Abusive Marine drill instructor sentenced to 10 years
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A military jury on Friday sentenced a former Marine drill instructor to 10 years in prison and a dishonorable discharge from the service for subjecting Muslim recruits to verbal and physical abuse, including one young man who committed suicide after an especially troubling encounter.
The eight-member jury issued its sentence a day after it found Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix guilty of maltreatment for terrorizing three Muslim men at the Marines’ boot camp in Parris Island, S.C. Felix also will have his rank reduced to private.
Prosecutors had asked for a seven-year prison term. Felix faced a maximum possible sentence of more than 21 years.