6 Marines charged in Iraq assault

updated 10:32 p.m. ET Aug. 3, 2006

SAN DIEGO - Assault charges were filed against six Marines on Thursday as the result of an incident that occurred in April in the Iraqi village of Hamdania and was uncovered during an unrelated investigation into the slaying of an Iraqi civilian later that month, military officials said.

Three of the Marines charged Thursday are currently in the brig at Camp Pendleton on murder and kidnapping charges in connection with the April 26 slaying of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad in Hamdania. The other three had not been charged in that case.

Meanwhile, a seventh Marine, an officer, is expected to be charged next with in the assault, according to Lt. Col. Colby Vokey, the Marine Corps' defense coordinator for the Western United States. The nature of the assault was not described.

The six charged in the assault were identified as Lance Cpl. Saul H. Lopezromo, Pfc. Derek I. Lewis, Lance Cpl. Henry D. Lever, Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, Cpl. Trent D. Thomas and Lance Cpl. Jerry E. Shumate Jr.

Hutchins, Thomas and Shumate are also charged in the Awad slaying.

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