Three Marines court-martialed for hazing Santa Clara native who killed himself

[alp227]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

In a case closely watched from Silicon Valley to Washington, D.C., the Marine Corps announced Wednesday that three Marines now face court-martial on charges of hazing a fellow Marine, from Santa Clara, so badly that he shot himself to death in a foxhole in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Harry Lew's suicide stunned family and friends after learning the 21-year-old wrote a farewell note to his mother just hours before his fellow Marines punished him for falling asleep on duty in April.

The military's action will send three of Lew's combat mates to a general court-martial -- the military equivalent to a trial court -- for the extremely unusual charge. Unless the Marines take a plea bargain, they would stand trial in a way similar to the courtroom drama portrayed in "A Few Good Men," when fictional Marines were accused of murdering their combat mate.

The case has captured the attention of Washington, where Lew's aunt, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, of Southern California, has held congressional hearings on military suicides since his death on April 3. The Marine Corps also have taken a hard stance in announcing the case, saying repeatedly that it is "does not tolerate hazing of any kind."

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_19202112

[frylock]

1. good

[naaman fletcher]

5. I'm glad,

that the unit wasn't overrun by Taliban while he fell asleep on duty.

[frylock]

11. they should've reported him to the CO.

[Dan]

2. but, sadly, you have to wonder

how much of this search for justice by the Marines has to do with his aunt being a U.S. Rep.?

[ThomCat]

4. I'm sure it all has to do with his aunt.

How many other jar-heads get hazed, and never get any justice?

[naaman fletcher]

6. some don't get justice..

because they are killed by the enemy when one of their own falls asleep on duty 4 times over a ten day period, like this guy did.

[LanternWaste]

14. Precisely how often has that happened

"they are killed by the enemy when one of their own falls asleep on duty..."

Precisely how often has that happened to US troops in the Middle East conflicts?

[naaman fletcher]

16. not often

because it doesn't happen often, because soldiers know not to let each other down. most likely this guy killed himself not because he was hazed, but because he let his fellow soldiers down.

[No Elephants]

15. Does the code of military justice say one's fellow Marines get to be judge, jury

and dispensers of beatings if someone falls asleeop?

BTW, I wonder what that suicidal fucker intentionally fell asleep four times in ten days despite these guys?

Oh, wait, I'm sure he didn't.

Maybe he had narcolepsy. Maybe he was sick. Maybe these guys were waking him up all night when he wasn't on duty.

[naaman fletcher]

17. 1,000 years of history says yes.

that is what has gone on in army's for 1,000 years, but I am sure you are welcome to go out into the field and hold little mediation sessions after your fellow troops fall asleep on duty.. that is, if you live to see the morning.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. Did you serve?

[naaman fletcher]

22. Is that relevant?

Did you?

So what?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Figured as much.

[naaman fletcher]

24. You have added a lot to the conversation

Thank you. It's always nice to get interesting input and ideas.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

25. Sorry, not gonna debate with some clown basing his opinion on what they watched in a movie.

Good day, sir.

[naaman fletcher]

27. I am so enlightened!

It's great having people like you on DU. So much to learn!

[yardwork]

26. It seems like unusual behavior for a Marine to fall asleep on duty that many times.

Was he depressed? Suffering from PTSD? Ill?

Seems like beating him was not the solution.

[JI7]

28. at the same time this Nephew of a US Congress Member did Serve in the Military

[mwrguy]

3. typical racist jarheads

Some things never change.

[naaman fletcher]

7. yes, of course

it was because of race, not because the guy fell asleep on duty 4 times over a ten day period.

[PavePusher]

9. Huh? Perhaps you can point to evidence of this "racism", and how it is "typical" of "jarheads". n/t

[stanwyck]

20. My son isn't a racist - and he is a former Marine with 8 yrs.

service who is a liberal. There are no "typical" Marines. They're as diverse as we are.

[zonkers]

8. Tragic but I can't judge those three Marines w/out all the facts. I wonder though, if

this case would have seen the light of day if Lew's family was not politcally connected.

[No Elephants]

13. Did you follow the link in the OP and read the entire article?

[edbermac]

10. Sounds like a Code Red to me.

I guess that shit really does happen.

[No Elephants]

12. A Few Good Men

In what universe is this only "hazing?"

"The Marines then held a tense hearing over several days last month in Hawaii, where the unit was based. Fellow Marines testified that they thought the three accused Marines had gone too far in punishing Lew, The Associated Press reported while covering the hearing. They allegedly kicked Lew in the back, punched and kicked him in the head and forced him to do push-ups, side planks and other exercises in full combat gear before warning him he was going to get his "ass beat."

Hazing, bad as it can be, does not including punching and kicking someone in the head or kicking him in the back. What the hell is wrong with the person who wrote this story?

[ManiacJoe]

19. I was thinking the same thing.

Seems to be an abnormal use of the word, at least from where I am sitting...

[Brooklyns_Finest]

18. Meh

Guys who fall asleep on fire-watch get no love from me.

[Maine-ah]

29. I would question why he was falling asleep

and perhaps replace him with someone who wouldn't fall asleep while on guard, and then go by the books to punish his actions, if he wasn't sick either physically or mentally.

[Sgent]

30. 4 times in 10 days

sounds like a command problem. He should have been in the brig, on medical, or the unit investigated.