U.S. Marine gets 4 years for sexually assaulting woman in Okinawa
NAHA —
A court in Naha on Thursday sentenced a U.S. Marine to four years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in August.
The court heard that on Aug 18, Cpl Iian Tarver, 21, who is based at Camp Foster, assaulted the woman at around 4:30 a.m., grabbing her by the hair, as she was walking home, Jiji Press reported. He dragged her off the sidewalk and forced her to have sex, the court heard.
During the trial, Tarver admitted to the charge and said he had been out drinking with other Marines before the incident, local media reported.
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67 Comments
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12
HowardStern
Wow. What an a-hole. I hope he serves all of it.
-2
Akemi Mokoto
That is all he gets? Scumbags like this should face LIFE because doing this kind of thing effects someone for the rest of their life. Sicko.
13
hereforever
Sexual assault or rape? I noticed they didn't use 'rape' in this article. Anyone know why? Isn't 'Groping' also sexual assault? (Referring to NHK announcer's 3 months suspension for sexual assault.)
5
telecasterplayer
Mainstream media tends to avoid upsetting words like "rape". "Sexual Assault" is almost always the phrase indicating that a rape occurred.
0
mikihouse
lucky marine...most countries he is facing severe jail time or even death penalty.
3
Tyler Vandenberg
This article doesn't sum it up very well, He admitted he was guilty, He apologized to her. also he forced her to perform oral sex. (Not trying to say that makes it any better.... just trying to figure out how he only got 4 years) Prosecutors requested the four-year sentence for him so maybe a plea bargin??.....
-12
Maitake
I'm glad he only got 4 years. This whole thing has probably been "blown" way out of proportion.
6
jessebaybay
seriously only 4 years for rape? that's not right.
-10
daviddd1212
Akemi...life??? Are u serious???? 4 years seems just right....
6
Tyler Vandenberg
He only got 4 years b/c the definition of rape in Japan is limited to vaginal, he forced her to perform oral sex only...... but he still could be charged with rape by the military after he gets out and face 10 years b/c US law is any form of penetration is rape.
2
Yubaru
No he won't face rape charges from the military. It's double jeopardy and you can go back and look at other cases which were BY FAR worse and all the military did after they were released from prison is dishonorably discharge them from service.
12
Matthew Simon
This is not true, it is only double Jeopardy if he were charged under the UCMJ twice for the same crime. He will probably receive the punishment of time already served and a Bad Conduct or Dishonorable discharge from the Marines after his jail time in Japan. And yes that is punishment as well.
3
Tyler Vandenberg
@Yubaru- The military under SOFA has no protection from double jeopardy I have seen military and Japanese courts both charge SOFA Military for a crime far less then this and after they get out of Japanese prison they go to Military Prison. Just depends on the Military if the they count time already served or not.
0
Tyler Vandenberg
@ Simon sorry your post didn't show up until after didn't mean to be a echo
0
YuriOtani
Four years in a Japanese prison is a long time, they believe in punishment.
5
open_mind
Assault is assault. No matter how you say it. It is what it is. Another drunk off of the streets.
4
Poke
Four years seems short. I just wonder what the average sentence for a comparable crime is in Japan, in general. I'm sure there is a lot of variation by the specific circumstances of the crime and trial. I wonder if suspended sentences are common. Anyone have any info?
5
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
Karma may have its way with him behind bars.
0
smithinjapan
mikihouse: "lucky marine...most countries he is facing severe jail time or even death penalty"
Where would he get the death penalty, miki? Rape is a heinous crime, and I hope that this man reflects on that during his incarceration, but it is not worthy of death.
4
paulinusa
It's probably a more lenient sentence than most western countries but I think more or less what a Japanese citizen would receive.
4
Laurence Lance
This man is not a Marine. He has no right to wear the uniform. I'm very sorry to hear about his 4 years in prison. It should have been life!
6
Peter Payne
Worthless a-hole. Happily the Marines I know are all extremely brave and honorable.
4
Lee Vann
If his command is anything like my old ones (back in the 90's), not only will they charge him with Rape after he gets out, but being AWOL for the time he has spent in jail, Disorderly conduct, Disobeying a direct order, and anything else they can think of. He is easily looking at an additional 15 to 20 years after he gets out of Japanese jail. The Marines do not take bringing the Corps in to disrepute and will throw the book at him.
11
Mirai Hayashi
The "I was drunk" plea only works for Japanese people I guess...good riddens, none-the less
0
Tiger_In_The_Hermitage
Wow, 4 years.... in Japanese prison or American prison? I hope tax payers here don't need to pay for his prison term. Maybe no prison term is better, just cut it out and send him home.
-6
Jaymann
a great deal of typically JT-reader knee-jerk reaction and over the top blood lust here.... Did anyone here sit on the jury or in the court? Know all f the details? 4 years seems about right. Life?, death? wonder what those unhinged suggesters would 'recommend' for infanticide?
5
soldave
Bet he's wishing he was a drunk Japanese salaryman right now.
3
cleo
I fail to understand how oral sex can ever be forced. Just bite down hard, woman. Give him something that will take four years for the scars to heal.
