Medical Experts in ‘Marsoc 3’ Trial Determine the Cause of Death

Two U.S. Marine Raiders, Gunnery Sgts. Danny Draher and Josh Negron, are currently on trial for involuntary manslaughter, negligent homicide, and other offenses in the case involving the death of retired Army Green Beret Master Sgt. Rick Rodriguez in Iraq in 2019. On Thursday, two medical experts testified that it was the altercation with the two Marines that led to Rodriguez’s death. The defense argued that Rodriguez stopped breathing due to intoxication, vomit, or sleep apnea, but the prosecution’s witnesses, Dr. Zachary Hoffer and Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Walsh, both testified that Rodriguez suffered a traumatic brain injury during the altercation. The defense has claimed that the Marines acted in self-defense and tried to save Rodriguez’s life. On Thursday night, the judge dismissed the charge of obstruction of justice against Draher and Negron, stating that the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence for a reasonable conviction. The trial of Chief Petty Officer Eric Gilmet, the Navy corpsman who treated Rodriguez after the fight, will be held separately, and he has immunity to testify in the current trial, making it harder for him to be prosecuted in the future