Hamdaniya defendants' words key for prosecutors

[Judi Lynn]

Hamdaniya defendants' words key for prosecutors
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 2, 2006

Minutes into this week's Hamdaniya hearings at Camp Pendleton, the defense faced a seemingly insurmountable problem: alleged confessions by service members charged with executing an Iraqi man.

Prosecutors described what they called confessions from three Marines – including one on video – that implicated some or all of the eight suspects charged with murder in the April 26 death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad.

Defense attorneys countered by calling them statements. Nevertheless, they fought successfully to keep the remarks from being discussed in open court, where reporters were present.
(snip)

Not necessarily, according to veteran lawyers nationwide. Not all incriminating statements are created equally, and there are ways to defeat them in court, they said.

The public generally considers confessions to be much more powerful than the legal profession does, said Donald G. Rehkopf Jr., a former Air Force prosecutor and defense attorney with 30 years of legal experience.
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20060902-9999-1mi2hamda.html

[geek tragedy]

1. It all depends on how these statements were elicited.

However, if these are legit, and there is corroborating evidence, adios.