US marine cleared over Haditha killings

A US marine has been cleared of charges that he tried to cover up the killing of 24 unarmed people in Haditha in 2005.

In the first court-martial verdict from the high-profile case, Lieutenant Andrew Grayson was cleared at Camp Pendleton, California, after a five-day trial and less than half a day of deliberations by the jury.

Grayson, an intelligence officer, was not present when the 24 Iraqi men, women and children were shot to death near the scene of a roadside bombing at Haditha on November 19, 2005.

Grayson, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, could have faced up to two decades in prison if convicted on all of the charges.

He was accused of ordering another marine to delete photographs of the bodies from a computer and digital camera and lying to investigators.

Judge Brian Kasprzyk dismissed an obstruction of justice charge against the 27-year-old from Springboro, Ohio.

Defence lawyers said in closing arguments that prosecutors bungled the investigation that was under intense media scrutiny.

Two other marines, including accused ringleader Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, still face courts-martial over the events at Haditha, which brought international condemnation.

Iraqi witnesses said angry marines massacred unarmed civilians after a popular comrade, Lance Corporal Miguel "TJ" Terrazas, was killed by a roadside bomb.

Defence lawyers said the civilians were killed during a battle with insurgents in and around Haditha that followed the death.

Of the eight marines originally charged by military authorities in December 2006, five have seen their cases dropped.

Wuterich's trial has been postponed until later this year pending an appeal of a discovery ruling. Lieutenant Corporal Jeffrey Chessani is also awaiting trial.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.