Academy investigating cruise allegations

Probe examining claims of heavy drinking, sexually inappropriate behavior by Midshipmen
By Brian Witte - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Mar 27, 2007 16:13:58 EDT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Naval Academy is investigating possible misconduct by a group of midshipmen during a Caribbean cruise, after passengers described heavy drinking and sexually inappropriate touching on the voyage.

The investigation comes as the academy tries to focus on stopping alcohol abuse and sexual impropriety after two sexual misconduct cases allegedly involving two academy football players.

“The Naval Academy is reviewing allegations of possible misconduct involving midshipmen aboard a cruise ship during spring break,” the academy said Tuesday in a statement.

The academy’s spring break was March 10-18.

“Typically, midshipmen are in a leave status during this time and are expected to abide by the academy’s clear standards regarding appropriate behavior both in and out of uniform,” the statement said.

The academy declined to elaborate on the investigation.

The probe began after a woman who was on the Carnival Cruise Lines ship Glory complained in an e-mail to the academy that a group of eight to 10 male midshipmen were acting in a “lewd” manner, The (Baltimore) Sun reported for a story in Tuesday’s editions.

“I was ‘felt up’ by one of the very drunk men and I was given the misfortune of watching them grab and disrespect every woman they could get close to as well as seeing them offer underage (15 and 17 year old) girls at our table alcohol,” the woman wrote in the e-mail obtained by the newspaper.

In a March 18 posting on cruisecritics.com, another passenger described “a group of boys from the Naval academy” who were “being very loose with their hands when talking with the ladies.”

The cruise included stops at the Mexican island of Cozumel; Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize, and Nassau, Bahamas.

The academy has suffered bad publicity since star quarterback Midshipman 1st Class Lamar Owens Jr. was charged with raping a female midshipman in January 2006. A jury found Owens not guilty of rape but convicted him of conduct unbecoming an officer and disobeying a lawful order.

Vice Adm. Rodney Rempt, the academy’s superintendent, recommended Owens be dismissed despite his acquittal on a rape charge. Owens is appealing the recommendation and the secretary of the Navy will make the final decision.

Another former football player, Midshipman 1st Class Kenny Ray Morrison, faces a general court-martial Monday on two counts of indecent assault and two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for allegedly assaulting two female midshipmen during separate incidents last year.

The academy outlined earlier this month plans to have its 4,000 midshipmen take classes this fall to raise awareness about sexual harassment and its consequences. The Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Education Program is intended to create a more structured approach to raising students’ awareness of sexual misconduct.

The academy has struggled with charges of sexual abuse and harassment since it first admitted women in 1976. Women make up about 19 percent of the student body and their numbers have been increasing with each class.