US Marine accused in Haditha may expand libel suit (to a MN congressman)

[rodeodance]

http://mobile.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N04187611.htm

US Marine accused in Haditha may expand libel suit
04 Aug 2006 21:50:19 GMT


WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine suspected in the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, threatened to sue a second congressman on Friday for comments the Republican made about the case, according to a letter obtained by Reuters.

A lawyer for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who already filed suit against a prominent Democratic lawmaker and war critic, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, told Rep. John Kline of Minnesota he too would be sued for libel if he did not apologize.

The attorney, Mark Zaid, also wrote to Murtha, offering to settle the case if the congressman would apologize for accusing the Marines suspected in the case of being "cold-blooded" killers, among other things.

"Regardless of what some may think, this lawsuit has nothing to do with partisan politics," Zaid wrote to Murtha. "We are only interested in protecting the reputation of SSgt Wuterich and his fellow Marines."

[Kagemusha]

1. Glenn Greenwald mailed him saying, if you sue Murtha sue others too

...And the attorney is saying, sure, no problem?

Good luck to him...

[Felinity]

2. Any chance of winning?

My understanding is that you can't prove damages if the statements you are complaining about are true.

This is not Canada, where they have an automatic news blackout for items under adjudication.

[panader0]

3. How is it libel if it's true?

[zbdent]

4. Follow the money ...

this sounds like the situation where the lawyer was trying to get an "OJ-like" trial for the kid who killed his sister, by subpeoning (sp?) Hulk Hogan and other 'rasslers ...

[Julius Civitatus]

5. Is this guy stupid? - "MSNBC: Haditha evidence implicates Marines"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14150687

Good luck with that stupid lawsuit, prick!

Or shoudl I say... MURDERER!

[rocktivity]

8. Implication does not equal conviction

...Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a former Marine, asserted publicly on May 17 that he had learned from Marine Corps officials that innocent Iraqis had been killed “in cold blood.”

...The suit maintains that Pentagon officials “who have briefed or leaked information to Mr. Murtha deliberately provided him with inaccurate and false information” and that the congressman subsequently “has made repeated statements...that are defamatory” to Wuterich and his fellow Marines.

They should be suing the leakers, then--Murtha is as much a victim as their client is. The information isn't false until it's proven in court.

:headbang:
rocknation

[blm]

6. RNC will make sure Kline is well-compensated for issuing an "apology"

bring on the dogs and ponies.

[frylock]

7. can't wait to see the staff sgt. on the stand

[benddem]

9. did Murtha ever name the Ssgt?

this has the swiftboaters money all over it.

[IndianaGreen]

11. No, Murtha did not name anyone

This is a swiftboater for "truth" operation!

David Brock did not mention Paula Jones by name either!

[Monkeyman]

12. Yep it does we showed people how to fight back go MAX

[Gman]

10. Again, this idiot is going to look real stupid taking the 5th

in his deposition. I think that's grounds alone to toss the case out.

But it really doesn't matter because this will be old news and forgotten after election day. That's it's only purpose.

[dflprincess]

13. He's suing Kline?

I can't believe he even commented on this. Kline is a total Bushbot. He's a Marine veteran who has a 0 rating from some veteran's groups.

He's the neocon Coleen Rowley is running against.