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Japan Times
9 hours ago
- Japan Times
Ten-year sentence sought for U.S. marine in Okinawa for sexual assault
Prosecutors on Monday sought a 10-year prison term for U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, for nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury to a woman in Okinawa Prefecture. At the Naha District Court on the same day, the defense reiterated a plea of not guilty. The court is scheduled to hand down a ruling on June 24. During the first court hearing of his trial on June 2, Clayton claimed he was innocent, saying that he did not choke or injure the woman and that he did nothing that would raise suspicion. In their closing arguments on Monday, prosecutors said that the woman's testimony was trustworthy because it was consistent with objective evidence, and criticized Clayton's "egoistic" motive, which was "just to satisfy his sexual desire." Meanwhile, the defense side said that the testimony could not be trusted and pressed for Clayton's innocence. According to the indictment, Clayton inflicted injuries lasting about two weeks on the woman on May 26, 2024, by committing violent acts against her, including wrapping his arms around her from behind for sexual purposes and choking her.
Japan Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Japan Times
U.S. Marine in Okinawa pleads not guilty to sexual assault
A U.S. Marine pleaded not guilty to charges of nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury, in his first hearing at the Naha District Court in Okinawa Prefecture on Monday. The defendant, Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, is accused of inflicting an injury lasting about two weeks on a woman in Okinawa on May 26, 2024, by committing violence against her, including wrapping his arms around her from behind for sexual purposes and strangling her, according to his indictment. He said at the lay judge trial, presided over by Judge Kazuhiko Obata, that he did not seek to engage in sexual acts with the woman, adding that he did not strangle or injure her and that he did nothing that the woman could consider to be suspicious. Prosecutors said in their opening statement that Clayton chatted up the woman in a downtown district and tried to take her home. Although she refused, he got into a taxi with her and went to the house of the woman's partner. After getting out of the taxi, he followed the woman into the house and assaulted her while her partner was sleeping. The defense said that Clayton got out of the taxi in front of the house, hugged the woman and left, arguing that he did not commit any acts of violence. Okinawa has seen a series of sexual assault and other incidents involving U.S. military personnel since last year. It was revealed the same year that the Okinawa Prefectural Government had not been promptly given information about sexual assault cases involving U.S. service personnel that was provided to the Japanese government by investigative authorities. Later, the central government decided to ensure that such information is quickly shared with relevant local governments to the maximum extent possible. Okinawa police have set up a system to send reports to the prefectural government when papers on suspects are sent to prosecutors after their arrests. Okinawa hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities and troops in Japan.
