Jack wrote on Nov 6, 2008 9:27 AM:How can the authorities quickly dismiss the possibility that this crime wasn't a race-related hate crime? What if the victims were a black man & white woman, and the criminals were four white men. Would it just as quickly be dismissed as a race-related hate crime; I think not. Come on robbery was probably an after thought!

Disturbed wrote on Nov 6, 2008 9:44 AM:I think the military should be held to higher standards than civilians. If found guilty, these men should face an extremely harsh penalty. These people are supposed to represent the BEST of America, not the worst. My father, a deceased Marine of impeccable character, would be so ashamed.

Mike wrote on Nov 6, 2008 10:50 AM:As I read this article my thoughts were the same as Jack's - On what basis are the investigators so sure that this wasn't race-related? A rape during a home invasion robbery? Killed execution-style? Come on, this has hate crime written all over it.

Retired Marine wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:00 AM:Sorry Disturbed but, the Military is already held to higher standards. They have to abide by the laws just like the civilian community and then face the consequences under the UCMJ which in most cases is much more stringent than civilian laws. As a matter of fact I as a retiree could be recalled to actve duty to face charges and still fall under the U. S. Code. At any rate let the justice system work it's course. IF they are found guilty they will get what they deserve!

George wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:20 AM:Sorry Disturbed but the Military is already held to a higher standard. They not only have to abide by the laws in the civilian community but then they have to abide by the rules or laws governing them under the UCMJ which are more stringent than civil laws. For an example Google Article 134 under the UCMJ. Let the judicial system work it's course and hopefully if found guilty they will get what they deserve. Just like in the civilian community the Military has their share of criminals but stop and think, they were civilians before they put a uniform on. It's like locks, they are there to keep honest people honest. If they had criminal intent before they put the uniform on they probably kept that intent.

Tom wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:32 AM:Jack,

I understand your concern about a race crime being overlooked, but does it really matter? They brutally murdered a fellow Marine and his wife...They will get what's coming no matter the road it takes to get there...

Al wrote on Nov 6, 2008 12:09 PM:As a Canadian I am shocked and saddened by this outrageous crime. I only hope and pray the families of the victims will find some peace...God help us all.
I would like to believe the military will be more stringent in their recruitments in the future.

JB wrote on Nov 6, 2008 1:54 PM:Al,

I have no idea what you mean by "As a Canadian". We're all shocked and saddened, regardless of our nationality. If you're trying to get on some kind of Canadian moral high horse, forget it. It just makes you look pathetic.

PK wrote on Nov 6, 2008 2:23 PM:Hey JB, ease up on Al. Al could have been merely pointing out that someone who is not an American is still upset by the death of an American soldier and his wife. Al's comment clearly was not a mean-spirited one.

Danny wrote on Nov 6, 2008 2:28 PM:This is noting more than a hate crime if the story was flip flopped. Why does the media not report these situations equally? I hope Obama actually takes a stand against this nonsense that is plauging America. Black on white crimes is MUCH more common but it is rarely reported as a hate crime. Shame on the media for not telling what this really is and shame on the black leaders in America who will not speak against this plauge of conduct.

rigforred wrote on Nov 6, 2008 3:46 PM:First, I don't believe the Canadian was being insensitive or aloof, moreover, I believe he was expressing a comraderie that crosses international lines. Second, as a career US Navy retiree, I'm so saddened that that this story is so linked to the US Marine Corps. I served with and around these guys for 30 years and there are none finer. This incident in no way represents Marines.

Apparent Hate Crime wrote on Nov 6, 2008 4:47 PM:If they raped the woman with a foreign object, but not that man, there's the gender hate crime. grygn

Dave O. wrote on Nov 6, 2008 5:41 PM:Unlike civilians, military personnel who are ALSO subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and are subject to "double jeopardy". They can, based on circumstances, be tried for the crime by the military once the civilians are done with them.

As for a hate crime . . . I don't think it was a crime committed simply because of race, but it seems to me it probably played a factor.

Unfortunately, the crime did not occur on post where the military would have jurisdiction. Why? A sentence at Leavenworth is truly "hard time". Inmates are held to military standards and are required to work. Not sit and complain about their cable TV.

As for better recruiting standards . . . The military pulls from all sectors of the population. If they don't, they are racist in some fashion. These people simply represent the animals that live amongst us.

Anthony NYC wrote on Nov 6, 2008 6:22 PM:Bottom line, there is a portion of the black community that still bear strong feelings of resentment towards whites. It is obviously payback for the slave trade. Since most nations in recent history also had slaves and facilitated the slave trade, I don't feel the resentment is just. But that is another discussion. Situations like this one disgust all of us, hopefully. All we can hope for is that the election of Barack Obama as President will do more to reduce the resentment towards white people in America.

HL wrote on Nov 6, 2008 6:28 PM:I'm tired of media-double standards and the police having to tread on their toes when a crime like this that has black-on-white hate crime written all over it! Bet you all that had this been a black marine killed by 4 white marine the national media would be all over it! Stop the double standarding and social norms that radical left pressure groups have imposed on people and especially the media. Hate crimes apply for ALL not just whites.

