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The Military’s Rough Justice on Sexual Assault
The New York Times ^ | 11/26/2014 | Robert Draper

Posted on 12/18/2014 5:17:28 AM PST by Ultra Sonic 007

Col. Don Christensen, the chief prosecutor of the United States Air Force, sat in economy class on a flight to Venice and studied the folder of the sexual-assault case that would ultimately end his career. It was August 2012, and he was en route to Aviano Air Base to try a court-martial. Looking over the case, he could see why the judge advocate general, or JAG, at the base had requested him. Christensen had prosecuted more sexual-assault courts-martial than any other lawyer in the Air Force, and this case called for someone with experience. There would most likely be generals testifying. The accused himself was a senior officer. Even Christensen had seldom handled cases involving men of high rank. There was a simple reason for this: Victims were reluctant to report such officers, who enjoyed their own set of rules in the military justice system.

The officer in question was Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, Aviano’s inspector general and a highly regarded F-16 fighter pilot. Five months before, following a U.S.O. concert at the base, Wilkerson, who was 43, and his wife, Beth, hosted a small party at their house. One guest, a 48-year-old civilian named Kim Hanks, was stranded without a ride home. She accepted the Wilkersons’ offer to stay in their guest bedroom. According to Hanks, she was dead asleep at 3 in the morning when she felt a sudden discomfort. Wilkerson was in bed with her, pawing at her body...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: assault; military; rape; sexualassault
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1 posted on 12/18/2014 5:17:28 AM PST by Ultra Sonic 007
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To: Ultra Sonic 007

What is the rule now if a male soldier is assaulted by a homosexual?


2 posted on 12/18/2014 5:20:11 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: Old Sarge
What is the rule now if a male soldier is assaulted by a homosexual?

The male soldier is still deemed at fault because homosexuals are a protected class in the military.

3 posted on 12/18/2014 5:24:53 AM PST by ScottinVA (We either destroy ISIS there... or fight them here. Pick one, America.)
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To: ScottinVA

Thank you for clearing that up. (I think...) :/


4 posted on 12/18/2014 5:35:02 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007
As with most sexual assaults, there was no physical evidence to buttress the case against Wilkerson.

Huh?

5 posted on 12/18/2014 5:36:02 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007

When I was in the military if someone said they were raped, the men said she was gay, what kind of logic?


6 posted on 12/18/2014 5:39:35 AM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007

From the article:

“his great-great-grandfather survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn.”

I guess he is part Indian huh?


7 posted on 12/18/2014 5:43:09 AM PST by rfreedom4u (Do you know who Barry Soetoro is?)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007
Christensen’s early experience in a military courtroom was primarily as a defense attorney, with most of his early cases involving drug possession or use. During that time, he also represented nine men accused of rape. He won acquittals for six of them — the other three cases were thrown out before trial. Christensen developed an expertise in unraveling a victim’s testimony by, among other things, questioning her demeanor before and after the assault. He kept to himself how distasteful he found these moments — how he imagined taking the women aside after the whole thing was over and whispering, I believe you.

So now the NYT is mind-reading?

8 posted on 12/18/2014 5:43:54 AM PST by sauropod (Fat Bottomed Girl: "What difference, at this point, does it make?")
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To: rfreedom4u

Maybe he was a descendent of Custer’s horse?


9 posted on 12/18/2014 5:48:28 AM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard III: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007

Of course the administration has let the cat out of the bag with homosexuality now rampant in the military.


10 posted on 12/18/2014 5:56:42 AM PST by Louis Foxwell (This is a wake up call. Join the Sultan Knish ping list.)
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To: Old Sarge
What is the rule now if a male soldier is assaulted by a homosexual?

Don't ask and DON'T TELL!

11 posted on 12/18/2014 6:04:05 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Shickl-Gruber's Big Lie gave us Hussein's Un-Affordable Care act (HUAC).)
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To: Old Sarge

I’ve actually read of a number of prosecutions and convictions.


12 posted on 12/18/2014 6:05:54 AM PST by SeaHawkFan
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To: Old Sarge
What is the rule now if a male soldier is assaulted by a homosexual?BOHICA?
13 posted on 12/18/2014 6:06:13 AM PST by LambSlave
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To: SeaHawkFan

I have not - guessing that they’re not to be made widely public for obvious reasons...


14 posted on 12/18/2014 6:08:08 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: rfreedom4u; miss marmelstein
Sole White Survivor
15 posted on 12/18/2014 6:08:23 AM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: LambSlave

:snork: In more ways than one...


16 posted on 12/18/2014 6:08:40 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007

Most military sexual assaults are man on man. How inconvenient for the sodomite leadership.


17 posted on 12/18/2014 6:35:23 AM PST by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: Old Sarge

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/20/victims-of-sex-assaults-in-military-are-mostly-sil/?page=all


18 posted on 12/18/2014 6:42:45 AM PST by SeaHawkFan
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To: rfreedom4u

One of Captain Reno’s men?


19 posted on 12/18/2014 6:45:22 AM PST by katana (Just my opinions)
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To: SeaHawkFan

Bookmark for later read.

Thanks!


20 posted on 12/18/2014 6:51:37 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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