Christian Hernandez

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Corporal Christian Hernandez is a United States Marine from 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines who was part of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and while at Camp Whitehorse, in Iraq, who played a role in the death of Nagem Hatab.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[3]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Hatab had been subjected to arbitrary beatings since he arrived in the camp, because the Marines believed he had been involved in the rape and torture of Jessica Lynch. Hatab was already in very bad shape when Hernandez was ordered to hose him off, burn his clothes, and tie him to a stake, so he wouldn't foul other prisoner's clothes. Hatab had been beaten so badly he had lost control of his bowels, and was covered in excrement.

Hernandez was ordered to haul Hatab by his neck, so he didn't foul his own uniform. A post-mortem concluded that someone had broken the hyoid bone in Hatab's neck, and that this had caused bleeding that caused him to suffocate.

Hernandez was not held responsible for Hatab's death.

[edit] See also

United States Marine Corps Portal

[edit] References

^ Jeanette Steele. "New details emerge in mistreatment case", San Diego Union Tribune, October 21, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "You come in and you get seven broken ribs and you lie around and defecate yourself for three days. Somebody grabs you and drags you around by the throat, and perhaps that breaks your throat," Durrett said. "That's the kind of details we're working under."
^ Michelle Morgante. "Marine reservists accused in death of Iraqi detainee", San Diego Union Tribune, October 23, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "Hernandez "grabbed this detainee by the neck to move him and that was the proximate cause of his death," said Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Dan Rawson, citing statements by a deputy staff judge advocate, Lt. Col. Mark Pullin."
^ ^a ^b Rick Rogers. "Abuse of Iraqi prisoners common, Marine says", San Diego Union Tribune, February 3, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "Although guards beat and choked Hatab and although he died in their custody, Col. William Gallo, the investigating officer, said he had not seen evidence to substantiate charges of negligent homicide against two Marines in the case: Maj. Clarke Paulus and Lance Cpl. Christian Hernandez."
^ Rick Rogers. "Investigator recommends dropping or reducing charges in Iraqi's death", San Diego Union Tribune, March 16, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "The charges against Hernandez, Paulus, Vickers and Sgt. Gary Pittman stem from the June 6 death of 52-year-old Nagem Sadoon Hatab, a Baath Party member implicated in the March 2003 ambush of an Army convoy that killed 11 soldiers and led to the capture of Jessica Lynch."
^ Alex Roth. "'Keep them standing,' Marine says he was told", San Diego Union Tribune, August 28, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "Wearing gloves and a surgical mask to block out the "horrendous" smell, Hernandez said he lifted the inmate to his feet. But Hatab collapsed and fell into some razor wire, from which he had to be extricated."
^ Enda Leahy. "Marines in court over Iraqi PoW's death", The Times, November 2, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
^ "Iraqi detainee suffocated", The Age, October 23, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. "Rawson said Hernandez grabbed Hatab by the neck to move him, but it wasn't clear why he did it or how much time elapsed between the incident and Hatab's death."