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Second Marine acquitted in alleged hazing
A military jury on Friday found a Marine not guilty of hazing a fellow Hawaii-based lance corporal who killed himself in Afghanistan — the second Marine to be acquitted of charges in the case.
The panel of three officers and five enlisted Marines deliberated nearly 2 1⁄2 hours to reach their verdict in the general court-martial of Lance Cpl. Carlos Orozco III.
Prosecutors alleged Orozco poured sand on the face of Lance Cpl. Harry Lew and made him do pushups and leg lifts shortly before Lew fatally shot himself with his machine gun April 3 at their remote patrol base in Helmand province.
Orozco was acquitted of all charges that he assaulted, cruelly treated and humiliated Lew, a Santa Clara, Calif., native who was a nephew of U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif.
Orozco was the last of three Marines to be court-martialed for the alleged hazing of Lew. Lance Cpl. Jacob Jacoby last month pleaded guilty to assault after admitting he punched and kicked Lew. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a reduction in rank to private first class. A jury in a separate trial later found their squad leader, Sgt. Benjamin Johns, not guilty of humiliating and demeaning Lew.