January 31st, 2012
06:33 AM ET

Marine pleads guilty in hazing-suicide case; gets 30-day sentence

A U.S. Marine accused of hazing a fellow Marine who later committed suicide in Afghanistan has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and a reduction in rank.

Lance Cpl. Jacob D. Jacoby pleaded guilty to assaulting Lance Cpl. Harry Lew in April after Lew fell asleep while on watch after first arriving in Afghanistan. Charges also were filed against Sgt. Benjamin E. Johns and Lance Cpl. Carlos Orozco III, according to a Marine statement.

They will face courts martial later this year.

"It has been a bad tragedy for us and never can be able to repair our broken heart," said Lew's father, Allen, to CNN affiliate KHON. "We just couldn't believe their own peers could do something like that to their own people."

A military investigation report obtained by the Marine Corps Times said Lew killed himself with a two- or three-round burst from an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon in the early hours of April 3.

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Filed under: Justice • U.S.
soundoff (7 Responses)
  1. Lou

    It is an unprecedented contortion of tradition, language and law to describe the facts of this case as a "hazing".
    Never before in history has the crime of sleeping on watch in wartime received such generous protection from the UCMJ.
    In my Navy, you would have gotten a few munkeefists to the midriff, regardless of age, race, creed, or gonadal-affiliation.
    If Lew were caucasian, no one would have accused Jacoby of hazing.

    January 31, 2012 at 7:34 am | Report abuse |
    • Janet

      Attorney Otunga just told me not to shower for pepuosrs of verifying Rock's DNA in my eye and ear cavities .the ass stuff was consensual

      April 24, 2012 at 12:50 am | Report abuse |
  2. banasy ©

    That's the way it was back in McHale's Navy.

    This is a joke, OK?

    January 31, 2012 at 4:49 pm | Report abuse |
  3. BOMBO ©

    Remember when they beat the crap out of the fat "Pyle" guy in Full Metal Jacket with socks filled with soap bars?

    January 31, 2012 at 4:53 pm | Report abuse |
  4. rooney©

    @BOMBO©: The blanket party scene! I love that movie.

    January 31, 2012 at 6:42 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Justice

    This is clearly a hate crime. Yes. if Lew had been a Caucasian, he would not have been treated the same way. No justice was served. If the court has no guts of putting these criminals in jail, send them back to Afhganistan. They have their comrade's blood on their hands. When they are blown up by IED's or being hit by snipers, who will go out there to rescue them? What goes around comes around. Just wait and see. Never underestimate the power of Karma!

    February 1, 2012 at 2:07 am | Report abuse |
  6. timriggins

    @justice your obvislouly an ignorant clueless fool who has never served in the military of whatever country your from, comrade. Digging a foxhole as punishment for sleeping on gaurd is a very easy punishment, considering that they could've been ambushed while those kid was catching his zzz's. He didn't fall asleep in basic training, he fell asleep in a combat outpost where he could've got everyone killed you fool.
    Understand the situation before you spread you nonsense know it all curses. He prob committed suicide because he was scared to face charges on falling asleep. Go back to supporting peta and study up more

    February 9, 2012 at 11:50 pm | Report abuse |
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