The first military justice proceeding for a Marine implicated in the investigations of hazing and recruit abuse at Recruit Depot Parris Island will begin Thursday morning.
An unnamed staff sergeant will appear for an Article 32 hearing at 9 a.m. in Lejeune Hall at Base Quantico.
That person — who will be present at the hearing, and whose name the Corps will make public for the first time — is charged with three violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: Articles 92 (failure to obey a lawful general order), 93 (cruelty and maltreatment) and 107 (false official statement).
The Article 32 hearing is required because his case is being considered for general court-martial — the highest level military court.
Three special courts-martial arraignments are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Friday.
Staff Sgt. Matthew T. Bacchus, Sgt. Riley R. Gress and Staff Sgt. Jose Lucena-Martinez are all accused of multiple violations of the UCMJ.
- Bacchus: Violation of a lawful general order; maltreatment; false official statement
- Gress: Failure to obey a lawful general order; cruelty and maltreatment; false official statement
- Lucena-Martinez: Failure to obey a lawful general order; false official statement
In September, the Corps announced that up to 20 drill instructors and leadership personnel could face charges. The first of those charges — and the first accused Marines — were announced in December.
The Corps says none of the charges are related to the death of Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim American recruit of Pakistani descent who died March 18 after falling three stories on Parris Island. The Corps has ruled his death a suicide. His parents and family attorney Shiraz Khan dispute that claim. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is still looking into the matter.
Siddiqui was reportedly hazed and abused during his 11 days at the depot. In the wake of his death, three Corps investigations into allegations of hazing and recruit abuse — specifically within 3rd Recruit Training Battalion — have been linked.
This week’s hearings will be open to the public and the media.
Wade Livingston: 843-706-8153, @WadeGLivingston
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