Rowan Scarborough has another follow-up on the plight of Lt. Ilario Pantano, the Marine who may be charged with the death penalty for killing two Iraqi insurgents in the heat of battle in a terrorist-infested town near Baghdad. Scarborough reports that an eyewitness corroborates Lt. Pantano’s account of having warned the two Iraqis before shooting:

An eyewitness to the killing of two Iraqis by Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano says in a sworn statement that the officer, who has been charged with murder, twice ordered the insurgents to stop in Arabic before opening fire, according to documents obtained by The Washington Times…

“While I took my security post, I heard Lt. Pantano yell stop [in Arabic] directed towards the two Iraqi men searching the vehicle. He yelled stop. Lt. Pantano yelled stop, and then, I heard shots fired,” said the eyewitness, a Navy corpsman in Lt. Pantano’s platoon, in a sworn statement.

“I quickly turned towards the vehicle, Lt. Pantano’s position, and witnessed the men attempting to flee away from the vehicle away from where Lt. Pantano was standing.”

Mona Charen devotes her column today to Lt. Pantano, asking: Is the Marine Corps P.C.?

I should note that I have received correspondence urging caution on this story. Always wise. I just hope the Marines exercised as much caution as possible before putting Lt. Pantano in this awful position.

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