Judge dismisses lawsuit over Parris Island recruit’s death

DETROIT — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit over the death of a Marine recruit from Michigan who killed himself after a confrontation with a drill instructor.

Federal Judge Arthur Tarnow expressed "strong reservations" Tuesday but said he must follow legal precedent, which bars civil litigation in military deaths.

Raheel Siddiqui died in 2016 at Parris Island, South Carolina. The Marine Corps said the 20-year-old Taylor, Michigan, man jumped to his death.

There was evidence that drill instructors beat, choked and kicked recruits. Several Marines have been convicted for their roles in abuse at Parris Island.

Siddiqui’s family filed a $100 million lawsuit, saying recruiters never disclosed that instructors had an anti-Muslim bias. The family received $500,000 in death benefits and insurance, but the judge says it’s “woefully out of step.”

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