Philippines charge US Marine with murder

[webfact]

Philippines charge US Marine with murder

MANILA - Philippine prosecutors have filed murder charges against a US Marine accused of killing a Filipino transgender woman, in a case that has fanned anti-American sentiment.

Prosecutors found "probable cause" against Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton and decided that he used "treachery, abuse of superior authority and cruelty" against his alleged victim, lead prosecutor Emilie Fe delos Santos told a televised briefing.

"You can see the kind of cruelty she (victim) endured, the injuries she sustained," delos Santos said.

"We believe we have a strong case."

Pemberton will not be allowed to post bail, she said. Murder is punishable by up to 40 years in jail.

Jennifer Laude, a 26-year-old transgender woman also known as Jeffrey, was found dead on October 12 in a cheap hotel in the port city of Olongapo.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/world/philippines-charge-us-marine-with-murder-20141215-127soo.html


-- The Age 2014-12-16

[Just1Voice]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

[pumpuy]

He probably had to kill her in self defence ...

[kieran2698]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

250,000 US servicemen returning from the recent conflicts have been diagnosed with mental health issues. With the limited amount of help available it is a wonder there are not more incidents such as this one. This incident does not reflect on your corps, this reflects on the lack of continuing support for ex-servicemen.

[Acharn]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

250,000 US servicemen returning from the recent conflicts have been diagnosed with mental health issues. With the limited amount of help available it is a wonder there are not more incidents such as this one. This incident does not reflect on your corps, this reflects on the lack of continuing support for ex-servicemen.

I beg to differ. Yes, this case reflects on the lack of continuing support for servicemen and women, not only ex-, but it also reflects badly on a culture within the services that rejects the view of mental illness as a health problem and insists it is only weakness which can be overcome by will power. There are additional problems with Congress refusing to provide adequate funding for medical care and the Veterans Administration, although they have no problem with billions of dollars simply disappearing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently the Army (my former service) seems to have no clue how to even think about the epidemic of suicides we are experiencing.

[Benmart]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

Not a good image for human-kind.

[Benmart]

He probably had to kill her in self defence ...

The scene of the crime is quite a distance from my location in Thailand. I wasn't there when the crime took place and haven't talked to the suspect or anyone else that knows more than I, which is absolutely nothing.

I could probably join the probably club, but I will opt out of membership this go-around.

[Benmart]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

250,000 US servicemen returning from the recent conflicts have been diagnosed with mental health issues. With the limited amount of help available it is a wonder there are not more incidents such as this one. This incident does not reflect on your corps, this reflects on the lack of continuing support for ex-servicemen.

I beg to differ. Yes, this case reflects on the lack of continuing support for servicemen and women, not only ex-, but it also reflects badly on a culture within the services that rejects the view of mental illness as a health problem and insists it is only weakness which can be overcome by will power. There are additional problems with Congress refusing to provide adequate funding for medical care and the Veterans Administration, although they have no problem with billions of dollars simply disappearing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently the Army (my former service) seems to have no clue how to even think about the epidemic of suicides we are experiencing.

I may be a bit dated (Vietnam Era) and have served only 20 years active duty. My experiences differ somewhat from yours.

I've found that my snap-shot of military service, attitudes towards mental illnes and support differs from the snap-shots and the experiences of others. I prefer not to generalize and postulate a broad view of a system I know only from readings and brief exposure.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Benmart

[ggt]

Assault and battery are something the transgender community faces on a daily basis...they could try being more honest with a prospective client...in many cases the shock of the deception could send some clients over the edge...

[Vadmoscow79]

valiant US soldiers can fight only with women and children, the elderly

[Patsycat]

He is 19 and only in the Marines for a year. I doubt that he was suffering from anything other than drunkeness and bully boy syndrome-

[kieran2698]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

250,000 US servicemen returning from the recent conflicts have been diagnosed with mental health issues. With the limited amount of help available it is a wonder there are not more incidents such as this one. This incident does not reflect on your corps, this reflects on the lack of continuing support for ex-servicemen.

I beg to differ. Yes, this case reflects on the lack of continuing support for servicemen and women, not only ex-, but it also reflects badly on a culture within the services that rejects the view of mental illness as a health problem and insists it is only weakness which can be overcome by will power. There are additional problems with Congress refusing to provide adequate funding for medical care and the Veterans Administration, although they have no problem with billions of dollars simply disappearing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently the Army (my former service) seems to have no clue how to even think about the epidemic of suicides we are experiencing.

