A U.S. Marine pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of assault and obstruction of justice relating to the death of an Iraqi civilian last April. Private First Class John Jodka entered the pleas through his lawyer after telling the judge at his court-martial that he understood his rights. Jodka was one of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman initially charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, assault and housebreaking in the killing of Hashim Ibrahim Awad in the Iraqi town of Hamdania. Jodka, the youngest and lowest ranked of the accused, was among five Marines who shot at Awad. The others charged allegedly stood by while Awad was killed and then helped cover up the murder. The Navy corpsman charged in the case, Petty Officer 3rd Class Melson Bacos, pleaded guilty earlier this month to kidnapping and conspiracy. Bacos testified that he and the Marines were searching for a known insurgent during an operation and went to Awad s home after failing to locate the suspect inside a different home. The squad took Awad to a roadside hole and shot him before planting a shovel and AK-47 with his body to make it appear that he was an insurgent planting a bomb, Bacos said.
