January 27,2004
ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF

It took a military judge and lawyers about three hours Monday afternoon to select a 10-member board to hear the case of a sergeant accused of hazing fellow Marines.

Sgt. Edward J. Somuk, no age given, of Headquarters and Service Company, Marine Combat Training Battalion, School of Infantry faces a general court-martial on charges of maltreatment and at least two counts of disobeying lawful orders between Dec. 1, 2002 and March 1, 2003.

Somuk was arraigned at an earlier hearing and pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he faces a maximum possible punishment of five years, six months in prison and a dishonorable discharge, said military judge Maj. Paul H. McConnell.

McConnell heard arguments on jury composition from prosecutor Capt. Rico Reyes and the defense team of Capt. Jason K. Pulliam and 1st Lt. Courtney D. Trombly.

Ten men and four women, ranging in rank from staff sergeant to colonel, filled out forms and were questioned by the judge and by attorneys from both sides.

By the end of the day, a panel of seven men and three women - all senior in rank to Somuk - were selected.

Pulliam entered defense evidence that included 20 pages of affidavits on Somuk's character and training evaluations from four of his students.

Reyes entered prosecution evidence that included a Marine Corps order prohibiting hazing, two School of Infantry publications pertaining to training and a statement signed by Somuk that he understood what he could and could not do as an instructor.

Ironically, all the jurors acknowledged they had been victims of hazing or knew someone who had been a victim prior to the 1997 Marine Corps order prohibiting the practice.

The types of incidents ranged from punching someone in the shoulder to tack on their chevrons to walking between two lines of people who beat on the new arrival in a tradition known as "running the gauntlet."

One prospective juror described a recent hazing workshop with the troops that generated 24 allegations of hazing from basic training and the school of infantry alone, issues that were forwarded through the unit commander.

Another juror said there had been more than 150 non-judicial punishment hearings during a seven-month time frame from a single company within the School of Infantry, but most of those pertained to unauthorized absence and wrongful use or possession of illegal drugs.

With more than 30 anticipated witnesses from the prosecution and the defense, McConnell said the case will likely take the entire week and may continue into Monday or Tuesday of next week.


Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 236.