The criminal charges are the first faced by anyone over the incident. The video triggered widespread anger in Afghanistan early this year, with Afghan President Hamid Karzai calling the Marines' actions "inhuman." 

Staff Sergeants Joseph W. Chamblin and Edward W. Deptola, were also charged with "posing for unofficial photographs with human casualties," the Marine Corps said.

  The investigation showed that although the video was only circulated on the Internet in January, the incident actually took place on or around July 27, 2011, during a counter-insurgency operation in Afghanistan's Helmand province. 

The Marine Corps said on August 27 that three Marines pleaded guilty to charges over the video. But their punishment fell short of criminal prosecution.

  Chamblin and Deptola, on the other hand, also face a series charges for failing to supervise junior Marines.