While serving his country in Iraq, Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III allegedly placed a loaded pistol into Hassam Hamza Fayall’s mouth “with a force likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm by chocking him,” according to details released by military investigators today.
Hutchins, also accused of assaulting two other Iraqi men, and five other Camp Pendleton-based Marines were charged yesterday in connection with an April 10 incident in Hamdania, a small village west of Baghdad.
Lance Cpl. Saul H. Lopezromo, Pfc. Derek I. Lewis, Lance Cpl. Henry D. Lever, Cpl. Trent D. Thomas and Lance Cpl. Jerry E. Shumate Jr. were each charged with a single count of assault for allegedly striking Khalid Hamad Daham with their fists and knees, according to charges released by military officials.
The charges in the April 10 incident are unrelated to those brought in the April 26 shooting death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad, a 52 year-old Iraqi man, in Hamdania. Hutchins and two others soldiers charged Thursday were among the seven marines and one Navy corpsman charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in Awad’s death.
For more information on both cases click here.