1995 Okinawan rape incident
Encyclopedia
The 1995 Okinawa rape incident refers to a rape
that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U.S. servicemen
, U.S. Navy
Seaman
Marcus Gill and U.S. Marines
Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, all from Camp Hansen on Okinawa, rented a van and kidnapped a 12-year-old Japanese girl. They beat her, duct-taped
her eyes and mouth shut, and bound her hands. Gill and Harp then raped her, while Ledet claimed he only pretended to do so out of fear of Gill. The incident led to further debate over the continued presence of U.S. forces in Japan
.
, which gives the U.S. the right of extraterritoriality
(exemption from jurisdiction of local law). While the crime was committed off of a U.S. military base
, the U.S. initially took the men into custody, but later handed them over to Japanese law enforcement to be tried.
According to the Status of Forces Agreement, article xvii (5) (c): "The custody of an accused member of the United States armed forces or the civilian component over whom Japan is to exercise jurisdiction shall, if he is in the hands of the United States, remain with the United States until he is charged." The suspects were on base restriction until the Japanese officials charged them with the crime. The outrage over the attack caused the largest anti-American
demonstrations in Okinawa since the treaty was signed in 1960. As a consequence, the U.S. made concessions and agreed to consider handing suspects over to the Japanese before an indictment
if the severity of the alleged crime indicated it. This agreement was hashed out at an emergency meeting between U.S. President
Bill Clinton
and Japanese Prime Minister
Ryutaro Hashimoto
. The people of Okinawa also placed a full-page ad in the New York Times
decrying the rape and other aspects of the U.S. bases in Okinawa. In 1996, the United States and Japan signed a bilateral
agreement to reduce the amount of land on Okinawa covered by U.S. bases by 21 percent—the U.S. military had previously occupied 19 percent of the island.
U.S. Navy Admiral
Richard C. Macke
was the commander of United States Pacific Command
at the time of the attack. At a press conference in November 1995, Macke said of the men's actions: "I think it was absolutely stupid. I have said several times: for the price they paid to rent the car [used in the crime], they could have had a girl[ prostitute
] ." These remarks were condemned as insensitive, and Macke was removed from his post and forced into early retirement. He was also reduced in rank
to rear admiral
(two-star) from full admiral (four-star), which reduced his pension
from US$ 7,384/month to US$ 5,903/month.
.
Prosecutor
s had asked for the maximum sentences
for the men, 10 years each. The judge—there were no juries in Japan
at this point—gave Gill and Harp seven years; Ledet received six and a half years. Their families also paid "reparation
money" to the family of the victim, a common practice in Japan.
and were released in 2003 and then given dishonorable discharges
from the military. After release, Rodrico Harp decried prison conditions in Japan and said that the electronics assembly
prison labor he was forced to do amounted to slave labor
.
Ledet, who had claimed he did not rape the girl, died in 2006 in an apparent murder-suicide
in the United States. He was found in the third-floor apartment of Lauren Cooper, a junior Kennesaw State University
student and acquaintance whom he had apparently sexually assaulted
and then murdered (by strangulation
). It appears that he then took his own life by slashing his wrists.
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U.S. servicemen
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
Marcus Gill and U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, all from Camp Hansen on Okinawa, rented a van and kidnapped a 12-year-old Japanese girl. They beat her, duct-taped
Duct tape
Duct tape, or duck tape, is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure sensitive tape often sealed with polyethylene. It is very similar to gaffer tape but differs in that gaffer tape was designed to be cleanly removed, while duct tape was not. It has a standard width of and is generally silver or black...
her eyes and mouth shut, and bound her hands. Gill and Harp then raped her, while Ledet claimed he only pretended to do so out of fear of Gill. The incident led to further debate over the continued presence of U.S. forces in Japan
United States Forces Japan
The refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, the United States is obliged to defend Japan in close cooperation with the Japan Self-Defense Forces for...
.
Reaction
After the incident became known, public outrage erupted, especially over the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces AgreementU.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement
U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement is an agreement between Japan and the U.S...
, which gives the U.S. the right of extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Extraterritoriality can also be applied to physical places, such as military bases of foreign countries, or offices of the United Nations...
(exemption from jurisdiction of local law). While the crime was committed off of a U.S. military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
, the U.S. initially took the men into custody, but later handed them over to Japanese law enforcement to be tried.
