KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (AP) - A military judge is delaying a court martial for a Marine sergeant accused of hazing a fellow Marine who committed suicide in Afghanistan after the prosecution asked to expand the details of the charges.
Col. Michael Richardson on Monday told prosecutors to provide Sgt. Benjamin Johns' defense with specifics of the new charge details.
Jury selection is expected to begin Tuesday.
The government had already told the defense it was charging Johns with dereliction for ordering Lance Cpl. Harry Lew to dig a hole as punishment even though Johns wasn't authorized to mete out such punishment.
But Capt. Jesse Schweig told Richardson the government wanted to expand its case by saying Johns was also derelict for failing to prevent other Marines from punishing Lew.
Johns denies the charges.
