Marine acquitted of killing Iraqi prisoner

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., April 9 (UPI) -- A U.S. Marine sergeant was acquitted Thursday morning of killing a prisoner during the fighting in Fallujah in Iraq in 2004.

Eight officers determined that Sgt. Ryan Weemer was not guilty of murder and dereliction of duty after more than six hours of deliberations and a court martial at Camp Pendleton in California, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Weemer was the second Marine to be cleared in the case. A third still faces similar charges.

During closing arguments, Capt. Nick Gannon, serving as prosecutor, told the jury that they could find Weemer guilty of a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter if they did not think a premeditated murder conviction was appropriate.

Weemer's lawyers argued that the prisoner was trying to grab Weemer's pistol when he was shot. They also said that there was no forensic evidence because the body was not available to investigators.

Weemer faced a sentence of life in prison and dishonorable discharge.