According to the Status of Forces Agreement, article xvii (5) (c): "The custody of an accused member of the United States armed forces or the civilian component over whom Japan is to exercise jurisdiction shall, if he is in the hands of the United States, remain with the United States until he is charged." The suspects were on base restriction until the Japanese officials charged them with the crime. The outrage over the attack caused the largest anti-American
Anti-Americanism
The term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
demonstrations in Okinawa since the treaty was signed in 1960. As a consequence, the U.S. made concessions and agreed to consider handing suspects over to the Japanese before an indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
if the severity of the alleged crime indicated it. This agreement was hashed out at an emergency meeting between U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and Japanese Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Ryutaro Hashimoto
Ryutaro Hashimoto
was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
. The people of Okinawa also placed a full-page ad in the New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
decrying the rape and other aspects of the U.S. bases in Okinawa. In 1996, the United States and Japan signed a bilateral
Bilateralism
Bilateralism consists of the political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. For example, free trade agreements signed by two states are examples of bilateral treaties. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which refers to the conduct of diplomacy by a...
agreement to reduce the amount of land on Okinawa covered by U.S. bases by 21 percent—the U.S. military had previously occupied 19 percent of the island.
U.S. Navy Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
Richard C. Macke
Richard C. Macke
Richard Chester Macke was a Naval Aviator, an Admiral in the United States Navy and Commander of United States Pacific Command from July 19, 1994 until January 31, 1996. He was fired from that post in November 1995, hours after making comments considered insensitive to reporters about the case of...
was the commander of United States Pacific Command
United States Pacific Command
The United States Pacific Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command , who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving...
at the time of the attack. At a press conference in November 1995, Macke said of the men's actions: "I think it was absolutely stupid. I have said several times: for the price they paid to rent the car [used in the crime], they could have had a girl
Prostitution in Japan
Prostitution in Japan has existed throughout the country's history.While the Anti-Prostitution Law of 1956 states that "No person may either do prostitution or become the customer of it," various loopholes, liberal interpretations of the law, and loose enforcement have allowed the sex industry to...
Reduction in rank
Reduction in rank may refer to two separate concepts:*In military law, a reduction in rank is a demotion in military rank as punishment for a crime or wrongdoing, imposed by a court-martial or other authority...
to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
(two-star) from full admiral (four-star), which reduced his pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
from US$ 7,384/month to US$ 5,903/month.
Trial
Gill pleaded guilty to the rape, and the other two men pleaded guilty to conspiracyConspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
.
Prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s had asked for the maximum sentences
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
for the men, 10 years each. The judge—there were no juries in Japan
Juries in Japan
Lay judges in Japan were first introduced to in 1923, led by Prime Minister Kato Tomosaburo. Although the system generated relatively high acquittal rates, it was rarely used, in part because it required defendants to give up their rights to appeal of the factual determinations made. The system...
at this point—gave Gill and Harp seven years; Ledet received six and a half years. Their families also paid "reparation
Reparation (legal)
In jurisprudence, reparation is replenishment of a previously inflicted loss by the criminal to the victim. Monetary restitution is a common form of reparation...
money" to the family of the victim, a common practice in Japan.
Aftermath
The three men served prison terms in Japanese prisonsPenal system of Japan
The Penal system of Japan is part of the criminal justice system of Japan. It is intended to resocialize, reform, and rehabilitate offenders...
and were released in 2003 and then given dishonorable discharges
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
from the military. After release, Rodrico Harp decried prison conditions in Japan and said that the electronics assembly
Electronics manufacturing
The industrial electronics manufacturing process for the electronic assemblies found in many of today's electronic devices, is a multi-step process.-Component and PCB manufacturing:...
prison labor he was forced to do amounted to slave labor
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
.
Ledet, who had claimed he did not rape the girl, died in 2006 in an apparent murder-suicide
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
in the United States. He was found in the third-floor apartment of Lauren Cooper, a junior Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
student and acquaintance whom he had apparently sexually assaulted
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
and then murdered (by strangulation
Strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
). It appears that he then took his own life by slashing his wrists.
See also
- Sexual assault in the U.S. militarySexual assault in the U.S. militaryThere is an ongoing problem with sexual assault in the U.S. military which has resulted in a series of scandals that have received extensive media coverage. Incidents which were publicized include the Tailhook scandal in 1991, the Aberdeen scandal in 1996 and the 2003 US Air Force Academy sexual...
- Michael Brown Okinawa assault incidentMichael Brown Okinawa assault incidentThe Michael Brown Okinawa attempted assault incident arose from an attempted indecent assault by U.S. Marine Corps Major Michael Brown on a Filipina bartender, V. N. , in Okinawa, Japan, on November 2, 2002. V.N. accused Brown of attempting to rape her and throwing her cell phone into a nearby...
- 2003 U.S. Air Force Academy sexual assault scandal
- Cave of the Negroes incidentCave of the Negroes incidentThe Cave of the Negroes incident was a killing of three African American Marines by Okinawans from the Katsuyama village near Nago, Okinawa after the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Their bodies were hidden in the nearby cave and the incident was kept a secret until 1997...