Poppies and the "Heroes Industry" ?

[amateur51]

According to a story in the Daily Mail, essentially a defence of Marine A, with all the 'mitigating circumstances', civilian police arrested a commando, more than a year later. One would assume that this was for something not remotely connected. But it did involve the inspection of his laptop where the footage was discovered. So its existence was known to the Marines involved, and the film was shared with other military personnel.

Most curious indeed. Could it be that the film of Marine's exploits were being passed around? Time will tell.

[french frank]

Most curious indeed. Could it be that the film of Marine's exploits were being passed around? Time will tell.

I suppose the situation could be like CCTV. I don't think anyone routinely inspects all the footage, do they? unless some incident has occurred and they check whether it was caught. Sort of a query - I don't know.

[amateur51]

I suppose the situation could be like CCTV. I don't think anyone routinely inspects all the footage, do they? unless some incident has occurred and they check whether it was caught. Sort of a query - I don't know.

I noted your use of 'commando' and 'marine', which led me to infer that they are different services. It appears from further investigation that they might be synonymous.

[french frank]

I noted your use of 'commando' and 'marine', which led me to infer that they are different services. It appears from further investigation that they might be synonymous.

Are they? The Mail used the word 'commando' and I used the term 'marine' because that's what has been used recently. In fact, I suppose the 'commando' could have been Marine B though whether he would have been required to put the film on his computer as part of his routine, who knows? But since it was the police who found it, not the military, there obviously was a series of coincidences.

Militating against the discovery of such incidents would be the general military culture. I'm reminded of the atrocious Mahmudiyah killings in Iraq, where it was only the 'weak link' of one GI who thought that what he had heard 'on the grapevine' was 'not right' that saw the perpetrators court-martialled and the ring leader sent to prison for life (without parole). No doubt if he'd been British, the Mail would have pointed out that the poor lad was only 22 and under huge strain. Which indeed he was, but there are some things ...

[ahinton]

Most curious indeed. Could it be that the film of Marine's exploits were being passed around? Time will tell.

Time probably won't tell, actually, since the trial's over and there's hardly likely to be a retrial. That said, the origin of the convicting material - not to mention the length of time that it appears to have been in existence without being brought forward into the public arena - is nevertheless of more than passing interest and, if due considerationof it does indeed turn out to uncover even more wrongdoing within the armed services, the irony will have been that it would probably have had no opportunity to do so without there having been an appeal against the marine's conviction or sentence or both; in what other legal context might such possible wrongdoing come to light other than as additional evidence in such an appeal, asuming that such evidence would be deemed admissible therein? - although, even if it were not, the very attempt to put it forward in such a context might then lead to a separate case about how and why the evidence was suppressed, by whom and on whose orders.

[ahinton]

Are they? The Mail used the word 'commando' and I used the term 'marine' because that's what has been used recently. In fact, I suppose the 'commando' could have been Marine B though whether he would have been required to put the film on his computer as part of his routine, who knows? But since it was the police who found it, not the military, there obviously was a series of coincidences.

Militating against the discovery of such incidents would be the general military culture. I'm reminded of the atrocious Mahmudiyah killings in Iraq, where it was only the 'weak link' of one GI who thought that what he had heard 'on the grapevine' was 'not right' that saw the perpetrators court-martialled and the ring leader sent to prison for life (without parole). No doubt if he'd been British, the Mail would have pointed out that the poor lad was only 22 and under huge strain. Which indeed he was, but there are some things ...

Good points all...

[amateur51]

Time probably won't tell, actually, since the trial's over and there's hardly likely to be a retrial.

My 'Time will tell' took into consideration french frank's reading in # 492 of the possibility of an appeal, when I guess all manner of 'stuff' might emerge.

[ahinton]

My 'Time will tell' took into consideration french frank's reading in # 492 of the possibility of an appeal, when I guess all manner of 'stuff' might emerge.

Understood - and indeed it might, provided that (a) such an appeal is not only formally sought but also granted and accordingly takes place and (b) some of all of the facts surrounding the making of the evidence and its subsequent suppression is not deemed inadmissable in such an appeal, although even if (b) does turn out to be the case, sufficient of the cat might by then have gotten out of the bag to warrant the separate case about the armed forces' involvement in the evidence and its suppression; we'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

[french frank]

This is where I read that there would be an appeal. Note that he was serving in a 'Commando' unit.

[eighthobstruction]

This is where I read that there would be an appeal. Note that he was serving in a 'Commando' unit.

>>'The incident was caught on the film by Marine B who had been wearing a helmet camera at the time, against orders'<<<

....a personal webcam....???....again not affecting the verdict....but a strange situation (you'd have thought in such a charged confrontation with enemy/terrain/heat/weight, that this extra burden and distraction would be discarded)....

[MrGongGong]

>>'The incident was caught on the film by Marine B who had been wearing a helmet camera at the time, against orders'<<<

....a personal webcam....???....again not affecting the verdict....but a strange situation (you'd have thought in such a charged confrontation with enemy/terrain/heat/weight, that this extra burden and distraction would be discarded)....

Can be tiny
and easily forgotten about
many cyclists, canoeists etc wear them all the time these days

http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/

[amateur51]

Can be tiny
and easily forgotten about
many cyclists, canoeists etc wear them all the time these days

http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/

I had no idea that such technology existed.

I wonder what the intended purpose of such headcams is militarily. And why Blackman's wearing of his recordinging headcam whilst committing his crime was 'against orders' apparently.