Court-martial set for Marine accused of urinating on Taliban bodies

The court-martial of a Marine accused of urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan is set to begin next Wednesday at Camp Lejeune.

Posted 9:35 p.m. Jan 11, 2013 — Updated 9:35 p.m. Jan 11, 2013

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The court-martial of a Marine accused of urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan is set to begin next Wednesday at Camp Lejeune.

Staff Sgt. Edward W. Deptola also is charged with being derelict in his duties by failing to properly supervise junior Marines, failing to require junior Marines to wear their personal protective equipment, failing to stop and report the misconduct of junior Marines, failing to report the negligent discharge of a grenade launcher, failing to stop the indiscriminate firing of weapons, failing to stop the unnecessary damaging of Afghan compounds and wrongfully and indiscriminately firing a recovered enemy machine gun.

The alleged incidents occurred during a counter-insurgency operation near Sandala, Musa Qala District in Helmand Province on or about July 27, 2011, authorities said.

Deptola is assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune.

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