Category: crime & punishment

I have to think this US Marine is pleading not guilty for murder in the hopes that he will instead be charged with a lesser manslaughter charge:

A Philippine court entered a not guilty plea Monday for a U.S. Marine charged with murdering a transgender Filipino, allegedly after he discovered her gender when they checked into a hotel.

Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton refused to enter a plea in the brief proceeding in a court in Olongapo city northwest of Manila, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Journalists were barred from the courtroom.

Dozens of left-wing protesters waved red flags outside the courthouse, demanding justice and an end to the U.S. military presence in the former American colony. Gay and lesbian groups have also staged protests denouncing the killing of Jennifer Laude, whose former name was Jeffrey, as a hate crime.

Monday’s arraignment paves the way for Pemberton’s trial, which lawyers of the victim’s family said is scheduled to start next month.  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link.

A US military contractor working at Yongsan has found himself in hot water with the ROK authorities:

Police said Monday that a civilian worker with the Eighth U.S. Army has been charged with violating a drunken driving inspection and injuring a police officer on duty.

The U.S. national contractor, whose name was withheld, is suspected of hitting the police officer while dodging a crackdown on drunken drivers late Sunday in the Seoul district of Yongsan where the Army base is located, according to police.

During questioning, the 31-year-old said he was searching for a hospital to get medication for his heart disease but denied that he was driving the wrong way or hit the police officer.

Police said the results of tests conducted hours after the accident showed that the contractor was sober but added that they could not confirm his state at the time of the accident.

The injured police officer has been hospitalized for an abrasion and an ankle ligament injury, police said. (Korea Herald)

Koreans in a bar would of course never resort to this kind of violence:

In December, about 20 Cambodian workers engaged in a bloody group fight inside a bar in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.

The incident is belatedly becoming the talk of town after surveillance camera footage showing their brutal fight was aired on TV Wednesday.

Some of the Cambodian men, who all work in factories in Gimhae or Busan on temporary visas, sustained deep stab wounds and bone fractures that will require months of hospital treatment, police said.

During the fight, they smashed bottles of beer and soju, and threw dozens of chairs at each other, breaking dishes and glasses. The owner of the bar said he was lucky that they only cost him his tables and dishes, not his life.

“There were a lot of blood stains. I could have been hit by any of the bottles they threw,” he said.

Residents in Gimhae were frightened by the videos of the incident.

“I thought of foreign factory workers as being docile, hardworking and somewhat naïve. But this likely breaks that stereotype. They could be violent and dangerous, too. I’m afraid of them,” a resident said.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.

Via a reader tip comes this news that sentence for Heather Cho who was at the center of the Nut Rage case has been announced:

An onboard tantrum dubbed “nut rage” culminated Thursday in a one-year prison sentence for Korean Air heiress Cho Hyun-ah, a humiliating rebuke that only partially quelled public outrage at the excesses of South Korea’s business elite.

Cho, the daughter of Korean Air’s chairman, achieved worldwide notoriety after she ordered the chief flight attendant off a Dec. 5 flight, forcing it to return to the gate at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Head of cabin service at the time of the incident, Cho was angered she had been offered macadamia nuts in a bag instead of on a dish. A heated and physical confrontation with members of the crew in first class ensued.

A Seoul court said Cho, 40, was guilty of forcing a flight to change its route, obstructing the flight’s captain in the performance of his duties, forcing a crew member off a plane and assaulting a crew member. It found her not guilty of interfering with a transport ministry investigation into the incident. Cho pleaded not guilty and prosecutors had called for three years in prison.

Cho, in custody since Dec. 30, wiped away tears with a tissue as a letter expressing her remorse was read to the court by head judge Oh Seong-woo.

It included details about how Cho, one of the richest women in South Korea who regularly flew first class, was adjusting to the basic conditions in prison and reflecting on her life. “I know my faults and I’m very sorry,” Cho said in her letter.  [Associated Press]

You can read the rest at the link, but I am surprised she received that much time in prison.  Usually you see these business tycoons get rolled into the court in wheelchairs claim they are sick, show their remorse, and then receive suspended sentences.  Maybe Cho should have come to court in a wheelchair because by Korean business tycoon standards she got slammed pretty good for what she did.  This just goes to show what a nerve she struck with the Korean public that no one in the legal or political circles were willing to stick their necks out to help her.  With that all said, with time served and good behavior she will likely be quietly released from prison in a few months.

Here is the first USFK court martial and ROK criminal prosecutions of the year and there sure are a lot of people being prosecuted to start the new year:

Results of Army Courts-Martial for January 2015

On 6 January 2015, at a Special Court Martial, Specialist Alvin Cinco, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of Abusive Sexual Contact (Article 120, UCMJ).  The Soldier was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to perform 30 days of hard labor, and to be restricted for 30 days to the confines of Camp Walker.