John wrote on Nov 6, 2008 7:07 PM:I have no respect for the Marine corps for what they did to my son, hazing, threats of death. bunch of thugs. Uneducated killers

JB wrote on Nov 6, 2008 7:48 PM:I am disgusted that these four creeps ever earned the uniform and distinction of being Marines. I hope all references to them and their time in the service is removed from the history of the Corps. If these alleged killers are convicted, I hope they are dealt with in the most horrific and harsh manner possible. I hate to feel this way but it's the only thing they deserve. They have not only hurt these two young beautiful human beings, shamed their service, and left families stunned with grief, they have also damaged their own families with their selfish, cowardly, and disgusting behavior. May God grant Jan and Quiana the peace and love for eternity that was denied them in this life.

Mick wrote on Nov 6, 2008 7:48 PM:The insidious fact is that hate crime laws were enacted to bring extended punishment to whites for crimes otherwise prosecuted according to existing law. Local, state and national level government have nothing to gain from acknowledging black racism and criminal behavior patterns. Conversely, publicizing the pursuit of white suspects as racists serves to portray law enforcement as progressive and "fair". Racism is reprehensible in any form, but the nature of America's corrective action is worrisome.

LG from New York wrote on Nov 6, 2008 8:29 PM:I am truly sadded and shocked by this story. My mom and brother were in the military, so I have tremedous respect for the men and women who wear the uniform and serve our country. How could those four Marine commit such a henious crime, especially against one of their own? In my opinion, they deserve the death penalty. I'm sorry - they do not deserve to live. Two innocent young lives were taken away; it's just a sad, sad day. Unbelievable.

Sandy in GA wrote on Nov 7, 2008 5:53 AM:If Guilty - they deserve the death penalty.

Jim wrote on Nov 7, 2008 11:40 AM:First, blacks males are already given harsher sentences in the courts simply because of the color or their skin. More than any other race next to Latinos, that's first. Next it very well may not have been race related when you think about the Marine Corps. We have no idea how this Sergeant treated these Marines. As a Marine I know leadership can stress you out. Make you stay late at work, work the weekends, you can get wrote up or even cursed out on the spot. The bottom line is, just because an interracial couple was killed by 4 whites doesn't mean it was race driven. As an investigator you have to take everything into account.

Another thing, there is a reason why there are hate laws for white people. White people had lynchings of blacks and HATE GROUPS. (in case you forgot) Another reason why they don't have hate crimes for blacks is they already get maxed out in the courts for killing a white person. So stop complaining thinking blacks are getting over when they have it 10 times harder than any white person. In every aspect, even as the president. Because it's people like you who put everything a black person does under a microscope.

Seth O. wrote on Nov 7, 2008 12:06 PM:I wouldn't be surprised if race played some role in this, but I think the police concluded that robbery was the PRIMARY motive because they seem to have linked or suspect links to other robberies and burglaries by these four individuals.
On the other hand, I do suspect the sexual assualt on the poor wife may have been prompted in part by racial resentment by whichever thugs did that particular outrage.

Sabrina wrote on Nov 7, 2008 12:31 PM:I think it is very obvious that this is a hate crime, but no one wants to acknowledge it as such. Why would I say that? Because 28 yrs ago I was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, and in an interracial marriage. For the entire tour of duty my then-husband and I were harrassed both on and off base, and we did receive death threats. When will people allow others to love who they wish without threats and violence? I am so angry about this right now I could just cry. Yes, a lot's changed in 28 years, but apparently not much when it comes to this sort of thing.

Skip wrote on Nov 8, 2008 11:57 AM:I am proud of being white and am sick and tired of being forced to feel racial guilt for sins that I and my ancestors did not commit. I disapprove of half-century old attempts to give my country away to about anyone just because he is not white, to re-write its history into a collection of white-bashing smears, and to turn this once most prominent cornerstone of Western civilization into a Third-World country ruled by free riders who consider white race as the root cause of their collective lack of success. And I will not begin or end my statements with "I am not a racist" semi-apology.

All people should be treated equally, and I do not believe in the label of "Hate Crime". A crime is a crime, but the liberal world has to have those extra labels. White people are not the only ones who commit hate crimes.

Skip wrote on Nov 8, 2008 12:52 PM:I have been in the military for 20 years. When you are overseas, the distinctions between race and cultures are greatly diminished. Over there everyone is pretty much Americans. Recently we had to take a survey on equality and the first question is you an American, Hispanic or non-Hispanic. What? I do not have words to answer for that question that I can print here.

My next observation is that every other month or so we celebrate some Race in America. We have Black heritage month, Spanish heritage month, American native heritage month, Asian pacific heritage month, and when we run out of all of the race based months to celebrate (except Caucasian), we then celebrate Female Month. Now I know the in my experience the "hook-up" network in my service is and always been based on race, although rarely if ever by the white race.

Whites do not constitute the majority in my command, so why can't we simply celebrate hat we are all Americans.

With the worsening of the economy, the services should be more critical of who they should let join. The standards should be top notch. Where else can you get a job where you can have full retirement at age 37, and after 15 years on the job be easily making well over a thousand Dollars a week take home. And all that without a college education. Free medical, dental, and housing allowances. Tax benefits, free education, and so much more. Yup the military should be very selective on who they take now.

GIJOE wrote on Nov 23, 2008 8:19 PM:Well one thing for sure, the military prison system makes any civilian one esp including GITMO look like a free lunch......Life there is a small vision of what awaits them on the other side....and they deserve it. When someone active duty does something like this the term Marine, Soldier or Sailor no longer applies they do not deserve that title any longer not even with the word "former" attached. All they should be known as is traitor (or vermin) take your pick.