Marine pleads guilty to urinating on body

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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. Marine charged with urinating on a Taliban militant's corpse in Afghanistan pleaded guilty at a court-martial, officials said.

Staff Sgt. Joseph W. Chamblin pleaded guilty to "wrongfully urinating on the body of a deceased enemy combatant," failing to properly supervise junior Marines and wrongfully posing for photographs with dead bodies, the Stars and Stripes reported Thursday.

The incident involving Chamblin and the other Marines occurred in Helmand province July 27, 2011. It was captured on a video that was posted on YouTube in January.

A military judge sentenced Chamblin to jail time and loss of pay for six months, a fine and a reduction in rank to lance corporal during a hearing Wednesday, but the Stars and Stripes said it was unlikely he would serve any time because of a pretrial agreement with Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, commanding general of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

The agreement called for forfeiture of $500 for one month's pay and reduction in rank, the Marine Corps said in a release.

Chamblin is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Other cases in the incident are pending.