Hunter: Discipline Marines For Urinating on Corpses

Hunter on Marines

Four Marines caught on videotape urinating on the corpses of three men believed to be Taliban fighters should be disciplined but not court-martialed, says Poway's Congressman Duncan D. Hunter.

The Republican from Alpine lobbied the Pentagon Wednesday to consider the "realities of combat" when punishing the Marines. Hunter, a former Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a member of the House Armed Service Committee.

The video, which features an infantry unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C., surfaced on the Internet last week and quickly went viral.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta a week ago Thursday called the incident "utterly despicable" and said the Marines involved would be "held accountable to the fullest extent." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it was "deplorable behavior ... inconsistent with American values."

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai asked the Obama administration to investigate the incident and "apply the most severe punishment to anyone found guilty in this crime," which appeared to violate both the uniform Code of Military Justice and the Geneva Conventions.

In a letter to Panetta, Hunter urged against dealing harshly with the Marines to pacify Afghan officials.

"There is no question that diplomatic and military cooperation is essential to mission success," he wrote. "However, in terms of potential punishment, the Marines depicted in the video should not be used for the purpose of making a statement to our partners in the region, especially when the U.S. military has sacrificed son much over (10) years of combat in Afghanistan."

He urged military authorities to "only consider and recommend disciplinary action that is appropriate and fair under the circumstances."

Hunter also sought to offer a context for the desecration, writing:

"In Afghanistan our Marines see recurring acts of brutality by the enemy directed toward them and the Afghan people and they see their friends wounded or killed. We owe it to these individuals and others who put their lives on the line every day to take into account the extraordinary conditions and danger they face when judging their actions, and put things in the proper context."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who on Thursday dropped out of the GOP presidential race, also has expressed sympathy for the Marines in the case, saying their behavior was inappropriate but that the administration's reaction had been "over the top," reflecting "disdain" for the military.

The incident is being investigated by the Marine Corps and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is unclear how long the investigation might take.

Vista Man Dies

A 20-year-old skateboarder from Vista struck by a hit- and-run driver in San Marcos earlier this month has died, sheriff's officials said.

The skateboarder suffered severe head trauma when struck at Alamitos Way and Oleander Avenue about 5:50 p.m. Jan. 9, according to San Diego County sheriff's Deputy George Barone.

Medics took the injured skater to Palomar Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead last Friday, Barone said.

A 35-year-old San Marcos man called authorities several hours after the incident and confessed to striking the skateboarder, authorities have said. The motorist was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. His name was not released.

Longtime family friend Staci Bevell told U-T San Diego the skateboarded was Landen Swanson.

Swanson was taken off life support Friday when it was determined he had no brain activity so three of his organs could be donated, Bevell told the newspaper.

A service for Swanson is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park.

An account has been set up at Bank of America to help the family with medical bills and funeral costs, U-T San Diego reported. Donations can be made at any branch.

County to Auction Off Land

San Diego County will auction off more than 220 pieces of land on Feb. 24 if their owners fail to pay their property taxes.

The deadline for owners of properties that have been in default for five years to make good on their taxes is Feb. 23 at 5 p.m., according to Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister. State law allows counties to sell such parcels.

"We currently have 79 improved properties and 145 unimproved parcels ready for auction," McAllister said. "The numbers may change if owners pay the defaulted taxes right before the deadline."

Prospective bidders can purchase registration packets for $70 at Treasurer-Tax Collector offices in downtown San Diego, Kearny Mesa, Chula Vista, El Cajon and San Marcos. A $1,000 refundable deposit is also required at the time of the registration.

"Some years we have made available incredible bargains for bidders involved in this annual auction," McAllister said. The auction, in which the county hopes to make up for the $3.4 million it is owed, will take place at the San Diego Convention Center.

Information on the properties is available on the Tax Sale Information Line at (619) 531-4862 or online at sdtreastax.com.

-City News Service