NCIS Special Agent Connolly says Hutchins told him he shot dying man three times

"Connolly also acknowledged that the unrelated deaths of 24 civilians at the hands of a different Camp Pendleton unit in the city of Haditha in November 2005 played a role in the Hamdania incident. The Haditha incident became public one month before the Awad killing.

The agent testified that while a Marine colonel said it appeared that the Awad killing was a 'good shoot,' commanders needed to be certain because of the uproar over Haditha.

'With Haditha in the news, he wanted to make sure the right things were done,' Connolly said."