The Marine Corps said Monday that a brigadier general and two colonels will preside over a Board of Inquiry deciding the fate of Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking officer accused of wrongdoing after two dozen Iraqis were slain in the city of Haditha following a 2004 roadside bombing.

But a Marine Corps spokesman said the identities of the officers will not be disclosed.

"We're treating it like they are part of a jury pool and not releasing their names," said the spokesman, Lt. Col. Roger Galbraith. "We don't want people trying to contact them ahead of time. We don't want to taint them."

The Board of Inquiry is being conducted to recommend to the Secretary of the Navy if Chessani's conduct in the wake of the killings warrants ordering him to retire and if so, at what rank.

Chessani originally was charged with dereliction of duty for what prosecutors said was his failure to order a full-scale probe of the incident.

Chessani maintains he reported the killings up the chain of command and had no direction to launch a formal inquiry.

Charges against him were dropped earlier this year after the Marine Corps decided not to appeal a finding that his case was tainted by unlawful command influence involving a legal adviser to a general overseeing the case.

Chessani remains on duty at Camp Pendleton pending the inquiry board, which begins it work Dec. 2.

"We're looking forward to getting some closure and vindication for Colonel Chessani," said one of his attorneys, Brian Rooney.

Eight Camp Pendleton Marines ---- four officers and four enlisted men ---- were accused of wrongdoing at Haditha. In the years since the criminal charges were levied, three officers and three enlisted men saw their cases dismissed following findings at pre-trial hearings or a withdrawal of charges by prosecutors.

The only remaining criminal defendant is Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who is accused of nine counts of involuntary manslaughter and related offenses.

He also remains on duty at Camp Pendleton while attorneys for CBS and the Marine Corps continue battling over access to unaired portions of an interview he gave to "60 Minutes" shortly before his was charged.

Prosecutors contend the material not broadcast could contain information that will help them prove their case. CBS maintains that material is an unwarranted intrusion by the government into journalistic work.

Call staff writer Mark Walker at 760-740-3529.