0
herefornow
Akeme -- really? Then how come the Waseda guys convicted of gang rape a few years back just got suspended sentences? Are only U.S. Marines "scumbags"? Personally, I'm glad he is doing jail time and assume that since the sentence is what the prosecutors requested, then it is appropriate.
-2
technosphere
In some countries, rapists are forced to live in very harsh conditions in prisons. Under old criminal rules, rapist is considered worse than some sort of nasty animal. Therefore, other convicts may force him to become merely a passive gay or just kill him at a place.
-4
basroil
100% chance this is misreported. The guy likely never said a word, and it was just the prosecutors that did.
Another "case closed" "confession" in a long line of shady and potentially illegal (based on UN treaties signed and ratified) trial. Note that they never stated that there was any actual evidence of the act. I'm all for justice, but only when it's based on evidence, not forced "confessions".
0
LFRAgain
I semi-agree. I'm surprised this all he got. I wouldn't go so far as a life sentence, but only 4 years is insulting to the victim and the idea of justice in general.
-1
megosaa
That's sending a message saying "Hey, it's OK to rape, you'll be out in 4 years!"
Thumbs down me if you agree
-1
megosaa
wonder what would you say if it was your wife or daughter that were the ones raped, ahem... sexually assaulted.
-1
tmarie
Four years for rape? Disgusting. That being said, longer than what your average Japanese rapist gets.
Now will it be a suspended sentence??
0
Bartholomew Harte
I think it's about time the armed services did more than lip service to these crimes. 4 years is not much for this crime & the services have to be held to a higher standard in this regard-Send this bum to Leavenworth for the 4 yrs!
-2
tmarie
Barth, the Japanese screamed they wanted him, they got him. He shouldn't be sentences by both Japan AND the US military. One of the other. He got of lightly considering.
2
monolocco
I hope this guy get the same thing he did to this poor woman "IN JAIL". And he calls himself a man. People like this should be locked up away from society and thrown away the key. What sane person does this to a woman, don't matter if drunk or sobber no normal human being would even imagine doing this. What is wrong with this horrific person. Like it has been said earlier by other people, 4 years is not enough. 15 should the the least for his crime of "RAPE"!!!
4
Kimbot
Whoa, whoa, whoa. No victim blaming and shaming please. It's easy to judge from a distance and say 'she should have done this or that'. You have absolutely no idea what she actually went through and how terrified she was.
4 years is rubbish, but I hope he seriously thinks about what he did. And I sincerly hope he feels sorry and changes. No one, especially women, will trust him ever again.
3
cleo
Not blaming or shaming, Kimbot. Just saying I can't understand (=absolutely no idea, that's what I'm saying) how the bloke can get away with putting his delicates in a potentially very painful weapon and not get some very painful consequences.
1
Larry Woodworth
Four years for raping a woman? I wonder if they reduced the charge to your basic sexual assault because he was under the influence of alcohol? Regardless, he'll do his four years, then face the military courts. About the only thing guaranteed from them is he'll finish-up with a dishonorable discharge. Bye bye being able to use his military service on any job application he submits after that. If you say you were in the military, then the prospective employer will want to see your discharge form. Unless the job is digging ditches, the employer isn't hiring someone who was given a dishonorable discharge.
I realize this doesn't make the people happy who are calling for life imprisonment for committing a crime while drunk, but oh well. Life imprisonment for a drunken rape is a tad extreme. What are you going to do for more serious crimes? Life and a half?
5
Brainiac
cleo
Perhaps he threatened her. A threat can be just as effective as holding a knife to someone's throat.
4
DudeDeuce
He should get more also for being another reason for the U.S. military in Japan being tarnished.
5
David43515
@Cleo: Oral sex can be forced just like any other kind. First there's the fear factor of a large, violent, possibly armed person grabbing you and forcing you into the dark. Many people will comply just out of fear. Second there's the gag reflex: shove something far enough down your throat and you physically CAN'T bite it because your jaws reflexively spread.Teaching self defense for many years has taught me that people react different ways to stress and adrenalin. You can't blame a victim of a violent attack for not reacting the way we like to think we would or could.
0
cleo
My first comment was (kinda) tongue-in-cheek (no pun intended), but I do realise this is a serious topic and highly traumatic for the victim. That said, Brainiac and David, thank you for your insights. I stand suitably chastised.
2
Yubaru
From what I am led to believe it is double jeopardy IF the military charges them with the same crime. In an earlier rape case in Okinawa where the military members were convicted of raping a 12 year old girl they were (3) given sentences ranging from 6 to 7 years. After they were released from Japanese prison they were taken into military custody and dishonorably discharged. They could have faced numerous OTHER charges but the military declined to prosecute.
0
Ranger_Miffy2
I'm with Cleo on self-defence. I don't care what the man threatens, one big chomp and he won't be thinking of anything else but pain*...and then the woman can run like hell. Screaming for help would be good, too. Four years is a long, long time, but he will only be 25 when he gets out, completely disgraced.
-3
lostrune2
As the great Billy the Natural once said, "[he] did not have sexual relations with that woman!"
