Third Marine charged in Fallujah deaths

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., March 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has charged a third man in the case of a Camp Pendleton, Calif., unit accused of killing Iraqis captured during the battle of Fallujah.

Sgt. Ryan G. Weemer was charged Tuesday with murder for allegedly shooting to death a detainee, based on findings from a Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Weemer also was charged with six counts of dereliction of duty, most on whether he didn't follow orders for handling prisoners. If convicted, Weemer could be given a dishonorable discharge and sentenced to life in the brig.

The military began examining the incident after Weemer took a polygraph test for a Secret Service job in 2006. When asked if he had wrongfully killed someone, Weemer said yes and talked about the battle.

Weemer and Sgt. Jermaine Nelson, also charged in the incident, were members of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at the time of the alleged killings.

Their squad leader, Sgt. Jose Luis Nazario, was arraigned last summer in U.S. District Court in Riverside, Calif. Nazario was charged with voluntary manslaughter, accused of shooting two prisoners and overseeing the killing of other captives.