Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani Article 32 Fact Sheet

May 30-June 11, 2007

Fact sheet

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani was the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at the time of the Haditha incident and is the highest-ranking officer to have charges filed against him.

Chessani, who grew up in northwest Colorado, was relieved of his command in April 2006 along with the Kilo Company's commander, Capt. Lucas McConnell. At the time, a Marine Corps spokesman told reporters that the two men had been relieved of duty, "due to lack of confidence in their leadership abilities stemming from their performance during a recent deployment to Iraq."

Before being relieved of duty, Chessani appeared to be on a solid career path. He was reportedly involved in helping to plan the 2004 assault on Fallujah. He also served in the first Iraqi war in 1991.

He received his first command position at an Albany, New York, recruiting station and later attended the Command and Staff College in Quantico, Va., where he earned a master's degree in military studies.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2004 and assigned to the post of operations officer for the 1st Marines in Iraq. His first combat command came in May 2005, when he took over the base's 3rd Battalion. The Denver Post has reported that during the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, he captured several of former President Manuel Noriega's top officers.

Lt. Col. Chessani is facing three years in prison and a dismissal from the service if convicted on all three counts.

Preferred Charges and Specifications:

Charge: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92 

Specification 1 (Violation of a lawful order): wrongfully failed to accurately report and thoroughly investigate a possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war by Marines under his command. (Maximum punishment dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years) 

Specification 2 (Dereliction): willfully failed to ensure that this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war was accurately reported to higher headquarters. (Maximum punishment:  Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months) 

Specification 3 (Dereliction):  willfully failed to direct a thorough investigation into this possible, suspected, or alleged violation of the law of war. (Maximum punishment:  Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months)

Investigating officer: Col. Christopher Conlin.

Convening authority: Lt. Gen. James Mattis, commanding general for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Central Commander for Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa.

In Lt. Col. Chessani's defense: Civilian attorney, Richard Thompson of the Thomas More Law Center says, "The testimony we will elicit will show just how ridiculous and politically motivated these charges are."

Source: Various articles in the North County Times.

News articles

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Eleven / June 11, Monday

* Lt. Col. Chessani, closing arguments. Hearing concludes for officer accused of not probing Haditha deaths, North County Times, June 12, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Chessani, closing arguments. Lawyers close in Haditha case, Baltimore Sun, June 12, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Chessani, closing arguments. Prosecutors say US officers ignored Haditha reality, Reuters, June 11, 2007.

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Ten / June 9, Saturday

* Lt. Col. Chessani. Accused Haditha officer defends Haditha decisions, North County Times, June 9, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Chessani. Senior officer at Haditha gives formal statement, Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, June 9, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Chessani. Top Marine in Haditha case claims innocence, San Diego Union Tribune, June 9, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Chessani. Officer in Haditha Case to Speak, Associated Press, June 9, 2007

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Nine / June 8, Friday

No media coverage of testimony.

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Eight / June 7, Thursday

* Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner. Marine says he was ordered to destroy Haditha photos, Associated Press, June 8, 2007.

* Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner. Marine says he erased photos of Haditha victims, Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, June 8, 2007.

* Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner. Marine testifies he was pressured to erase Haditha photos, San Diego Union Tribune, June 7, 2007.

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Seven / June 6, Wednesday

* Capt. Jeffrey Dinsmore. Haditha slayings were seen as combat-related: Officers decided that the 24 Iraqi civilian deaths occurred amid a complex insurgent attack, a Marine testifies, Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2007.

* Capt. Jeffrey Dinsmore. Officer calls Haditha prosecution politically motivated, Associated Press, June 6, 2007. [Story no longer at original url.]

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Six / June 5, Tuesday

* Capt. Oliver B. Dreger, Maj. Carroll Connelley. Marines shielded by bad facts, San Diego Union Tribune, June 6, 2007.

* 1st Lt. William Kallop, Capt. Oliver B. Dreger. Marines balked at Haditha inquiry, Tony Perry, Los Angles Times, June 6, 2007.

* Maj. Carroll Connelley. Legal officer says no one questioned Haditha deaths, North County Times, June 5, 2007

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Five / June 4, Monday

* 1st Lt. William Kallop, 1st Adam Mathes. Hearing for accused Haditha officer continues, North County Times, June 4, 2007.

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Four / June 2, Saturday

* Maj. Samuel Carrasco, Lt. Adam P. Mathes. Investigator faults colonel for actions during killing, Paul von Zielbauer, New York Times, June 3, 2007.

* Maj. Samuel Carrasco. Officer's response in Haditha questioned, Rick Rogers, San Diego Union-Tribune, June 3, 2007.

* Maj. Samuel Carrasco. Marine defends officer's Haditha actions, Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2007 (story no longer at original address).

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Three / June 1, Friday

* Maj. Gen. Richard Huck. General questions whether commander fully detailed Haditha killings, North County Times, June 2, 2007.

* Maj. Gen. Richard Huck. General testifies at Haditha hearing, Associated Press, June 1, 2007. [Story no longer at original url.]

* Maj. Gen. Richard Huck. General says Chessani should have told him more, North County Times, June 1, 2007

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day Two / May 31, Thursday

* Lt. Col. Paul Atterbury, William Hays Parks.Lawyers in Haditha Case Say Gunshots, Not Grenades, Killed Many Victims, New York Times, June 1, 2007

* Lt. Col. Paul Atterbury, William Hays Parks. Some Haditha shootings are called close-range, San Diego Union Tribune, June 1, 2007.

* William Hays Parks, Lt. Col. Eric Smith. Expert says Haditha killings demanded immediate probe, North County Times, June 1, 2007.

* Lt. Col. Paul Atterbury, William Hays Parks. Haditha killings detailed at hearing, Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2007.

Lt. Col. Chessani Article 32 / Day One / May 30, Wednesday

* First Lt. Alexander Martin, Lt. Max Frank. 2 Marines deny suspecting Haditha war crime, New York Times, May 31, 2007

* Lt. Max Frank, Sgt. Maj. Edward Sax. Marine says scene of Haditha slayings was disturbing, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2007.

* Lt. Max Frank. Iraqis told civilian deaths were 'unfortunate', North County Times, May 31, 2007.

* Lt. Max Frank, Capt. James Haynie, Sgt. Maj. Edward Sax. Marine describes scene where 24 Iraqi civilians killed, Associated Press, May 30, 2007.

* Marine in Military Court Over Haditha Killings of Iraqis, Highest Ranking Officer Charged, Associated Press, May 30, 2007.

________________________________________________________________

* Hearing for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani starts Wednesday, North County Times, May 26, 2007.

* Top Marine officer victim of Haditha propaganda, Phil Brennan, NewsMax, May 24, 2007. [Story no longer at original url.]

* Lt. Col. Chessani: press release, Thomas More Law Center, One of Marine’s most Effective Combat Commanders in Iraq Sidelined by U.S.—Hearing To Start next Week, May 23, 2007. [Story no longer at original url.]