The J-court must've thought she enjoyed it a bit too since he only got 4 years. Fair's fair, heh.
2
Thunderbird2
Hopefully he'll get what he deserves in nick... a cell with a big bruiser with an eye for young men!
No way is 4 years enough for this sicko... this poor woman has to live with this for the rest of her life.
1
davestrousers
That kind of thing is extremely rare in Japan, although prison is harsh, just not due to the threat of rape or violence from other prisoners.
2
bruinfan
4 years of hard labor, I hope.
1
cramp
no punitive damages in jpn?
0
Michael Karolewics
Well, no matter how you look at it the Marine will never be the same either. He got what he deserved and thats time in jail. Where? Hopefully Ft Leavenworth. Its turds like this that ruin our good times over here. I really feel sorry for the lady, she will traumatized forever. I feel for her family. But the NHK guy, because hes a celebrity i'm sure gets 3 months for "BY DEFINITION" could be called sexual assault. Oh but 3 months thats enough, I say cut his damn hands off...an get the "fix" the other guy so he can't do this anymore.
2
Yubaru
Japan does not send it's convicted felons to Leavenworth. They serve their time here in Japan.
No he didnt get 3 months, NHK has put him on 3 months leave without pay. His case has yet to go to court, if it does at all. His case was different as well, he didnt force anyone to perform oral sex on him, he got caught feeling a girl up.
2
Michael Karolewics
Yubaru, Mis read that, NAHA court so damn his life will really suck now. Oh well, Baretta said it LONG ago: "Don't do the crime if you cant do the time". My point of the NHK guy is that its a joke! he grabs a boob and gets suspended for 3 months. Tha dumb ass should be in jail.
1
Yubaru
No prob' Cant agree more though. Yet here in Japan people many times get longer sentences for sexually related crimes than murder. Go figure huh?
3
jumpultimatestars
Anyone who thinks that 4 years isn't a long time doesn't know Japanese prisons. I suggest you watch a documentary. You dont just sit on your ass. You'rer never allowed to behavely freely in any way shape or form- even the way you sit must be done in a very specific way or else you will be severely punished.
0
Frank Vaughn
His prison time is 4 years, not enough for some one who is supposed to be a U.S. Marine. But there will be some additional justice, the U.S. now has that Adam Walsh thing and the Kettering Act and that SORNA stuff. I'm no attorney but said pervert will now be placed onto one of those U.S. sex offender registries for probably the next 25 years if not for the rest of his life, this will affect the kinds of jobs he is allowed to have, where he is allowed to live, most women will now have NOTHING to do with him, don't worry that 4 years punishment is just the start. He has correctly lost his veterans benefits. And for those mentioning "double-jeopardy" and perhaps ex-post facto, the SCOUS has ruled that the sex offender stuff is regulations and exempt from that stuff, so he will be forced to comply. I have even read where people like him are having to wear a GPS tracker for life now.
He harmed Japan and disgraced his own country, he deserves everything he gets and more.
1
Thunderbird2
Good! The nasty git has ruined a woman's life, and needs to be severely punished. Even 4 years hard labour wouldn't be enough. 10 minimum.
1
Molenir
What I find interesting about this whole thing, is the contrast to other cases. Worse cases in fact, where the molestors/rapists got next to nothing for their crime. Here is a guy, who admits his guilt, and instead of the standard suspended sentence the crime normally would get, he actually gets jail time. Don't get me wrong, I think its a fair sentence. I think all rapists should be getting jail time, just wish it wasn't because he is a member of the US Military that he is getting justly punished.
1
jumpultimatestars
@Thunderbird to be fair you don't know that that woman's life is ruined. I'm sure she has been traumatized and shaken up but she is still alive, uninjured physically, and can probably work through this (especially with therapy) with some effort. It all depends on the person. I'm not sticking up for the assailant here when I say this, believe me. I have just had good friends who have gone through hell worse than this and were able to recover eventually. It does take time.
1
Kobuta Chan
Now she has to sue US Army for pain and suffering.
-1
Fadamor
Why on earth would she do that? This guy was a Marine. Even if she tried to sue the Marines, she'd need to show they were somehow responsible for this guy's actions. I don't think the Marines have too many "Go out, get drunk, and RAPE!" programs.
The NHK guy didn't get ANY months because he never went to trial. His case was dropped because the victim dropped the charges. The company he works for suspended him for three months, so that tells me NHK probably had to cough up a significant sum of money to get the girl to drop the charges.
-2
hobart_mark
He got off too easy....
-1
Resurfaced
Thats It? 4 years? what about the victim? she has to live with this event for the rest of her life..... I hope he gets the same treatment and he also bears the same memories for the rest of his life. Scumbag.
-1
Crazedinjapan
Fish head soup, fish heads fish heads ...not very desirable terms in a Japanese prison system. I recently watched a documentary on a dude that was busted with drugs. 4 years for this assault will feel like a life sentence . Marching around a yard say 1 2 3 over and over again ...they actually make you work and you do get punished if you don't follow rules. The average rapist in NA only gets a 1 to 2 year sentence and its a joke compared to the term people have to deal with here.
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