U.S. Marine calls alleged Filipino rape victim a victim of people around her
Chad Carpentier says 'Lord' was with them on night of alleged rape
The Associated Press
A U.S. Marine accused of raping a Filipino woman said in a television interview aired Wednesday that the alleged victim of the attack was being victimized by the people around her.
"She's a victim but not a victim of us, she's a victim of some of the people surrounding her," Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier told Manila's GMA television without elaborating.
Prosecutors contend the woman was raped by Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith on Nov. 1 in a van at the former U.S. Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines as Carpentier, Lance Cpl. Keith Silkwood and Lance Cpl. Dominic Duplantis cheered him on.
All four have been charged with rape, which is punishable by up to 40 years in prison. Defense lawyers insist Smith had consensual sex with the woman.
Carpentier said that aside from the Marines, the woman and the van's Filipino driver "there was another person in that van with us that night and that's the Lord and he knows exactly what went on in that van and what didn't go on." The report said Carpentier did not detail what happened inside the van, preferring to tell it in court instead.
Carpentier said he was not angry with the 22-year-old woman identified by the court only as Nicole "because I know she's attempted and tried to do the right thing in this case," said the report, which gave no further details.
Nicole was expected to testify in court Thursday.
The Marines had just finished counterterrorism maneuvers with Philippine troops when the alleged rape took place.
The case sparked anti-American protests in the former U.S. colony and is seen as a black mark on exercises credited with helping weaken al-Qaida-linked militants in the country's restive south.
The men are part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in Okinawa, Japan.The U.S.Embassy, which has custody of the men under a treaty with the Philippine government, hasn't released their ages or hometowns.
The Associated Press
A U.S. Marine accused of raping a Filipino woman said in a television interview aired Wednesday that the alleged victim of the attack was being victimized by the people around her.
"She's a victim but not a victim of us, she's a victim of some of the people surrounding her," Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier told Manila's GMA television without elaborating.
Prosecutors contend the woman was raped by Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith on Nov. 1 in a van at the former U.S. Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines as Carpentier, Lance Cpl. Keith Silkwood and Lance Cpl. Dominic Duplantis cheered him on.
All four have been charged with rape, which is punishable by up to 40 years in prison. Defense lawyers insist Smith had consensual sex with the woman.
Carpentier said that aside from the Marines, the woman and the van's Filipino driver "there was another person in that van with us that night and that's the Lord and he knows exactly what went on in that van and what didn't go on." The report said Carpentier did not detail what happened inside the van, preferring to tell it in court instead.
Carpentier said he was not angry with the 22-year-old woman identified by the court only as Nicole "because I know she's attempted and tried to do the right thing in this case," said the report, which gave no further details.
Nicole was expected to testify in court Thursday.
The Marines had just finished counterterrorism maneuvers with Philippine troops when the alleged rape took place.
The case sparked anti-American protests in the former U.S. colony and is seen as a black mark on exercises credited with helping weaken al-Qaida-linked militants in the country's restive south.
The men are part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in Okinawa, Japan.The U.S.Embassy, which has custody of the men under a treaty with the Philippine government, hasn't released their ages or hometowns.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
7:51 AM
1 Comments:
I hate it when people reference God in situations like this. I mean, the Lord can't testify for you and it just sounds patronizing.
Anyway, I just pray that the trial will reveal the truth, whatever that truth may be.
By
Anonymous, at 7/07/2006 1:57 AM
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