Marine Faces Hearing for Ducking War Prep

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NEW ORLEANS (AP)

A Marine reservist facing a possible court-martial for skipping prewar training in the fight against Iraq will be able to introduce evidence that he is a conscientious objector if he is tried.

A military judge made the ruling Monday in a
preliminary hearing for Lance Cpl. Stephen Funk. The hearing will determine whether Funk is court- martialed in September or the charge is dismissed.

Navy lawyers had asked the judge to exclude evidence that Funk was a conscientious objector. --

Funk, who also recently made public that he was gay, said the Marines want to make an example of him because he publicly criticized the military and attended anti-war protests. --

There are 22 other Marine reservists currently seeking conscientious objector status. All have been transferred to New Orleans, headquarters of the Marine reserve, while their applications are pending. None faces court- martial, because none are accused of a violation like going AWOL. ---

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