U.S. Marine in Okinawa Pleads Not Guilty over Sexual Assault

   Naha, Okinawa Pref., June 2 (Jiji Press)--A U.S. Marine pleaded not guilty on charges of nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury, in his first hearing at Naha District Court in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, on Monday.
   The defendant, Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, inflicted an injury lasting about two weeks on a woman in Okinawa on May 26, 2024, by committing violence against her, including wrapping his arms around her from behind for sexual purposes and strangling her, according to his indictment.
   He told the lay judge trial presided over by Judge Kazuhiko Obata that he did not seek to engage in sexual acts with the woman, adding that he did not strangle or injure her and that he did nothing that would raise suspicion to her.
   Prosecutors said in their opening statement that Clayton chatted up the woman in a downtown district and tried to take her home. Although she refused, he got into a taxi with her and went to the house of the woman's partner.
   After getting off the taxi, he followed the woman into the house and assaulted her while her partner was sleeping.

(2025/06/02-13:31)