Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
New York Times
May 17, 2008
Pg. 6
By Norimitsu Onishi
TOKYO — A United States court-martial on Friday sentenced a marine to four years in prison for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Japanese girl, ending a case that deepened anger over the American military presence in Japan.
The marine, Staff Sgt. Tyrone Luther Hadnott, 38, pleaded guilty to “abusive sexual contact” at the court-martial at Camp Foster in Okinawa, but was cleared of rape, the United States military said. He was also given a dishonorable discharge.
In February, Mr. Hadnott, who was stationed at a base in Okinawa, was arrested after the girl accused him of raping her in his car. The marine, who had given the girl a ride, denied the accusation but admitted pressing her down and trying to kiss her.
The incident caused widespread anger in Okinawa, home to most of the 40,000 members of the American military based in Japan, and led to protests by Japanese politicians, including Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
On a visit to Japan in February, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed deep regret over the case.
Japanese anger subsided after the girl, who had been criticized in the media for getting into the car with the marine, withdrew her complaint, and Japanese prosecutors dropped charges.
“Even though he was not prosecuted under the Japanese judicial system, we found that there was enough evidence to prosecute him under the U.S. system,” Lt. Gen. Edward Rice, the commander of United States forces in Japan, said Friday at a news conference.
The case was one of several involving American servicemen in Japan in recent months. Last month, Olatunbosun Ugbogu, 22, a Navy seaman who had been wanted for deserting his base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, was charged with killing a taxi driver over a dispute about a fare.
May 17, 2008
Pg. 6
By Norimitsu Onishi
TOKYO — A United States court-martial on Friday sentenced a marine to four years in prison for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Japanese girl, ending a case that deepened anger over the American military presence in Japan.
The marine, Staff Sgt. Tyrone Luther Hadnott, 38, pleaded guilty to “abusive sexual contact” at the court-martial at Camp Foster in Okinawa, but was cleared of rape, the United States military said. He was also given a dishonorable discharge.
In February, Mr. Hadnott, who was stationed at a base in Okinawa, was arrested after the girl accused him of raping her in his car. The marine, who had given the girl a ride, denied the accusation but admitted pressing her down and trying to kiss her.
The incident caused widespread anger in Okinawa, home to most of the 40,000 members of the American military based in Japan, and led to protests by Japanese politicians, including Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
On a visit to Japan in February, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed deep regret over the case.
Japanese anger subsided after the girl, who had been criticized in the media for getting into the car with the marine, withdrew her complaint, and Japanese prosecutors dropped charges.
“Even though he was not prosecuted under the Japanese judicial system, we found that there was enough evidence to prosecute him under the U.S. system,” Lt. Gen. Edward Rice, the commander of United States forces in Japan, said Friday at a news conference.
The case was one of several involving American servicemen in Japan in recent months. Last month, Olatunbosun Ugbogu, 22, a Navy seaman who had been wanted for deserting his base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, was charged with killing a taxi driver over a dispute about a fare.