Congress are the same problem as I outlined, they are preventing continuing support. As quite possibly the 'culture' you speak of, they are propagandising this notion that mental illness is a weakness and the responsibility of the serviceman to evade their own responsibilities. Otherwise, calling it a "culture within the services" we are following their lead and blaming the victim.

[Berkshire]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

The guy's a murderer who just happened to be a Marine. Shouldn't reflect at all on the Corps...but unfortunately, it does.

[kieran2698]

He is 19 and only in the Marines for a year. I doubt that he was suffering from anything other than drunkeness and bully boy syndrome-

Yeah, you're obviously right because the younger the marine the less chance active service has of causing mental illness!?!?!??!?!

[kieran2698]

He is 19 and only in the Marines for a year. I doubt that he was suffering from anything other than drunkeness and bully boy syndrome-

Yeah, you're obviously right because the younger the marine the less chance active service has of causing mental illness!?!?!??!?!

Oh, hang on, judging by these articles it seems there is a pretty strong link between being a young active serviceman and suffering from mental illness. By the way, drunkenness and bullying are actually symptoms of the problems that these young men suffer from.

http://www.forceswatch.net/content/last-ambush

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-21790348

http://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-young-soldiers-at-greater-risk-of-ptsd-022813

[Traveler19491]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

valiant US soldiers can fight only with women and children, the elderly

Valiantly spoken as one who has zero knowledge of, or experience with, the US soldiers you denigrate. While I vehemently disagree with the current policies employed by my government with regard to the wars of profit being fought in the Middle East, the men and women who are fighting those wars deserve every bit of support that the American public can give them. It is not they who instigated the conflicts, but they are the ones sent to do the fighting, and dying, while our politicians suck up the money doled out by the commercial interests so bent on continuing these "wars".

Now then, Vad, do you really want to bring up atrocities? Shall we talk about the "kontrakniki", contract soldiers in the Russian army, in Chechnya and some of their "amusing" pastimes? I really don't think you want to go there.

[kieran2698]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

The guy's a murderer who just happened to be a Marine. Shouldn't reflect at all on the Corps...but unfortunately, it does.

Only to the unsympathetic and the ignorant. To everyone else it reflects on the upper chain of command, right up to the politicians.

[mike2011]

The guy thought that he had got lucky and found out - a little late - that he got more than he had bargained for. The location of the corps etc suggest that he was not happy at all how his hot date turned out. Nothing special in a sense that newbies get tricked by katoeys. They work online for this and also in real life. The fact that the victim turned perpetrator was a marine drew some attention to the case as did the somewhat spectacular actions of his/her German boyfriend.

While the case does illustrate the common use of violence against transgenders at same time it also illustrates the mode of operation some parts of that community employ with the risks involved.

In the Phils I had to warn visiting friends more than once that the object of their desires was not what it seemed to be. The hint that they might end up face down in the mattress helped. The Marine lacked that advice.

[Acharn]

Not a good image for my beloved Corps.

250,000 US servicemen returning from the recent conflicts have been diagnosed with mental health issues. With the limited amount of help available it is a wonder there are not more incidents such as this one. This incident does not reflect on your corps, this reflects on the lack of continuing support for ex-servicemen.

I beg to differ. Yes, this case reflects on the lack of continuing support for servicemen and women, not only ex-, but it also reflects badly on a culture within the services that rejects the view of mental illness as a health problem and insists it is only weakness which can be overcome by will power. There are additional problems with Congress refusing to provide adequate funding for medical care and the Veterans Administration, although they have no problem with billions of dollars simply disappearing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently the Army (my former service) seems to have no clue how to even think about the epidemic of suicides we are experiencing.

I may be a bit dated (Vietnam Era) and have served only 20 years active duty. My experiences differ somewhat from yours.

I've found that my snap-shot of military service, attitudes towards mental illnes and support differs from the snap-shots and the experiences of others. I prefer not to generalize and postulate a broad view of a system I know only from readings and brief exposure.

Well, I'm also Vietnam era (Pleiku) and 20, but you are right that I should refrain from talking about that which I don't have personal experience of. I have read several critical articles about the treatment of soldiers suffering from PTSD, but I haven't actually seen it, since I retired in 1982. On the other hand, Army suicides are now taking place at 22 per day. It seems to me something is seriously wrong with the way mental health issues are being handled.

[hawker9000]

valiant US soldiers can fight only with women and children, the elderly

A new low for trolling, and so amusing to hear a keyboard warrior commenting on things like "valor" (hoping for a medal for carpal tunnel maybe?? Lol). 'Hope a mod happens along soon.

'Seems odd no one has taken an interest in the VFA thing and the custody dispute between the U.S. & the RP so far.

Edited December 22, 2014 by hawker9000