U.S. Marine sentenced to 2 years in prison for 'wrongful sexual contact'

Saturday 10th May, 05:21 AM JST

IWAKUNI —

A U.S. court-martial sentenced a Marine to two years in prison Friday, the day after finding him guilty of ‘‘wrongful sexual contact’’ with a Japanese woman in Hiroshima last October.

Military judge Maj Charles Hale, who presided over the court-martial at the U.S. Marine Corps’ Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture, also gave the Marine, a 20-year-old lance corporal, a dishonorable discharge. He was 19 at the time of the incident.

The Marine’s prison term is expected to start in October as he pleaded partially guilty in plea bargaining with the prosecution and the term of his detention so far is to be counted in the prison sentence, military experts said.

In Friday’s session, the prosecution demanded the accused receive 10 years in prison. The defense sought six months.

The lance corporal was the first of four U.S. Marines charged with alleged sexual assault and disobedience in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in connection the alleged gang-raping of the 20-year-old woman Oct 13-14, 2007. Courts-martial for the other three are scheduled to begin from later this month to June.

The accused pleaded not guilty at the opening session Tuesday of his court-martial.

On Thursday, the court-martial found him guilty of ‘‘conspiracy to violate military orders about liberty and alcohol, and conspiracy to commit indecent acts.’’

He was found guilty of ‘‘committing wrongful sexual contact and indecent acts,’’ but not guilty of conspiracy to kidnap or rape.

Japanese police sent investigative reports on the four U.S. Marines to prosecutors in November in connection with the alleged gang-rape, without arresting them as they found inconsistencies in the woman’s testimony.

After the Japanese prosecutors decided not to indict the four Marines, the U.S. military launched the court-martial.

Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

VOR at 08:06 PM JST - 9th May

The reason why the Japanese did not prosecute was because she was just some chick attracted to the hip hop culture. These girls get very little sympathy from the Japanese authorities who ultimately think they get what they deserve.

These goons took advantage of somebody who had no real understanding of the misogynists nature of hip hop culture and the player vs playee mentality. Having sex with one guy in a car was probably as far as she wanted to be played, then these other guys came and raped her.

Good on the Marines for not tolerating this behavior and providing this confused girl justice. this guy received a relatively light sentence because he is going to serve as a prosecution witness for the other three convictions.

Hope these idiots learned their lesson. Hope more J-girls wake up and realize hip hop videos are not real life.
Easy50 at 10:52 PM JST - 9th May

what is the 'rightful sexual contact'?

Its when she's like, "Oh baby, yes"

and he's like "oh yes, baby, baby"

And she's like "oh baby, yes yes yes"

and he's like "Oh God, yes yes yes"

and she's like "AHHHHGHGHGHG, YES, YES, YES, AHHHHGHGHGHG"

and he's like "YES -- GUGHHHHHH" followed by "snore"

Please note the operative word here is "YES". (as opposed to "No")

Hope that clears it up for you.
sailwind at 11:14 PM JST - 9th May

Doesn't say much for the Japanese system. They had first shot and didn't even charge this jerk. Strange though no posters slamming the J-system for not being able to put this guy away in the first place, after all have to be good guests in this country.
telecasterplayer at 12:26 AM JST - 10th May

Sailwind DOES have an excellent point. If the U.S. Marines found reasons to prosecutor and convict, why didn't the local prosecutors do THEIR jobs? The simple assumption is that the local authorities didn't want to bother with the time and expense, nor deal with an uncooperative complainant.. as long as some deal had been cut with the U.S. Authorities, who would take care of the problem without the inherent hassles.

Fighting and punishing crime is not supposed to be a matter or finance nor convenience. Just because one victim decides not to pursue, it doesn't mean the criminal will not repeat the crime upon someone else. THAT's why prosecution is necessary.
OssanULTRA at 01:48 AM JST - 10th May

Hat's off the USMC and the UCMJ. All servicemen are in effect ambassadors of our country and their conduct must be held to the highest standards. Hope this gets widely published in Japan.
Molenir at 05:05 AM JST - 10th May

The guys deserve this. And yes, it definitely shows the disparity between the Japanese and US justice system. J-Cops assume the girl is lying, or that she somehow deserves what she got. Only rarely will a case for rape be prosecuted, and only if the girl is really serious, and determined that the scumbags be punished.

In the US, it doesn't matter if theres a complaint. If they believe you are guilty of rape, they can and will prosecute you, regardless of whether or not the victim is willing to press charges. And of course theres the differences in punishment. But I won't go into that.

All I can say is, thank god for the USMC.
amerijap at 06:06 AM JST - 10th May

I just heard this news from local radio program in San Jose last night. Yeah, it's really an embarrassing moment for the soldier's families.
gogogo at 04:44 PM JST - 10th May

How can they charge him as he was 19 at the time, which makes him a minor in Japan.
VOR at 04:59 PM JST - 10th May

he was 19 but his other comprades were significantly older.

age had nothing to do with the Japanese not prosecuting.

with this trial out of the way, watch what happens to the other three.
The_Marion at 09:37 PM JST - 10th May

This man's life is finished. He can do the time, but he will NEVER get over the Dishonorable Dishcharge. My heart goes out to his mother and father.
foxyager at 10:48 PM JST - 10th May

In my opinion he should have gotten worse. Two years? He should be castrated and placed on display for the victim and her family for two years, then sent to prison for 10 years. He'll get out of prison and he most likely will not have to register a known sex offender because it was handled by the military and it was over seas. Someone has to be made a severe example so things like this stop. Two years is not enough. I hope he becomes a bad man's boyfriend in prison.
telecasterplayer at 12:39 AM JST - 11th May

The Marion's very wise statement:

My heart goes out to his mother and father.

A single crime has no shortage of victims, does it?

foxyager:

I hope he becomes a bad man's boyfriend in prison.

There's certainly nothing unnatural about the desire for revenge. But adding crime upon crime.. that's just two wrongs, isn't it?
okapake at 07:08 AM JST - 11th May

With a plea bargin it has been reduced to one year.
rtrhead1 at 10:05 AM JST - 11th May

foxyager, why should he go to prison for 10 years? He didn't rape her. She said yes to him, not the others. God, there is a lot of hate and assumptions.
foxyager at 10:02 PM JST - 11th May

In matter of physical and sexual assault on a female I have seen the effects on the person and the family. Trust is lost, feeling of decency is lost, will to overcome is lost. The man deserves severe loss. I try to tell the females that it is not their fault, but they will not listen to a man. Also I have no heart for a Bad Marine, my sister was beaten and raped by Bad Marine.