Marine’s indictment sent back to prosecutors

[unhappycamper]

Marine’s indictment sent back to prosecutors
By Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, February 29, 2008

NAHA, Okinawa — The Naha Family Court sent a robbery charge against a 19-year-old Marine back to Japanese prosecutors so he can be tried as an adult.

The Naha District Public Prosecutor’s Office has until Saturday to decide whether to press charges.

The Marine, whose name has not been released because he is considered a minor under Japanese law, is expected to face public trial together with his alleged accomplice, Marine Cpl. Joseph Wayne Riddle, 20, his attorney Satoshi Kawamitsu said Wednesday. Riddle was indicted Jan. 28.

The two servicemembers from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma are accused of attacking a cab driver in Okinawa City’s Yoshihara entertainment district at about 3:40 a.m. Jan. 7.

They are suspected of hitting the 59-year-old taxi driver with a whiskey bottle and a wooden plank after refusing to pay their fare of 2,780 yen (about $25). According to a police report, they fled from the scene but were arrested within an hour by police who scoured the area looking for men fitting the cabbie’s description of his assailants.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52924

[Qanisqineq]

1. What is going on with those marines over in Japan?

They are out of control. I saw on CNN International that the Japanese people on Okinawa want the US military presence GONE. I don't blame them.