Rhino
07-10-2006, 09:28 AM
Military College Courts-Martial Cast Spotlight on Sexual Abuse
Monday, July 10, 2006
WASHINGTON — Three courts-martial over sex-related crimes at the Naval Academy — including rape charges against the football team's star quarterback — are set for this summer, as the school remains under pressure to reduce sexual assaults.
Lamar Owens Jr., who led the Navy football team to an 8-4 record last fall, faces court-martial Monday at the Washington Navy Yard on charges of raping a fellow midshipman in her dorm room in January. Courts-martial are set for later this summer against another football player accused of indecent assault and an instructor who is accused of making crude sexual comments to a female student.
In contrast with these three cases, the Annapolis, Md., school held only one court-martial for a sexual offense from 1994 to 2004, according to a Pentagon report released last year.
However, the academy and the nation's other public military schools have been under scrutiny since allegations of sexual assault arose at the Air Force Academy in 2003. On June 28, a Coast Guard Academy cadet was sentenced to six months in a military prison after being convicted of sex-related crimes, although he was acquitted of rape.
Some victims rights' groups say the cases show that the school, which was criticized in the Pentagon report for not doing enough to curb abuse, is demonstrating that it won't tolerate sexual offenders........http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,202750,00.html
Monday, July 10, 2006
WASHINGTON — Three courts-martial over sex-related crimes at the Naval Academy — including rape charges against the football team's star quarterback — are set for this summer, as the school remains under pressure to reduce sexual assaults.
Lamar Owens Jr., who led the Navy football team to an 8-4 record last fall, faces court-martial Monday at the Washington Navy Yard on charges of raping a fellow midshipman in her dorm room in January. Courts-martial are set for later this summer against another football player accused of indecent assault and an instructor who is accused of making crude sexual comments to a female student.
In contrast with these three cases, the Annapolis, Md., school held only one court-martial for a sexual offense from 1994 to 2004, according to a Pentagon report released last year.
However, the academy and the nation's other public military schools have been under scrutiny since allegations of sexual assault arose at the Air Force Academy in 2003. On June 28, a Coast Guard Academy cadet was sentenced to six months in a military prison after being convicted of sex-related crimes, although he was acquitted of rape.
Some victims rights' groups say the cases show that the school, which was criticized in the Pentagon report for not doing enough to curb abuse, is demonstrating that it won't tolerate sexual offenders........http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,202750,00.html