A Marine's lawyer says the military will decide as early Friday whether to drop charges that his client murdered an unarmed detainee in the Iraqi city of Fallujah.
Attorney Joseph Low says Gen. Samuel Helland made the pledge during a private meeting today at Camp Pendleton.
The lawyer urged Helland to drop charges against Sgt. Jermaine Nelson, who has pleaded not guilty to unpremeditated murder and dereliction of duty in the November 2004 death. Nelson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of murder.
Nelson's squadmate, Sgt. Ryan Weemer, was acquitted of murder this month by a military jury.
His squad leader, former Sgt. Jose Luis Nazario, was acquitted in August in federal court on counts that included voluntary manslaughter.
