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Royal Marine's murder conviction downgraded to manslaughter

Associated Press
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Claire Blackman, centre, the wife of convicted British Royal marine Alexander Blackman, speaks to the media outside the High Court in London Wednesday March 15, 2017. Blackman who shot an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan has had his murder conviction downgraded Wednesday. The murder conviction of 42-year-old Sgt. Alexander Blackman has been quashed and replaced by a manslaughter conviction.  (Lauren Hurley/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Claire Blackman, the wife of convicted British Royal marine Alexander Blackman, speaks to the media outside the High Court in London Wednesday March 15, 2017. Blackman who shot an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan has had his murder conviction downgraded Wednesday. The murder conviction of 42-year-old Sgt. Alexander Blackman has been quashed and replaced by a manslaughter conviction.  (Lauren Hurley/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

FILE - This is a Oct. 14, 2001 file photo of former Royal Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman. Blackman who shot an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan has had his murder conviction downgraded Wednesday March 15, 2017. The murder conviction of 42-year-old Sgt. Alexander Blackman has been quashed and replaced by a manslaughter conviction.  (Andrew Parsons/file via AP) (The Associated Press)

A British Royal Marine commando who shot an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan has won a reduced sentence of manslaughter.

The earlier murder conviction of 42-year-old Sgt. Alexander Blackman was quashed Wednesday and replaced by a manslaughter conviction.

The Court Martial Appeal Court said the decision was based on the ground of diminished responsibility.

Blackman had been sentenced to a minimum of 10 years by a military court in 2013 for the September 2011 killing in Helmand Province. A new sentencing hearing will be held.

Footage from another marine's helmet camera showed Blackman shooting the militant in the chest at close range, then saying: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention."

His lawyer had said Blackman was suffering mental health issues at the time.