On 9 January 2015, at a General Court-Martial, Private (E-2) Joseph Kargbo, 498th Combat Sustainment Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of disobeying a commissioned officer’s lawful order (Article 90, UCMJ); one specification of sexual assault (Article 120); one specification of false official statement (Article 107); two specifications of assault upon a law officer (Article 128); and one specification of failing to obey a general order (Article 92).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to forfeit of all pay and allowances, to be confined for 180 days, and to be discharged with a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

On 9 January 2015, at a Summary Court-Martial, Sergeant First Class Steven E. Barnett, 94th Military Police Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of signing a false document (Article 107); and two specifications of larceny of military property (Article 121).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-6 and to forfeit $2,914.00 pay per month for one month.

On 15 January 2015 at a Special Court-Martial, Private (E-1) Stefan D. Hughes, 602d ASB, 2CAB, 2ID, was found guilty of one specification of aggravated assault (Article 128, UCMJ); one specification of assault consummated by battery (Article 128); one specification of insubordinate conduct toward a noncommissioned officer (Article 91); one specification of destruction of nonmilitary property (Article 109); two specifications of wrongful appropriation (Article 121); and one specification of disorderly conduct  (Article 134).  He was sentenced to be confined for 140 days, to forfeit $600 pay per month for four months, and to be discharged with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 22 January 2015, at a General Court-Martial, Private (E-2) Fernando P. Cabrera, 501st Special Troops Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was found guilty of two specifications of abusive sexual contact (Article 120, UCMJ) and one specification of indecent visual recording (Article 120c).  He was sentence to be reduced to the grade of E-1, to be confined for 20 months, and to be discharged with a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

On 29 January 2015, at a General Court-Martial, Private (E1) Romel L. Jackson, 1-15th, 210th FA, 2ID, was found guilty of one specification of assault consummated by battery (Article 128, UCMJ) and one specification of aggravated assault (Article 128).  He was sentenced to be confined for 10 months, and to be discharged with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 29 January 2015, at a Summary Court-Martial, Private (E-2) Timothy W. McCaulley, 52^nd Air Defense Artillery, 35^th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact (Article 120, UCMJ), and three specifications of violating a lawful general regulation (Article 92).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to forfeit $773, and to be confined for 30 days.

On 29 January 2015, at a Summary Court-Martial, PFC Dwight A.K. Bradley, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of dereliction of duty (Article 92, UCMJ), and one specification of disobeying a lawful general regulation (Article 92).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to forfeit 2/3 pay for one month, and to be confined for 30 days.

On 30 January 2015, at a General Court-Martial, Specialist Denzel C. James, 1-15th, 210th FA, 2ID, was found guilty of three specifications of assault consummated by battery (Article 128, UCMJ).  He was sentenced to be reduced  to E-1, to be confined for seven months , and to receive a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 30 January 2015, at a Summary Court-Martial, PFC Tevin D. Watts, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of dereliction of duty (Article 92, UCMJ), and two specifications of disobeying a lawful general regulation (Article 92).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to forfeit 2/3 pay for one month, and to be confined for 30 days.

Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for January 2015

In Uijeongbu  District Court on 5 January 2015, SSG SSG Joshua L. Tverberg, HSC, HHB, 2d Infantry Division, USAG Red Cloud, was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,500,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 6 January 2015, SGT Jeremy M. Cox, E Btry 6/52d ADA, USAG Casey, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 6 January 2015, SPC Daniel S. Vega, LRC-RC, 403d AFSB, USAG Casey, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 12 January 2015, SGT Charles L. Kamuf, HHC, 1/73d Armor, USAG Casey, was convicted of Assault.  His adjudged sentence was a 500,000 Won fine.

In Jeonju District Court on 13 January 2015, A1C Emanuel A. Na, 8th LRS, Kunsan Air Base, was convicted of Indecent Act by Compulsion.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won and registration as a sex offender with the local authority.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 15 January 2015, SSG Jari A. Yarrell, I&S Co, HHB, 8th Army (duty w/G-6), was convicted of Larceny and DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 4,500,000 Won fine.

In Daegu District Court on 15 January 2015, PVT Geoffrey B. Cothran, B Co, 30th ESB, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Western District Court on 21 January 2015, PFC Eric J. Bradley, F Co, 302d BSB, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 22 January 2015, WO1 Scedric A. Moss, HHC, 65d Medical Brigade, USAG Yongsan, was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 23 January 2015, SrA Weston P. Basinger, 113FW, attached to 8FW, Kunsan Air Base, was convicted of Indecent Act by Compulsion.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine, sexual violence treatment class for 40 hours and registration as a sex offender with the local authority.

In Suwon District Court on 23 January 2015, CW2 Quentin M. Hagewood, A Co, 3-2 GSAB, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

I don’t have much sympathy for Heather Cho, but to send her to jail for three for this is ridiculous when rapists in South Korea get less time or no time at all:

Prosecutors demanded a three-year prison term for former Korean Air Executive Vice President Heather Cho at her trial over the “nut rage” incident, Monday.

This came after the prosecution concluded she forced a flight from JFK International Airport in New York to change course, an allegation that has a maximum sentence of 10 years.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.

Let this be lesson to people that you can’t get back at people who dump you by posting sex videos online:

A 25-year-old Kunsan-based airman has been fined for posting a sex video online after recording it without his partner’s permission.

