Philippines: Protesters demand US hand over Marine accused of killing a transgender woman

[davidn3600]

Filipino activists are demanding that Washington turn the Marine accused of killing a transgender woman over to the Philippine government.

About 40 Filipino activists gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Tuesday for a protest that culminated in the burning of a mock American flag.

Their anger focused on the apparent murder of Jennifer Laude, formerly known as Jeffrey, at a hotel in Olongapo City, northwest of Manila.

Laude, 26, checked into the hotel with a white male she met at a disco bar late Saturday night. Shortly after, her dead body was found slumped over a toilet.

Witnesses say that the American may have been enraged in the hotel room after learning that Laude was actually transgender.

Corky Hope Maranan, the leader of a group of transgender and lesbian Filipinas, said that the Marine — whose name has not been released — should be detained in a local jail so he won't escape the island country's justice system.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/protesters-demand-u-s-hand-marine-accused-death-transgender-filipina-article-1.1973418

[littlewolf]

1. not sure what the status of forces agreement is.

in most cases the service member is not handed over to locals
until after the trial & conviction.

[MADem]

2. It's a VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) since we don't have people stationed there anymore.

They work in the same way, though. The accused will usually be sequestered at an Embassy or Consulate in this case, since there's no brig or military custody unit available.

There was a case that involved a Marine accused of rape (several, actually--all but one was acquitted outright) awhile back, maybe eight or ten years or so--I think the one found guilty, initially, ended up getting acquitted on appeal as more evidence came to the fore.

[Proud Public Servant]

3. I worked that case (the 2006 one)

What a shit show. But you're correct: under the VFA, the US retains custody until a trial verdict, but the Phils takes custody if he's found guilty. In the 2006 case, the perps were kept under house arrest on the embassy grounds, though there was a lot of military pressure to remove them to the brig in Okinawa.

[MADem]

4. I don't envy anyone having to work this case--without making assumptions without evidence,

it doesn't look good for the accused unless the victim died of a brain aneurysm or something.

[kiva]

7. "Pretending to be a girl"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. She looks pretty convincing to me.

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1973410.1413286807!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/marine15n-8-web.jpg?enlarged

[CatWoman]

10. she was stunning!!!!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Sad...

I find it highly unbelievable a man could unknowingly pick up a transgendered prostitute, presumably a pre -operative one. I don't believe that's how they ply their trade.

[edgineered]

9. Really?

They can be downright beautiful, enticing, and friendly.

Just because they are what they are doesn't mean they have less morals or rights than anyone else. It is wrong to judge them by one's own lifestyle. I'm a straight ally, and yes I've found out too late once. That's why it is always a good idea to ask a few questions and to say what you're looking for before picking up a date off the street. There is no need to be confrontational about it, your prospective date is happier walking away from psychos, creeps, or any other risk. But what do I know? I'm straight, not narrow, and don't eff with my friends.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. My girlfriend's girlfriend is a transgendered escort, a Filipina, like the unfortunate victim.

I'm not suggesting he knew by looking at her. Some are quite stunning or as they say passable. I am suggesting she told him at some point before they became intimate.

...

She used to work in L A and now works in Las Vegas. She also travels. Unfortunately it's hard for many pre-operative transgendered females to find legitimate employment.

But she holds herself out as a ts ot tg escort because she knows how dangerous it is to solicit unaware straight guys.

I read the story again. There is no evidence she was an escort, circumstantial evidence suggests she might be but it doesn't matter. Talk to any pre-operative transgendered woman. They know the dangers of being transgendered. They aren't going to amplify those dangers by misleading prospective partners.

[edgineered]

12. Too often I've seen and heard stories, carefully couched stories.

Ten years in the good ol' nav - most times a shipmate won't admit hooking up with a tranny, but when they do it's the same old tired story. Of course everyone listening throws in comments of how mad they would be ad how they would beat her to teach her a lesson. Fortunately though, most times that doesn't happen.

When the agreement is to go to somewhere where she will get on her knees, that agreement is clear in her mind. No acts beyond that were agreed to; all the groping and wrestling to remove her pants results from his ignorance of the deal. It is risky, especially risky when ignorance is coupled with aggression. Reading reports like this trigger a bit of rage in me - these days it comes out on the keyboard, not by beating up some idiot!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I rarely curse but I will in this instance to make a point and not at you, of course.

Let me preface my remarks by saying I am in the gender can be fungible camp and have met and seen many transgendered women, post and pre operative, whose appearances were virtually indistinguishable from biological women.

A transgendered female is unlikely to become intimate with a ostensibly hetersoxeual male, without proper notice, because the heterosexual male psyche is unpredictable. The problem arises when a guy realizes he fucked what is a guy in his mind or worse been fucked by one. I wish I could put it more delicately but that is verbatim how I had it explained to me by a transgendered woman.


These and similar stories frost me on several levels.

1) This miscreant killed an innocent person.
2) This miscreant killed an innocent person while wearing the uniform of my nation and is bringing shame to it.
3) My gf is a Filipina and count many as my friends.
4) This miscreant is undermining the American-Philippines relationship.

If the facts are true I hope he is punished to the fullest extent of the law.

[edgineered]

14. Sadly the prospects for the punishment he deserves faces two challenges, or more.

First off (for brevity), our political relations with the RP has weakened since the days of Marco.

Secondly, and of greater concern, is the unequal protection under the law of those other than being heterosexual and male. In this case so many things will be plied against her: 1) unmarried sexual activities (working the streets, bars, whatever), 2) the 'outstanding' military record of the killer, 3) the honorable service to the US of the killer, 4) the lies and misrepresentation of her former male identity, 5) the trauma the killer experienced, both in discovery of being with a transexual, perhaps receiving oral sex prior to learning, and in having to bear the guilt of murder for the rest of his life.

Not that these points reflect how I feel (stated here for clarity), but too often we see killers and abusers walk for these very reasons. The 'Let's blame the victim' card will be the high card in the courtrooms' deck. I agree with your four points above, I too have many Filipina friends, especially my ex and my daughters, and although I rarely attend the many parties and celebrations anymore, an open invitation exists.

Back in my bar hopping days my LGBTQ friends were always happy to see me walk in because I don't like bullies. Seeing one in action was my cue, because there was nothing I liked better in those days than beating up bullies! I've said it before, it has always made me proud to be accepted into worlds far different from my own, that doesn't happen when viewing people with a critical eye.

Everyone has it within themself to accept others for how they are, but they just don't.

[Initech]

15. Not only is it murder, it's a hate crime.

If he's indeed found guilty, throw the book at him.