Marine Wins Continuance for New Spy Case Evidence

A pretrial hearing for a former Marine embassy guard accused of spying ended Thursday with an unexpected defense motion to continue the proceedings until next month.

Defense attorneys for Sgt. Clayton J. Lonetree said they had requested--and received--a continuance after receiving new evidence from investigators. William M. Kunstler, one of the lawyers, indicated the evidence was provided in response to a defense discovery motion.

But Kunstler and a colleague, Michael V. Stuhff, declined to elaborate, saying they had been warned by the military hearing officer on Thursday not to discuss the case publicly.

“There are more witnesses to think about,” Kunstler said. “The prosecution agreed to it (the delay), and they know that it’s a legitimate request.”

Recessed Until May

The Pentagon, in a brief statement, said Lonetree’s hearing had been recessed until May 11.

“The purpose of the request was to allow the defense additional time to prepare its case,” the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon also announced Thursday that the pretrial hearing for Lonetree’s alleged accomplice, Cpl. Arnold Bracy, had convened late Thursday, but that his case, too, had been continued.

Thursday’s session at the Quantico, Va., Marine base, which was closed to reporters, dragged on until late afternoon, then broke with word of the unexpected continuance.

Similar to Grand Jury

The hearing, part of what is known as an Article 32 investigation, is similar to a grand jury proceeding in civilian courts. The Marine Corps has charged Lonetree, who was arrested last December, with 24 violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including two charges of espionage.

Lonetree and Bracy are accused of becoming involved with Soviet women at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and then allowing Soviet agents to roam the embassy late at night.

In a related development, the Marine Corps said Thursday that five guards who had been assigned to the Moscow embassy had arrived in Quantico for questioning by investigators probing the affair.

Replacements Arrive

Lt. Col. John Shotwell, a spokesman, said another nine Moscow guards were expected to arrive at the Virginia base “within the next few days” and that 16 new Marine guards had arrived in Moscow to replace those withdrawn.

The State Department and Marine Corps announced plans earlier to replace all 28 guards at the Moscow facility in what was called a “precautionary” move.