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March 7, 2007 
“The tears sliding down my face are not a sign of weakness - they affirm a father’s love for his Marine son” - Darryl Sharratt on his son, USMC Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt
* Photo of Justin in Fallujah, Iraq - courtesy of the Sharratt family
Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt is a decorated United States Marine. He fought in the battle for Fallujah, modern urban combat at it’s worst, involving house-to-house and hand-to-hand fighting that killed some of Justin’s fellow Marines. But for Justin, Fallujah was only the beginning.
Justin’s father Darryl wants the world to know that although Justin is home from Iraq, he’s still fighting for his life. Justin is charged with three counts of unpremeditated murder during an ambush followed by a ferocious firefight in Haditha, Iraq in November, 2005. When we spoke last Saturday, Darryl sounded upbeat. He had just gotten off the phone with one of his attorneys, while his wife Theresa was one the line with another. He explained that the attorneys seemed satisfied with the progress of defense discovery.
But while expressing optimism in the resources and abilities of his legal team, he articulates –in no uncertain terms– his mounting frustration with the leaks and misinformation that are making it impossible for Justin to receive a fair trial. Although the firefight involving his son happened months before it was made public, the publicity surrounding Tim McGirk’s notorious Time Magazine article couldn’t have come at a worse time for Justin and his fellow Marines.
Fresh on the minds of Americans were the detainee abuse allegations at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, allegations of murder and/or excessive force at Hamdaniya, Ishaqi and elsewhere in Iraq and the case of PFC Stephen Green who confessed to raping and murdering an Iraqi girl and her family in Mahmoudiya.
There is much documentary evidence to support Darryl’s belief that convolution of the above events, lack of public knowledge of the true facts of Haditha and misstatements of fact by the mainstream media have led to tainting of Justin’s case, along with the cases of Frank Wuterich and the other six Marines who face charges in connection with this incident.
Other actions that have prejudiced the Haditha Marines are unauthorized military leaks to the Washington Post, John Murtha’s now infamous public statements and a more recent example by Fox News’ Alan Colmes. On Feb. 9th, 2007 Colmes stated on-air there had been confessions and convictions in these cases, which have not yet gone to trial. Three days later, Colmes issued a terse, one-line correction, but Fox anchors, including Bill O’Reilly, Oliver North and others have declined to allow Mr. Sharratt on their programs to set the record straight. In fact, with few exceptions, most of the media have treated the Sharratts like lepers.
1st Lt. Ehren Watada has been given multiple soapboxes from which to proclaim why he can pick and choose which war he fights in, yet Darryl, whose son made a split-second decision while being fired upon, is silenced.
And there are still those that say there is no bias in the media…
Sharratt is also frustrated that the statements of one eyewitness, Iraqi soldier Asad Mashoot were discounted. Mashoot was embedded with the Marines that day and said he felt the force applied by the Marines was justified because the entire convoy took fire.
Rather than some frenzied killing spree, Sharratt says that the Marines in 3-1 Kilo Company raided 22 homes that day, but only fired their weapons in four instances. They took 30 prisoners and found weapons, thousands of dollars in US cash and Jordanian passports and he says that the allegations they murdered civilians are patently false. “The bottom line is,” says Sharratt, “what were the Rules of Engagement that day and did the Marines of 3-1 Kilo Co. follow them faithfully to the best of their ability? That is what this case will hinge on”.
Even with all of the hurdles that Justin faces with public perceptions, his father expresses confidence that faith and family will prevail. Based on the little that I know about the Sharratt family, they’ll pull through just fine. Ironically, both Darryl and Justin’s sister Jaclyn tell me that it is Justin they look to for strength. When they speak of him, one gets the sense of how truly loved Justin is by his family. While Darryl pleads his son’s case to anyone who will listen and Theresa works the phones, Jaclyn has also been instrumental, serving as media contact and spearheading the fundraising and Internet efforts to get the truth out about their beloved Marine.
But despite all of their best efforts and some help from a small group of supporters, Justin’s father reluctantly admitted he has exhausted his 401k and Justin’s defense fund has raised a meager $150.00 to date. In the same breath, steady as a rock, he says that he and his family will manage, for the Sharratt’s believe that truth and family bonds will trump allegations of a massacre against their son; that blood is thicker than mere allegations of slaughter.
Author’s Note: To send young men into combat, only to second-guess their split-second decisions from your living room is not just wrong, it is an egregious betrayal. It’s easy to be an armchair quarterback with your butt on the couch, while young men are getting theirs shot or blown off in Iraq. They didn’t ask to go there. They went where they were told, to serve their country and their beloved Corps. What if this was your son on trial for his life? The prosecution calls Justin Sharratt a murderer. I call him a hero. I would be proud to call him my brother. The grace and composure that the Sharratt family has shown during this ordeal is a lesson for all of us and I stand tall with them in their support for Justin, regardless of the outcome. If America had more Darryl and Justin Sharratts and fewer John Murthas and Ehren Watadas, terrorism wouldn’t stand a chance.
To read more about Justin’s case, send a message of support to Justin and the Sharratt family, or more importantly, to donate to his defense fund, visit the website set up on Justin’s behalf at http://www.justinsharratt.com
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