A key witness in the case against a Marine officer accused of murdering two Iraqi civilians was abruptly taken off the stand Wednesday on suspicion of violating orders on giving interviews about the case.
Marine Sgt. Daniel Coburn was testifying at a hearing in the case against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano when the investigating officer, Maj. Mark E. Winn, read him his rights and told him he was suspected of violating orders from superior officers.
Coburn left the courtroom after requesting a lawyer.
Defense lawyers had complained Coburn had given interviews about the case to ABC News, the Daily News of New York and New York magazine even after being ordered not to do so.
"I knew that this was going to happen," defense attorney Charles Gittins said after the hearing ended. "I've been lying in wait for that for weeks."
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