Accused Troops' Supporters Busy Fundraising

Chief of staff for Marine Corps Installations West, Col. Stewart Navarre points to a member of the media during a press conference about the charges handed down to seven Marines and a sailor involved in the alleged killing of a Iraqi civilian Wednesday, June 21, 2006 in San Diego, Calif. All eight were charged with murder and kidnapping. Other charges include conspiracy, larceny and providing false official statements. (AP Photo/Chris Park) (Chris Park - AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Friends and family are rallying around the seven Marines and a Navy medic charged with killing an Iraqi civilian, setting up Web sites to raise money and draw attention to what they claim is an unfair prosecution.

The troops are charged with premeditated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. Supporters are scrambling to raise tens of thousands of dollars to pay defense attorneys.

"We are not rich, but we are doing anything we can," said Diann Shumate of Matlock, Wash., mother of 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate Jr.

Military prosecutors allege the troops kidnapped an Iraqi man from his home, tied him up, put him in a hole by the side of a road and sprayed him with bullets, then sought to cover up the crime by making it appear the man was armed and attempting to plant explosives. The troops are being held in the brig at Camp Pendleton.

Shumate does not work, and her husband is an electrician. She does not know how much lawyers' fees will be, but expects them to be "outrageous."

"We have been collecting cans. We've depleted our savings, and if we owned our house, we would put it up," she said. The couple had raised $100 at a yard sale and has a fundraising barbecue planned.

All eight of the men were assigned military defense attorneys, paid for by the Marine Corps. Each has also hired a civilian lawyer.

Families of the men say their loved ones are good soldiers who would never intentionally kill an innocent person.

Terry Pennington, father of accused Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Pennington, of Mukilteo, Wash., has used a portion of his family's savings to pay $10,000 in initial attorney's fees. He plans to start a Web site to raise more money.

Several other families have already done so, setting up stars-and-stripes-festooned sites with names like http://www.innocentmarine.com and http://www.defensefundformyhero.com .

John Jodka II, father of accused Marine Pfc. John Jodka III, has hired two defense attorneys at an initial cost of $10,000 but expects the final bill to be a "six-figure amount."

"We'll do whatever we need to do," said Jodka, of Encinitas, Calif.