On Jan. 13, the Jeonju District Court fined the dual U.S.-South Korean citizen 2 million won, or about $1,848, and ordered him to attend a 16-hour sexual violence therapy program for breaking a South Korean law concerning violent sexual crimes, according to sentencing documents.

Using his cell phone, the airman shot an approximately 20-second video of himself and a 25-year-old South Korean woman having sex in a hotel in July 2013. He posted the video on two websites in September and October 2014 after becoming angry at the woman.  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link.

The cause of an apartment fire that killed three and injured dozens more in Uijongbu is being blamed on something as stupid as this:

An arrest warrant has been requested for a 53-year-old man who allegedly caused a massive fire at an apartment building in a Seoul suburb that killed four people and injured scores of others, police said Tuesday.

The man, identified only by his surname Kim, faces charges of manslaughter, assault without intent and causing a fire without intent, the Uijeongbu Police Station in this city just north of Seoul said.

Police believe the fire at the 10-story Daebong Green Apartment on Jan. 10 started when Kim held a flame up to the ignition of his motorcycle parked outside the apartment. He reportedly did this to take out the key that had frozen inside the ignition.

What Kim did not notice, however, was that he was also melting the sheaths of the ignition line, which created a spark and quickly developed into an inferno that injured 126 people, police said.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but yet another major disaster caused by a lack of public safety awareness.

This has always been a strange murder suicide case and the speculation from this reporter a court has decided is not slander:

A Seoul appellate court acquitted a reporter on Friday of falsely claiming that the younger brother of President Park Geun-hye may have been behind the murder of his nephew.

In 2013, a lower court had cleared Joo Jin-woo, a reporter of the monthly news magazine Sisa IN, of charges that he spread false information about Park Ji-man in an article published in December 2012.

At the height of President Park’s presidential campaign, Joo’s article revisited a 2011 case in which the body of Park’s nephew was found on a hiking trail near Mount Bukhan in northern Seoul. Just three kilometers from the scene, another one of her nephews was found hanging from a tree.

Police concluded that one of the nephews had murdered the other after getting into a financial dispute, and then hung himself.

But Joo alleged that Park Ji-man may have ordered the murder, citing a legal dispute between Ji-man and his brother-in-law, who is the father of the two nephews.

Joo also faced charges that he slandered the president’s late father, former President Park Chung-hee, during a book event in 2010.

Upholding a lower court ruling, the Seoul High Court said Joo was not guilty of spreading false information since he’d tried his best to uncover the truth behind the murder.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link.

Below is the latest USFK Court Martial and ROK Criminal Prosecution Results for December 2014:

Results of Court Martials for December 2014

On 4 December 2014, at a General Court-Martial, Specialist Yvonne S. Mayberry, 501st Special Troops Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was found guilty of two Specifications of failure to obey a lawful general order (Article 92, UCMJ); one Specification of false official statement (Article 107); two Specifications of larceny of non-military property (Article 121); and two Specifications of stealing mail in (Article 134).  She was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, confined for 20 months, and to be discharged with a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

On 8 December 2014, at a General Court-Martial, SFC William J. Delgado, 65^th Medical Brigade, was convicted of one specification of violating a lawful general order (Article 92, UCMJ) and one specification of sexual assault (Article 120).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to be confined for 36 months, and to be discharged with a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

On 10 December 2014, at a General Court-Martial, PV2 Deandre Coleman, 2d Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, was found guilty of two specifications of failure to go to his appointed placed of duty, (Article 86, UCMJ), one specification of disrespect to a commissioned officer (Article 89), one specification of failure to obey a lawful general order (Article 92), and three specifications of larceny (Article 121).  He was sentenced to be reduced to the grade of E-1, to be confined for eight months, and to be discharged with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 18 December 2014, at a General Court Martial, SPC Aaron Nies, 36^th Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, was found guilty of two Specifications of sexual assault (UCMJ, Article 120), three Specifications of abusive sexual contact (Article 120), attempted sexual assault (Article 80), indecent exposure (Article 120c), and failing to obey the curfew policy (Article 92).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to be confined for 26 months, and to be discharged with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 19 December 2014, at a Special Court-Martial, Private First Class Timetra K. Hooks, 194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was found guilty of two Specifications of larceny of non-government property (Article 121, UCMJ); five Specifications of forgery (Article 123); and one specification of obstructing justice (Article 134).  She was sentenced to be reduced to E-1; to be confined for six months; and to be discharged with a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for December 2014

In Seoul Central District Court on 4 December 2014, CPT Sophie S. Hilaire, HHB, 8th Army, duty w/USFK, was convicted of traffic law violations.  Her adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 10 December 2014, PVT Dmitri N. Davis, HHC, 3-2 GSAB, USAG Humphreys, was found not guilty of the charges of Indecent Act by Compulsion.

In Daegu District Court on 18 December 2014, PVT Travis D. Mitchell, 551st ICTC, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of Indecent Act by Compulsion.  His adjudged sentence was a 10,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 31 December 2014, Capt Jonathan P. Walsh, HQ, 7th Air Force (A7X), Osan Air Base, was convicted of Infliction of Bodily Injury, Destruction and Damage of Property and Violation of the Minor Offense Act.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.