Lawyers: Marines threatened in Iraq probe

Pentagon investigators threatened the death penalty and used other coercive techniques to obtain statements from some of the seven Marines and a Navy corpsman jailed for the shooting death of an Iraqi civilian, two defense lawyers say.


Attorney Jane Siegel, who represents Marine Pfc. John Jodka, 20, said Naval Criminal Investigative Service officials spoke to her client three times after he was taken into custody May 12. Jodka was questioned for up to eight hours at a time and was not offered water or toilet breaks, Siegel said.

"They used some really heavy-handed tactics to extract the information," Siegel said, adding that her client was not read his rights prior to questioning — a fundamental right to which all accused troops are entitled — and was threatened with the death penalty.

Jeremiah Sullivan III, the attorney representing the unidentified Navy medic, said his client was treated similarly.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060616/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/marines_iraq_investigation_1

...or did they break down and sign the confession before that was necessary?

I am afraid that I will have to side with the interrogators on this one. You will not get a confession from someone who is covering up for what they did by treating them gently. The idea is to establish limits so that it does not amount to torture.

...Atrocities have been committed and can't be covered up-that ship has sailed....the nightmare scenario is a real actual trial with lawyers and press reports....about all that leaves them is death penalty threats and heavy handed treatment to force guilty please in closed courts. The citizens will still hear US military personnel killed innocents but will at least not get a blow by blow desription of just how dirty the war has gotten.....