the Marine Corps with murdering two Iraqis (links below). Lt. Pantano's account was that the two Iraqis were suspected terrorists who had been apprehended in connection with the search of a house where weapons and literature praising Osama bin Laden were found. Pantano said that the two men suddenly charged him, and he shot them in self-defense. The charge against Pantano originated with one of the Marines in his platoon, Sgt Coburn. The charge against Lt. Pantano has now been investigated by Lt. Col. Mark Winn; Winn has filed a report of which Rowan Scarborough of the Washington Times obtained a copy. Col. Winn recommends that charges against Pantano be dropped, and that he not be court-martialled. Col. Winn found that there is no eyewitness testimony to what happened other than Lt. Pantano's, and no reason to disbelieve his account of what happened. His characterization of Sgt. Coburn, whom he calls "extremely suspect," is scathing: <<< I think now [Sgt. Coburn] is in a position where he has told his story so many times, in so many versions that he cannot keep his facts straight anymore. It is my opinion that Sgt. Coburn never really understood what had transpired during the shooting, and as time went by, he invented details to corroborate what he had built in his mind as what had happened. Sgt. Coburn does not tell one consistent story throughout this whole case. >>> Shortly before the incident, Lt. Pantano had demoted Sgt. Coburn from his position as squad leader and written fitness reports on Coburn that Scarborough describes as "potentially career-ending." It is noteworthy, I think, that Coburn did not file a complaint against Lt. Pantano. Rather, he criticized Pantano to other Marines. The Corps got word of Coburn's claims and initiated the investigation on its own. In my view, a charge made by a disgruntled Marine behind his commanding offier's back, as to which the accuser does not have the courage to actually file a complaint, carries very little credibility. This looks like a happy ending for Lt. Pantano, whose own story is inspiring, as Scarborough notes: <<< Lt. Pantano also boasts a storybook life: After serving in the Marines as an enlisted man and graduating from New York University, he embarked on careers on Wall Street and then as a TV producer. But he gave up a comfortable Manhattan lifestyle and talked his way back into the Marine Corps at 31 to fight terrorists after the September 11 attacks by al Qaeda. >>> powerlineblog.com powerlineblog.com powerlineblog.com washtimes.com

To: Sully- who wrote (7778)	5/26/2005 4:59:23 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Murder Charges Dropped Against US Marine Pantano By Red on Military Scared Monkeys The long ordeal for Lt. Pantano, who was accused of murdering two Iraqi insurgents outside a suspected terrorist hideout in Mahmudiyah, Iraq is over. From AP via Fox News <<< 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. The decision by Maj. Gen. Richard Huck, commander of the 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, ends the prosecution of 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, whom prosecutors accused of killing the men without justification. An Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a grand jury session, was held in April. In a report dated May 12, the hearing officer, Lt. Col. Mark Winn, had recommended that the murder charges be dropped. >>> The reaction from Pantano’s family was joy: <<< “That’s exciting, isn’t it,” said Pantano’s mother, Merry Pantano of New York, who said she hadn’t yet spoken to her son about the decision. “Needless to say, we are quite ecstatic.” >>> ABC News: <<< 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. “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.” >>> Michelle Malkin has more great information on this story including other news service links, Lt. Pantano’s family’s website, Defend the Defenders and milblogger reporting on the case. Agreed Michelle, Thank God common sense was used and justice was served for Lt. Pantano. Update: Euphoric Reality has an exclusive interview with Lt. Pantano’s lawyer, Charles Gittins, must read. euphoria.jarkolicious.com scaredmonkeys.com foxnews.com abcnews.go.com michellemalkin.com