Marine Corps Bows to Public Pressure of Accused's Families

Shackles removed from confined Marines, sailor

By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — Military officials on Friday said they have decided to remove shackles put on seven confined Marines and one sailor whenever they’re outside their individual cells at the Camp Pendleton brig, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

The eight men, confined at the brig since May 24, were being held with “maximum” restraints based on their battalion commander’s decision following an initial investigation into the shooting. As of Friday, they were shifted into what’s called “medium-in” restraint in pre-trial custody, which does not require shackles to be worn, although they remain escorted anytime they are outside their cell, according to 2nd Lt. Lawton King, a base spokesman.

Under “medium-in,” they won’t have any personal restraint while inside the brig, but once outside – such as to go to a court hearing – each “is restrained with handcuffs attached to a leather belt … and their respective escorts carry along leg cuffs in the event they are needed,” King said.

The decision to lower the restraint level came after a June 15 review by the brig commander, he said.

Hopefully this is a portent of things to come. I have to believe that the families of these Marines had some effect on the decision of the brigade commander. I have been unable to understand why these men should be shackled even when visiting with their family members. These families have been subjected to enough pain simply by having their family-members charged and held.

The fact that this comes on the heels of the initial investigation offers the hope that these men will be exhonerated.

Certainly if they have been guilty of attrocities they need to be punished, but I have faith in our troops and their training. All though I know there will always be a few "bad apples," I (unlike most Liberals) am inclined to assume their innocence until they are proven guilty.

Semper fi!

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