thedrifter
08-15-07, 07:15 AM
Control US marine visits call after city sex assaults
[Published: Wednesday 15, August 2007 - 11:36]
By Sean O'Driscoll
The Derry Anti-War Coalition has called for greater control of US marine visits after it emerged that a marine captain sexually assaulted two corporals and a sergeant during a drunken weekend in the city.
In late June, a Navy-Marine Corp appeal court upheld the conviction of Captain Jonathan C Lee for indecent assault after hearing that he took advantage of lower ranking marines during an education trip to the city.
One sergeant said he was in bed with a Derry women when he felt Captain Lee's hand on his underwear and threw him out of the room.
Derry Anti-War Coalition spokesman, Colm Bryce, said that the case emphasised the need to have greater control over so-called "education" weekends in Derry.
Bryce said this was particularly important as the marines were above the law in Northern Ireland and did not fear any punishment from the Northern Ireland legal system.
The coalition had previously planned a protest against a marine band playing to the public in Derry but the concert was called off because of security fears.
Mr Bryce said that so called "education" weekends for marines in Derry had become nothing more than heavy drinking sessions for some officers.
"There is a lot of goodwill in Derry because marines were stationed here during World War II but they are trading on that in the current political climate," he said.
Captain Lee was convicted of indecently assaulting a sergeant while the man was in bed with a Derry woman.
He was also convicted of indecently assaulting two corporals in their bed and in a Jacuzzi during what was intended to be an education trip to learn about the history of marines stationed in Derry during World War II.
However, Lee's US lawyers are now appealing to two Derry women who were in the hotel rooms to come forward with information in time for his appeal before the US Armed Forces Appeal Court.
Mr Lee's US lawyer, Brent Harvey, said that a Belfast lawyer had found one women who was willing to make a statement but two other women had not come forward because they didn't want their families to know they were there that night.
The marine group stayed at the Beech Hill County Hotel, which was the Marine headquarters from 1942 to 1945. Captain Lee assaulted three marines on the Friday and Sunday nights of the trip in January 2004.
Mr Harvey, said it was "very, very important" to find the other two Derry women who were in the hotel that night.
Ellie
[Published: Wednesday 15, August 2007 - 11:36]
By Sean O'Driscoll
The Derry Anti-War Coalition has called for greater control of US marine visits after it emerged that a marine captain sexually assaulted two corporals and a sergeant during a drunken weekend in the city.
In late June, a Navy-Marine Corp appeal court upheld the conviction of Captain Jonathan C Lee for indecent assault after hearing that he took advantage of lower ranking marines during an education trip to the city.
One sergeant said he was in bed with a Derry women when he felt Captain Lee's hand on his underwear and threw him out of the room.
Derry Anti-War Coalition spokesman, Colm Bryce, said that the case emphasised the need to have greater control over so-called "education" weekends in Derry.
Bryce said this was particularly important as the marines were above the law in Northern Ireland and did not fear any punishment from the Northern Ireland legal system.
The coalition had previously planned a protest against a marine band playing to the public in Derry but the concert was called off because of security fears.
Mr Bryce said that so called "education" weekends for marines in Derry had become nothing more than heavy drinking sessions for some officers.
"There is a lot of goodwill in Derry because marines were stationed here during World War II but they are trading on that in the current political climate," he said.
Captain Lee was convicted of indecently assaulting a sergeant while the man was in bed with a Derry woman.
He was also convicted of indecently assaulting two corporals in their bed and in a Jacuzzi during what was intended to be an education trip to learn about the history of marines stationed in Derry during World War II.
However, Lee's US lawyers are now appealing to two Derry women who were in the hotel rooms to come forward with information in time for his appeal before the US Armed Forces Appeal Court.
Mr Lee's US lawyer, Brent Harvey, said that a Belfast lawyer had found one women who was willing to make a statement but two other women had not come forward because they didn't want their families to know they were there that night.
The marine group stayed at the Beech Hill County Hotel, which was the Marine headquarters from 1942 to 1945. Captain Lee assaulted three marines on the Friday and Sunday nights of the trip in January 2004.
Mr Harvey, said it was "very, very important" to find the other two Derry women who were in the hotel that night.
Ellie