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Marine Corps commandant, legal staff targeted in IG complaint
The top Marine general and four of his legal advisers are implicated in a complaint to the Defense Department Inspector General charging they inappropriately inserted themselves into the prosecution of cases stemming from the infamous video showing scout snipers urinating on dead insurgents in Afghanistan.The complaint, filed by Marine Maj. James Weirick, an attorney assigned to Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, Va., alleges Commandant Gen. Jim Amos, or others acting on his behalf, deliberately sought to manipulate the legal process, effectively stacking the deck against the scout snipers in the video. Weiricks complaint, a copy of which was obtained by Marine Corps Times, also alleges Amos showed preferential treatment to ensure the promotion of then-Maj. James B. Conway, the son of Amos predecessor as commandant, retired Gen. James T. Conway. Conway was executive officer of the scout snipers unit, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. According to the complaint, Conway was initially placed on administrative hold once the video became public in January 2012. But while the units commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Dixon, remained on administrative hold, Conways hold was released last year, after the case was discussed during an executive offsite meeting of the Corps top leaders, according to emails obtained by Marine Corps Times. He was allowed to move from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in July 2012, and eventually took a coveted assignment as a battalion commander. Dixon remains on hold today, nearly a year later Posted by: tipper 2013-05-20 |
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