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Marine pleads guilty to urinating on body

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.

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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.

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

Other cases in the incident are pending.

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