The early morning hours of August 23, 2008 changed Army Special Forces soldier Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Stewart’s life forever. Stewart went out for a night of drinking and partying in Germany with some other soldiers. Stewart was approached by a woman, a German citizen, and they began to dance. An hour or so later, they would leave together to engage in a casual one night stand. The next morning they said their goodbyes and she gave Stewart her number. A couple months later, Stewart would learn from German police and the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) that he was being accused of sexual assault by this same woman. Three Days in August by Bob McCarty takes the reader step by step through Kelly Stewart’s military court proceedings in Germany in August 2009. This book reveals the reasons so many concerned citizens are fighting for military justice reform. Whether you believe he is guilty or not, Kelly Stewart was railroaded with collateral charges in this particular court martial. There was no evidence, no forensic testing, and no witnesses to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt yet Kelly Stewart paid the price for embarrassing the US Army in an international incident.
Kelly Stewart had a stellar career and zero history of any wrong-doing in his more then ten year career, including behavioral and criminal. But the military prosecutor would lead you to believe he was a violent rapist luring his one victim with manipulation, not force. You read the book and decide for yourself if Kelly Stewart fits the modus operandi of a would be predator. After watching the Netflix docuseries Making a Murderer and reading Kelly Stewart’s record of trial, it’s looking like we have a case of making a rapist. As with all investigations, this is a testament to the value of the right to remain silent whether talking to your Chain of Command or an investigator. Given the military’s track record with aggressive and ruthless tactics, silence will prevent them from twisting your statements into something they are not. Kelly Stewart may have committed adultery and he owned up to it but what if when questioned he had said nothing and denied even knowing her. It’s not his fault that he or any of our soldiers think they can trust the system only to learn that it will betray them. Nothing can stop us from educating our soldiers about their due process rights, the same rights protected by the very Constitution they are willing to die for.
Army Staff Sgt. David Paquet, 26, died August 20, 2008 of undetermined causes while conducting a patrol at Combat Outpost Vegas in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Paquet was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. The outcome of the investigation and the official cause of death are unknown.
Army Private Janelle King, 23, died of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq on August 14, 2008. Private King was working as a combat medic stationed at Camp Cropper, a military detainee center near Baghdad International Airport, on her first tour of duty at the time of her death. Pvt. King was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 115th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Polk, Louisiana. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. The outcome of the investigation and the official cause of death is unknown. Janelle was from Merced, California, she graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, New Jersey in 2003, and attended a culinary arts school in San Francisco, California before joining the Army in May 2007. Janelle’s father served in the active duty Air Force and she grew up as a military dependent.
“The eldest daughter of an Air Force official, King was born in Altus, Okla., and lived in California, Panama and Hawaii before graduating from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mt. Holly, N.J., in 2003. Brian King said his daughter’s death makes his own work in the Air Force harder at times.” –Los Angeles Times (October 26, 2008)
Air Force SrA Sabrina Autrey, 23, was found dead in her off base apartment in Arlington, Virginia on August 13, 2008. She was declared missing after failing to show up for work at the Pentagon and then discovered at her home. SrA Autrey was assigned to the Military Personnel Flight, 11th Mission Support Squadron at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. The Arlington Police Department reported there were “no signs of a forced entry or suicide” and “an autopsy found no obvious signs of foul play or trauma” (a toxicology report was pending). The outcome of the investigation and the official cause of death is unknown.
On August 11, 2008, Marc Patrick O’Leary raped an eighteen year old at knife point in Lynnwood, Washington. The 18 year old woman reported the rape to her local police department but they accused her of lying and she was charged with false reporting. In 2011, Marc O’Leary was arrested in Colorado for rape and consequently admitted to raping several women in Washington and Colorado. DNA, digital evidence, and O’Leary’s vehicle linked him physically to several rapes. As it turns out, there was evidence on a camera corroborating the 18 year old’s report of rape in 2008. Investigators learned the Lynnwood, Washington police didn’t believe the alleged victim of rape and she was indeed found guilty of false reporting and fined $500.
The victim sued the City of Lynnwood who refunded her $500 fine and settled out of court for $150,000. Marc O’Leary pleaded guilty to the rapes in Colorado and was sentenced to over 300 years in prison. ProPublica covered the story and highlighted the dangers of mishandling rape cases and not using the FBI national database created to help catch repeat offenders. ProPublica won a Pulitzer prize for their coverage of “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” with The Marshall Project. Maureen Maher of 48 Hours also did an investigation titled the “Hunted” and she went inside the mind of a serial rapist who was hunting his victims while two detectives were hunting him.
