Marine takes the Fifth in Fallujah hearing

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps had yet to decide whether to charge a Camp Pendleton Marine for refusing to testify about the alleged killing of prisoners in Iraq.

Marine Sgt. Jermaine Nelson faced the possibility of being charged with disobeying the order of a general at Tuesday's pretrial hearing for Sgt. Ryan Weemer.

Nelson had been granted immunity by Gen. Samuel Helland but was also ordered by the general to testify about the events that occurred Nov. 9, 2004, when Nelson and Weemer's squad was battling Iraq insurgents in Fallujah.

Weemer, 25, faces one count of murder and six counts of dereliction of duty in the alleged shootings of several captives that occurred when they interpreted a radio transmission as an order to kill their prisoners.

The San Diego Union-Tribune said Wednesday that Nelson said on the stand that he would continue to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.