LOS ANGELES (Map, News) - A Marine from Massachusetts sentenced to 15 years in the brig for killing an Iraqi civilian had his term reduced by four years and was given a dishonorable discharge, the man's attorney and a Marine spokesman said.

Lawrence G. Hutchins III was also given a reduction in rank from sergeant to private after his commanding general, Lt. Gen. Samuel T. Helland, reviewed his case, said Lt. Col. Sean Gibson, a Marine Corps spokesman who is traveling with Helland on a tour of the Middle East.

As part of the process, an appeal on Hutchins' behalf will automatically be filed, Gibson said.

Rich Brannon, Hutchins' civilian lawyer, said he had not yet seen official paperwork approving Hutchins' sentence reduction, but that he learned of the decision Tuesday from the Marine's legal team at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego.

"I was pleased to see a reduction, but I would like to see more," Brannon told The Associated Press in a phone call Wednesday from North Carolina.

Hutchins, of Plymouth, Mass., was the leader of an eight-man squad accused of kidnapping Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, from his home in April 2006, then marching him to a ditch and shooting him to death. The killing took place in Hamdania, a small village in Al Anbar province.

Hutchins was sentenced Aug. 3 after being convicted of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, making a false official statement and larceny. He had been charged with premeditated murder, but premeditation was removed from the verdict, meaning Hutchins no longer faced a mandatory life sentence.

He will serve his sentence at the prison at Fort Leavenworth, Mo.

All eight squad members - seven Marines and one Navy corpsmen - were initially charged with murder and kidnapping, but four lower-ranking Marines and the sailor cut deals with prosecutors in exchange for their testimony and received sentences ranging from one to eight years in prison.

Other Marines were acquitted of murder but convicted of lesser charges and freed after their courts-martial.

Comments from Examiner Readers

4:11 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 23, 2007 re: "Congressman seeks clemency for Marine convicted of Iraq murder"

Examiner Reader said:
free him now his patrol was attacked and they were trying to defend themselfs our leaders put them in that situation and should come to thier defence

10 agree | 18 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

12:53 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 3, 2007 re: "Marine Convicted of Murdering Iraqi Man"

Examiner Reader said:
It's difficult. We don't want our troops using the "cover of war" to rape and kill civilians, as with the plot concerning the 14-year-old girl a while ago. On the other hand, the enemy does not wear a uniform, and blends in with the civilian population regularly, a fundamental feature of all guerilla-asymetric warfare. Each case must be judge on its merits, based on evidence given under oath in court. I am very sympathetic to actions resulting from combat stress, especially emotionally charged young men with loaded automatic weapons in their hands. It is true, it is a battlefield. On the other hand, we should not be like the SS in WWII - we are not savages and causual killers, are we? Surely, no one wants another Mai Lai.

83 agree | 71 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

4:26 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Marine Convicted of Murdering Iraqi Man"

Examiner Reader said:
There is a war going on and when we start playing games with rules of engagement people die. Our troops are getting gun shy because they feel that if they shoot someone then they may face a murder charge. How in the world can you fight a enemy and if he is killed you may face charges. They need to let the troops fight the war or pack them up and send them home.

78 agree | 86 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

5:12 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 19, 2007 re: "Marine Awaits Sentencing in Murder Plot"

Examiner Reader said:
i just don't agree with this for our soldiers. I beleive war can make you do stupid things

114 agree | 112 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate