logo
Japanese court convicts a U.S. Marine in sexual assault, sentencing him to 7 years in prison

Japanese court convicts a U.S. Marine in sexual assault, sentencing him to 7 years in prison

CTV News25-06-2025
Judicial members including Judge Kazuhiko Obata, center back, for a sexual assault case of a U.S. Marine sit at the Naha District Court in Okinawa prefecture's Naha, southern Japan, Tuesday, July 24, 2025. (Japan Pool/Kyodo News via AP)
TOKYO — A Japanese court has found a U.S. Marine guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa and sentenced him to seven years in prison, in a case that has triggered anger and safety concerns on Japan's southern island, which has a heavy American troop presence.
The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced in the case on Tuesday.
Clayton was found guilty of attacking the woman in her 20s in the Yomitan village on the main Okinawa island in May, 2024, chocking her from behind, sexually assaulting her and causing her injuries.
In sentencing, Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim's testimony, provided remotely and anonymously, was highly credible even though the defendant denied his charges brought by the prosecutors, who demanded 10 years in prison, according to Kyodo News.
'This behavior does not reflect the values of the Marine Corps nor does it exemplify the standards the overwhelming majority of our Marines uphold daily,' Capt. Kazuma Engelkemier, spokesperson for 3rd Marine Division, said in a statement confirming Clayton's conviction emailed on Wednesday.
Engelkemier said the U.S. side monitored the trial proceedings without interfering in the Japanese judicial process. 'We cooperated fully with the investigation process,' he said.
The Marine has been in Japanese custody since his indictment that followed the allegation, he added.
The case was one of a string of sexual assault cases last year in which the arrests of the suspects were initially withheld by local authorities on grounds of protecting the victims' privacy, triggering anger and criticisms of coverups.
Okinawa, where one of the fiercest battles of World War II was fought 80 years ago and under U.S. occupation until 1972, remains home to the majority of about 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan under a bilateral security pact. The island, which accounts for only 0.6% of Japanese land, hosts 70% of U.S. military facilities.
Frustration runs high on Okinawa because of its continued burden with the heavy U.S. presence that includes noise, pollution, aircraft accidents and crime related to American troops.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday's 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, raised concerns about recent sexual assault cases involving U.S. service members when he met with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, the commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, requesting discipline and preventive measures.
There has been growing calls for a revision to the Status of Forces Agreement that gives the United States the right to investigate most accidents and crimes that occur on Japanese soil.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's Cabinet on Tuesday adopted a statement showing that the Japanese prosecutors dropped criminal cases against more than 300 U.S. service members in the last decade between 2014 and 2024, including a sexual assault case in Okinawa in 2020.
___
Reeno Hashimoto in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes
Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes

CTV News

time27 minutes ago

  • CTV News

Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes

The high-profile trial involving five former junior hockey players sparks a conversation about hockey culture. A high-profile court case has closed but the national conversation around hockey culture and consent is far from over. The five former Hockey Canada World Junior players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in 2018 were acquitted of all charges on Thursday. The trial, which began eight weeks ago, closed with the Ontario Supreme Court judge finding the complainant's testimony was 'not reliable or credible.' All five players had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Legal expert and Dalhousie emeritus professor of law Wayne MacKay says the not guilty verdict doesn't mean the players' behaviour wasn't harmful or offensive. 'They (the judge) say not guilty of sexual assault for a reason but it certainly doesn't say they are innocent of bad conduct,' said MacKay. 'In fact, I think most people would say they did engage in bad conduct.' Regardless of the verdict, the high-profile case has once again turned the spotlight on elite hockey culture and the institutions that oversee and shape them. 'I think there is a reconciliation, a justice, a healing and accountability that needs to happen,' said Miia Suokonautio, CEO of the Halifax YWCA and a hockey parent. 'And that's separate from a judicial process and we put a lot of eggs into the basket.' Suokonautio says while elite level sports are hyper focused on player performance, more focus needs to be put on character development and behavior off the ice. And the trial is helping spark that conversation. 'To start talking about what's actually happening,' said Suokonautio. 'And not just having a session with players but every coach and every parent has a responsibility.' Though cleared in court, the players remain under suspension by both Hockey Canada and the NHL. While the complainant E.M. and her supporters may have lost the legal battle, MacKay says the trial's impacts are far from over. 'I'm sure it doesn't feel like that to E.M. or her supporters but in one sense they did win,' said MacKay. 'Because they raised the profile of the problem in a real way and it's really an extension of the MeToo movement.'

NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict

National Post

timean hour ago

  • National Post

NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict

Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. Article content On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty, more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Article content Article content Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Article content Article content 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' Article content The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Article content In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. Article content 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' Article content Article content They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.​' Article content Article content The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Article content Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. Article content In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct. Article content 'To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,' the statement said.

Edmonton man charged with impersonating police officer, sexually assaulting woman
Edmonton man charged with impersonating police officer, sexually assaulting woman

CBC

time2 hours ago

  • CBC

Edmonton man charged with impersonating police officer, sexually assaulting woman

An Edmonton man is facing charges for allegedly impersonating a police officer to get access to a woman's home, then breaking in and sexually assaulting her. Court information shows 34-year-old Kyle Boozan is accused of falsely representing himself as a police officer between May and July, including an allegation that he used a badge, uniform or piece of police equipment to play the part. Over that time period, Boozan used the false pretense of his police position to get a key to a woman's home, according to the details of the alleged offences. He's charged with breaking in to that woman's home and sexually assaulting her on July 6. A publication ban protects her identity, which is standard practice for sexual assault cases. The Edmonton Police Service didn't issue a news release about the investigation, which has been done for other previous cases of alleged police impersonation. Global News Edmonton first reported the charges on Friday. EPS is currently investigating "the use of an officer's uniform in a criminal incident," a spokesperson said in a statement. "Our officer had no knowledge of the incident and was not involved in any way. There is no disciplinary process in this matter." Citing the ongoing investigation and a publication ban "covering at least part of the details" in the case, the spokesperson said no further information would be provided.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store