MANILA - Philippine prosecutors on Monday (Dec 15) charged a US Marine
with murder over the death of a Filipino transgender woman, in a case
that has fanned anti-American sentiment and tested close military ties.
Private
First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton used "treachery, abuse of superior
authority and cruelty" against his alleged victim, lead prosecutor
Emilie Fe delos Santos said as she announced the charge.
"We believe we
have a strong case," delos Santos told a nationally televised briefing.
Pemberton will not be allowed to post bail, she said. Murder is punishable by up to 40 years in jail.
Jennifer
Laude, a 26-year-old transgender woman also known as Jeffrey, was found
dead on Oct 12 in a cheap hotel in a red light district of the port
city of Olongapo.
Pemberton, who had just finished taking part in
US-Philippine military exercises near Olongapo, had checked into the
hotel with Laude and was the last person seen with her, police said.
The
charge sheet against Pemberton released on Monday detailed what the
prosecutors said was an unprovoked and relentless attack against a
defenceless victim.
"Respondent Pemberton choked Jennifer from behind.
Obviously, in that position, Jennifer was deprived of the opportunity to
defend herself," the six-member prosecutors panel said in the charge
sheet.
"Undeniably, respondent (Pemberton) made sure that
Jennifer was dead.
He did not stop at badly beating her up and choking
her, he made sure she suffered to her death.
He deliberately and
repeatedly plunged her head down the toilet until she breathed her
last."
Pemberton, aged 19 at the time of the death, had asked
via his lawyer to downgrade the murder charge to homicide, which carries
a maximum 20-year prison term.
He has made no other comment on the
case.
Source: channelnewsasia...More...
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