Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins has spent the last eight months free after serving four years at Ft. Leavenworth on an 11-year-sentence for an unpremeditated murder conviction related to the kidnapping and fatal shooting of an Iraqi man in 2006. The military appealed the April 2010 ruling that released Hutchins, and, on Wednesday, won another chance to prove the fairness of Hutchins' initial trial in its efforts to lock him back up.

More about Hutchins' case here and here.

The other six defendants in the case are all free, with none of them having served longer than 18 months in prison.

Hutchins, who had been returned to duty at Camp Pendleton, has been sent back to Ft. Leavenworth pending the next step in case, remains assigned there pending resolution of his case, a tortuous move which surely triggers thoughts of "cruel and unusual punishment."

In an email to family and friends, Hutchins wrote that he considered the last eight months of freedom since last year's April decision to have been a blessing from God that allowed him to re-establish his relationship with this family and daughter.

"To all of you who have stood beside me throughout all of this, you have my deepest regards and thanks," said the e-mail. "...Remember, as Marines we NEVER retreat; we NEVER surrender. We adapt and overcome. So with that said, Semper Fidelis."

More details at the LA Times blog.