U.S. Marine convicted of urinating on corpses of Taliban insurgents

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. Marine convicted of urinating on corpses of Taliban insurgents

WASHINGTON | Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:36pm EST

(Reuters) - A U.S. Marine staff sergeant who urinated on dead Taliban insurgents and posed for photographs with the bodies has pleaded guilty to two charges in a military court, the Marine Corps said on Thursday.

His sentence was a reduction in rank and forfeiture of $500 in pay.

Staff Sergeant Joseph Chamblin pleaded guilty at a special court martial at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to dereliction of duty for failing to properly supervise junior Marines. He also pleaded guilty to wrongfully urinating on a deceased enemy combatant.

The incident occurred during a counter-insurgency operation in Helmand Province in Afghanistan in July 2011. It came to light in January this year when a videotape of the incident was posted on YouTube and other websites.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/21/us-usa-afghanistan-urination-idUSBRE8BK04X20121221

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Slap on the wrist. Reduction in rank and $500.