Marine pleads guilty to assault, conspiracy in Hamdania Iraqi civilian death News
Marine pleads guilty to assault, conspiracy in Hamdania Iraqi civilian death

[JURIST] US Marine Corps Pfc. John J. Jodka pleaded guilty Thursday to assault and obstruction of justice charges [JURIST report] in relation to the April 26 death of an Iraqi civilian in Hamdania [USMC timeline; JURIST news archive]. Jodka was one of eight military personnel originally charged [JURIST report] with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, assault and housebreaking for his role in the death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad [Wikipedia profile], where seven Marines and a Navy Corpsman allegedly left Awad by the side of the road with a shovel and AK-47 after they shot him, making Awad look like an insurgent. Jodka's deal follows the October 6 guilty plea [JURIST report] of US Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Melson J. Bacos to kidnapping and conspiracy in the same incident; Bacos was sentenced to a one-year imprisonment.

Jodka is the lowest-ranking serviceman to be charged in connection to the Hamdania death, and military prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty [JURIST report] against Jodka in August. Five of the eight initially charged still face courts-martial [JURIST report], and a decision as to whether the final Marine charged, Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III [JURIST report], will face court-martial is still pending. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.