Marine sergeant charged with homicide
Recruit died during swim training
From Larry Shaughnessy
CNN Washington Bureau
Monday, August 1, 2005; Posted: 9:54 p.m. EDT (01:54 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Marine sergeant has been charged with negligent homicide, assault and failure to obey an order in the February death of a recruit at the Corps' main training facility at Parris Island, South Carolina, the Marines said.
Pvt. Jason Tharp, 19, of Sutton, West Virginia, drowned February 8 on his final day of swim training. His parents have said he wanted to get out of the Marine Corps at the time of his death.
CNN Columbia affiliate WIS happened to videotape Tharp being struck and grabbed by a Marine drill instructor a day before he died. At the time, the station was covering a story about potential base closures.
WIS said its photographer was about 50 feet away from the recruit, later identified as Tharp, and his senior drill instructor when that physical contact was recorded.
An Article 32 hearing for Staff Sgt. Nadya Y. Lopez will convene at 8 a.m. Thursday at the South Carolina base. The proceeding is similar to a civilian grand jury hearing, and the commanding officer will determine afterward whether Lopez should face a court-martial.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service found no evidence of criminal conduct or intentional wrongdoing by the instructor. But her superiors decided there was enough evidence for Lopez to face criminal charges in Tharp's death.
Three other Marines at the base face possible disciplinary action as well.
Marine Corps officials said his death was accidental, but preventable -- because a swim instructor had failed to recognize -- or ignored -- indications that Tharp was too tired or incapable of continuing the training.
The investigation into Tharp's death has also prompted the commanding general at Parris Island to change the training for swimming instructors. A new position also will be created to oversee supervision of training at the Combat Training Pool, officials said.
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Care to comment whether this was a fair case of justice?