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Note: Charges against LCpl Tatum were
dismissed on March 28, 2008.
We are the proud parents of a Marine. Our names
are John & Stephanie Tatum. Mr. Zimmermann, a retired USMC colonel
from Houston, Texas is our son’s attorney.
Of our four sons, one is in the Army and one is
in the Marines. They both have served two tours of duty in Iraq.
Stephen, our Marine is a Lance Corporal. He and his units have served
in two of the toughest assignments. One was in Fallujah in 2004, and
the other in Haditha in 2005. He has served his country and flag with
great honor and pride. He was well led and well-trained to fight
foreign Islamic terrorists and Iraqi insurgents.
In November 2005 Stephen’s convoy was ambushed in
a coordinated attack. A buried bomb blew up a humvee, killing the
Marine driver and wounding two others. Snipers then fired from a
nearby house at Marines who came to their rescue. The platoon leader
and squad leader then ordered the house to be cleared, which our son
and three others did, room by room. A second house was cleared the
same way. Stephen’s company was involved in a series of attacks on
them for most of that day. When the fighting stopped, it was
discovered that there were some women and children who had been in two
of the houses that were cleared. Stephen, a religious person, feels
absolutely terrible about these deaths.
Stephen has been charged with six homicides, two
carrying possible life sentences.
We believe in our son and know he has done
nothing wrong. Nor, that he has dishonored his country or the uniform
he wears with great pride, dedication and respect.
We are hard working people, and so do not like to
ask for help. The Marine Corps cannot pay for civilian lawyers, but
we have taken out a second mortgage on our home and used our savings
to defend our son. We need help for expert witnesses, from pathology
to scene reconstruction, to ballistics, and others. It is very
important that we have our own witnesses and experts.
Besides our own relatives and friends, I asked
Mr. Zimmermann, who has cut his fee in half, if he might know people
that would be willing to send $50.00 or $100.00 dollars to a legal
defense fund that has been set up. If enough people do so, we may be
able to raise the $50,000 or more needed for experts, investigators,
travel, witnesses and lodging expenses. The case is in Camp Pendleton,
California. Should there be extra money, it will all go to a College
Fund for the families of Marines who have lost their lives in the
service of our country.
An Article 32 hearing will be held in the very
near future, and we need to move forward quickly. If you can help,
please send what you can to the fund administrator, Mr. Christopher M.
Odell, Attorney at Law. Attached is the information on the
legal defense fund.
Thank you,
John & Stephanie |