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US seeks dismissal of lawsuit over Marine recruit’s death

Posted at 5:13 PM, Jan 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-08 17:13:09-05

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government is asking a judge to dismiss a $100 million lawsuit over the death of a Marine recruit from Michigan.

The government says military injuries or deaths can’t be turned into federal litigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zak Toomey says Raheel Siddiqui’s (Sa-DEE’-kee) death was a “tragedy,” and the U.S. Marines Corps has taken it “extremely seriously.”

Twenty-year-old Siddiqui died in 2016 in Parris Island, South Carolina. The Marine Corps said he took his own life by jumping from a stairwell after a confrontation with a drill instructor. The Corps also said it uncovered widespread hazing of recruits and young drill instructors dating back to 2015.

Siddiqui was from Taylor, Michigan. Attorney Shiraz Khan says the Marines withheld information about conditions at Parris Island.

A judge is meeting both sides on Jan. 18.