Jurist: Not enough evidence in marine case

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A member of a California jury that found a former U.S. Marine not guilty in the deaths of four Iraqi detainees says there was not enough evidence to convict.

Jury forewoman Ingrid Wicken said prosecutors did not present enough evidence to convict former Marine Sgt. Jose Luis Nazario, 28, in the first U.S. case where a former serviceman was tried for a combat crime by a civilian jury, the Los Angeles Times said Friday.

Authorities had charged Nazario with manslaughter, assault and use of a firearm in relation to the 2004 deaths of four Iraqi detainees in the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

The four unarmed men had been taken prisoner by Nazario's military squad in late 2004 and two others members of that squad are also facing related charges for the killings.

Wicken also admitted to the Times following Thursday's ruling that a civilian jury may not have been right for the combat case.

"You don't know what combat is until you're in combat," Wicken said. "It's an extraordinary situation, and there just wasn't enough evidence."