A military hearing to review three counts of unpremeditated murder filed against a U.S. Marine with ties to Western Pennsylvania will begin Monday at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Justin L. Sharratt was charged in December with fatally shooting three Iraqi men during an incident in 2005 in which 24 Iraqi civilians were killed in the town of Haditha. His hearing initially was set for April but was postponed.

Known as an Article 32 proceeding, it is similar to a preliminary hearing and is held to determine if a court-martial is warranted.

Cpl. Sharratt was one of eight Marines to face charges in the biggest U.S. criminal case involving civilian deaths in the Iraq war. Murder charges later were dropped against one Marine.

Cpl. Sharratt, 22, was born in Washington, Pa., and lived as a child in North Huntingdon before moving to Granger, Ind. His parents are natives of Washington County and live in Canonsburg.

If found guilty, he could face up to life in prison. The Marine Corps is not seeking the death penalty in any of the cases.