thedrifter
03-23-04, 07:25 PM
Court martial resumes at Camp Pendleton
SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
6:43 a.m. March 23, 2004
CAMP PENDLETON – A female lieutenant accused of having sex with a married male subordinate while stationed in Kuwait was due back on the stand today at her court martial to testify in her own defense.
First Lt. Tara Burkhart also is accused of fraternization, sodomy, adultery, conduct unbecoming an officer and dereliction of duty.
Burkhart, 31, faces up to 26 years behind bars if convicted by two-thirds of a jury of Marine officers, which includes five majors, two colonels and two female captains.
The lieutenant testified yesterday that she had not desired a sexual encounter with Sgt. Jose Montes.
She testified she was deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in February 2003. She said she found out two months later from her second-in- command that a couple of Kuwaiti broadcasters wanted to throw a dinner party to thank the Marines for their efforts in the war.
Burkhart, who worked in public affairs coordinating members of the media embedded with the troops, testified she ran the idea of going to the party past her boss because the celebration was going to involve taking every Marine away from the office.
On May 12, Burkhart said she and the Marines under her command went to the apartment of one of the Kuwaiti TV employees. Burkhart said she put her weapon in her backpack and her men put their guns next to a TV at the apartment where they drank and dined that evening.
After the party, the Marines returned to the apartment and spent the night, and Burkhart allegedly had sex with Montes, according to earlier testimony.
Montes, who received immunity from prosecutors for testifying against Burkhart, was demoted to corporal for his role in the events.
Burkhart claims Montes raped her as she slept. Montes is also being investigated for the alleged rape of a Navy sailor in Kuwait, but has no immunity in that case, according to Lt. Col. Bruce White.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040323-0643-trial.html
Ellie
SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
6:43 a.m. March 23, 2004
CAMP PENDLETON – A female lieutenant accused of having sex with a married male subordinate while stationed in Kuwait was due back on the stand today at her court martial to testify in her own defense.
First Lt. Tara Burkhart also is accused of fraternization, sodomy, adultery, conduct unbecoming an officer and dereliction of duty.
Burkhart, 31, faces up to 26 years behind bars if convicted by two-thirds of a jury of Marine officers, which includes five majors, two colonels and two female captains.
The lieutenant testified yesterday that she had not desired a sexual encounter with Sgt. Jose Montes.
She testified she was deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in February 2003. She said she found out two months later from her second-in- command that a couple of Kuwaiti broadcasters wanted to throw a dinner party to thank the Marines for their efforts in the war.
Burkhart, who worked in public affairs coordinating members of the media embedded with the troops, testified she ran the idea of going to the party past her boss because the celebration was going to involve taking every Marine away from the office.
On May 12, Burkhart said she and the Marines under her command went to the apartment of one of the Kuwaiti TV employees. Burkhart said she put her weapon in her backpack and her men put their guns next to a TV at the apartment where they drank and dined that evening.
After the party, the Marines returned to the apartment and spent the night, and Burkhart allegedly had sex with Montes, according to earlier testimony.
Montes, who received immunity from prosecutors for testifying against Burkhart, was demoted to corporal for his role in the events.
Burkhart claims Montes raped her as she slept. Montes is also being investigated for the alleged rape of a Navy sailor in Kuwait, but has no immunity in that case, according to Lt. Col. Bruce White.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040323-0643-trial.html
Ellie