CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- A 25-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine has pleaded guilty to unpremeditated murder in the slaying of an Iraqi man last April.
Cpl. Trent Thomas, a St. Louis-area native, told a military court he was one of five Marines who shot and killed Hashim Ibrahim Awad, a 52-year-old retired police officer and father of 11, on April 26 in Hamdania, Iraq.
Thomas, a married father of one and first of those allegedly involved in the shooting to plead guilty to all charges, said he helped drag Awad from his bed on a bright moon-lit night when the man they had sought could not be found. He said his unit knew of no ties between Awad and the insurgency, the North County Times reported.
He said Awad, who spoke little English, kept asking, "Why, mister? Why?" as he was being marched to his execution.
Thomas pleaded guilty to eight felonies in all. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
