Boyz Will Be Boyz
The Air Force Men's Club Culture remains intact. An enlisted woman who filed a complaint that she had been raped by three of her associates is now targeted for a court martial for committing indecent acts because, after being verbally assaulted by one of the men's attorney, she declined to testify in the original case. I read an AP summary of the case yesterday, but I couldn't find that AP article this morning, so this less detailed story will have to suffice.
An Air Force enlisted woman who claimed to be the victim in a rape case at Pope Air Force Base but then opted not to testify at a court martial, has become a defendant accused of committing indecent acts with the men involved.
Airman 1st Class Cassandra M. Hernandez, now 20, also is being charged with dereliction of duty for drinking alcohol when she was less than 21 years old.
Hernandez said she was gang-raped at a party on May 13, 2006. The Air Force charged Airman Russell J. Basile in the incident.
Later, however, Hernandez said she felt pressured by the Air Force judicial process and intimidated by Basile’s defense attorney, an Air Force lawyer, who she said interviewed her without her victim’s advocate present. ...
Capts. Christopher Eason and Omar Ashmawy, who are representing Hernandez, say the Air Force failed to follow its own procedures and is persecuting her.
“I don't know why people made the decision they made,” Ashmawy said. “I know policies were not followed, policies laid out by the Department of Defense. And I know this is the wrong thing to do to Airman Hernandez.” [Emphasis added]
What this story did not contain is the fact that the three men accused of raping Airman Hernandez have been granted immunity for their testimony in her court martial and the fact that all three were given extremely light 'punishment' for their roles in the incident, none of which will be placed in their permanent records.
The defense in the original case was that the sex was consensual. The evidence? She was wearing tight clothing and danced provocatively. Apparently all four airmen got drunk together and things got out of hand.
Now, I haven't heard that kind of defense in years and I really thought we finally had gotten to the point where rape victims didn't have to face that kind of misogynistic garbage. Apparently, I am still unbelievably naive. Apparently the United States Air Force is still operating in that old universe, and getting cheerfully away with it.
Outrageous!
Note: For the official Air Force response as to why the case against the victim was filed, go here.
An Air Force enlisted woman who claimed to be the victim in a rape case at Pope Air Force Base but then opted not to testify at a court martial, has become a defendant accused of committing indecent acts with the men involved.
Airman 1st Class Cassandra M. Hernandez, now 20, also is being charged with dereliction of duty for drinking alcohol when she was less than 21 years old.
Hernandez said she was gang-raped at a party on May 13, 2006. The Air Force charged Airman Russell J. Basile in the incident.
Later, however, Hernandez said she felt pressured by the Air Force judicial process and intimidated by Basile’s defense attorney, an Air Force lawyer, who she said interviewed her without her victim’s advocate present. ...
Capts. Christopher Eason and Omar Ashmawy, who are representing Hernandez, say the Air Force failed to follow its own procedures and is persecuting her.
“I don't know why people made the decision they made,” Ashmawy said. “I know policies were not followed, policies laid out by the Department of Defense. And I know this is the wrong thing to do to Airman Hernandez.” [Emphasis added]
What this story did not contain is the fact that the three men accused of raping Airman Hernandez have been granted immunity for their testimony in her court martial and the fact that all three were given extremely light 'punishment' for their roles in the incident, none of which will be placed in their permanent records.
The defense in the original case was that the sex was consensual. The evidence? She was wearing tight clothing and danced provocatively. Apparently all four airmen got drunk together and things got out of hand.
Now, I haven't heard that kind of defense in years and I really thought we finally had gotten to the point where rape victims didn't have to face that kind of misogynistic garbage. Apparently, I am still unbelievably naive. Apparently the United States Air Force is still operating in that old universe, and getting cheerfully away with it.
Outrageous!
Note: For the official Air Force response as to why the case against the victim was filed, go here.
Labels: Misogyny
posted by Diane at 3:55 AM
1 Comments:
Good grief, the US is getting more like a theocratic Islamic country every day, isn't it?
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