Marine to serve 18 months in Hamdaniya case

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(CNN) -- A Marine was sentenced to 18 months confinement Wednesday in connection with the April death of a 52-year-old Iraqi man in the village of Hamdaniya, a military spokesman said.

Pfc. John J. Jodka was sentenced to five years' confinement by Judge Lt. Col. David Jones, but the sentence was reduced as part of a plea agreement, said U.S. Marine spokesman Maj. Jeff Nyhart.

Jodka was among seven Marines and a Navy corpsman who were initially charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy and related offenses in the April 26 death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad.

On Oct. 26, Jodka pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice during a court-martial as part of the plea deal.

As part of the agreement, a punitive dishonorable discharge was not part of Jodka's sentence.

The sentence must be approved by the convening authority, Nyhart said. A statement issued by Camp Pendleton said Jodka may face rank reduction and forfeiture of pay, depending on that approval.

The military has alleged, based on forensic evidence and witness testimony, that Awad was grabbed from his home by troops searching for an insurgent and was dragged into the street and shot. The troops then attempted to make it appear that Awad was planning to ambush U.S. troops, prosecutors said.

U.S. Marines sentenced to confinement of a year or longer automatically have their cases reviewed by the Navy-Marine Court of Criminal Appeals, the statement said.

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