Cops can be protective about their cases, fearing that information could be leaked that would jeopardize their investigations. They often don’t know about, or fail to use, an FBI database created years ago to help catch repeat offenders. Between one-fourth to two-thirds of rapists are serial attackers, studies show. -ProPublica
True Crime:
“48 Hours” goes inside the mind of a serial rapist hunting his victims while two detectives were hunting him. -48 Hours (November 17, 2016)
Inspired by real events, a teen reports and eventually recants her reported rape, while two female detectives, states away, investigate evidence that could reveal the truth. Based on The Marshall Project & ProPublica Pulitzer Prize-winning article, “An Unbelievable Story of Rape,” written by T. Christian Miller & Ken Armstrong, “Unbelievable” is a story of unspeakable trauma, unwavering tenacity, & astounding resilience. -Netflix (July 18, 2019)
Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole died of a non combat related incident in Bayji, Iraq on August 2, 2008. Pfc. Cole was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 426th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. An investigation revealed that Jennifer died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. According to the family, she was accidentally shot by a fellow Army soldier while they were cleaning their weapons. They learned that the weapon had not been cleared prior to the cleaning and no one is sure how it got into the place where Jennifer was shot. The soldier (Thurston) responsible for the accidental shooting was charged with negligent homicide. He spent 30 days in military jail and was given a general discharge from the Army. Jennifer’s mom, Candy Gholson, shared with Napa Valley, California newspapers that the Army wouldn’t give her information, provide her with paperwork, or tell her exactly what happened to her daughter.
Candy Gholson shared that she heard three different versions and wanted to know exactly what happened. She also shared that she learned from Jennifer’s roommate in the Army that no one ever questioned her and they both thought that odd considering most investigations start with those closest to the victim. Both Jennifer’s parents shared the frustration that it is not easy getting answers from a military organization or is it easy dealing with the bureaucracy of the Army and their typical federal government run-around. The parents were told to go through the Freedom of Information Act for the investigation report but the Army warned them it could take up to a year to get the trial transcript they were requesting. Jennifer’s step father, a US Marine Corps veteran, reiterated that he too wanted to know the details of what happened and that he didn’t have hard feelings towards the soldier who killed his step-daughter. But he does feel that Thurston’s superiors should have been court-martialed for ineffective supervision and oversight of the weapons.
“I understand they had a trial for the guy (Thurston) who shot my daughter. I was told he spent 30 days in a military jail and was discharged from the Army. He didn’t get a dishonorable discharge, but the one just above that. But I have never received any paperwork to that effect,” Gholson said. “I just want answers. And it’s not easy trying to get them from a military government institution. “I’ve heard three different stories from the Army about what happened the day Jennifer died,” Gholson said. “I want to know what exactly happened that day. There were witnesses. Why can’t the Army get the story straight?” ~Napa Valley Register (December 11, 2008)
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Here Subcommittee Chairman John Tierney gives opening remarks. -Nancy Pelosi
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Panel one is Reps. Louise Slaughter (NY-28) and Jane Harman (CA-36). -Nancy Pelosi
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Panel one is Reps. Louise Slaughter (NY-28) and Jane Harman (CA-36). -Nancy Pelosi
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Panel two is Ingrid Torres, MSW, CSW and Mary Lauterbach, Mother of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. -Nancy Pelosi
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Panel two is Ingrid Torres, MSW, CSW and Mary Lauterbach, Mother of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. -Nancy Pelosi
The Oversight Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs holds a hearing, “Sexual Assault in the Military.” Panel three includes representatives of the Defense Department, the Army, and the GAO. -Nancy Pelosi
The Other PTSD – Sexual Abuse of Women in the Military -NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (May 4, 2007)
Congress takes on the Department of Defense in the first oversight hearing held this year by the subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on sexual assault in the military. Some House members are accusing the DOD of a cover up. -American News Project (August 2, 2008)
According to recent GAO survey, a female soldier is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than die by enemy fire in Iraq. David Martin reports on this startling increase. -CBS Evening News (October 28, 2008)
MST: Military Sexual Trauma -CBS Evening News (October 28, 2008)
Katie Couric investigates an alarming trend in the U.S. military, as more and more female soldiers have come forward with tales of sexual abuse at the hands of male soldiers and superior officers. -CBS News (March 17, 2009)
Women and men from all branches of the US military spoke out in Washington Tuesday about sexual assault in the ranks. They were all military sexual assault survivors — appearing at a summit held to call attention to the issue. The US military has announced new efforts to combat these crimes. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti brings us the issue through the eyes of two women, both survivors of alleged sexual attacks. -VOA News (May 8, 2012)
DAYTON – The military is fighting another battle, an “invisible war” on sexual assault. Today, Congressman Mike Turner talked about an award-winning documentary that sheds light on that very topic. -WKEF/WRGT (September 5, 2012)
New provisions handed down from the Department of Defense are giving sexual assault victims in the military rights they never had before.It’s all thanks to the fight from Congressman Mike Turner and a local mother. -WKEF/WRGT (August 15, 2013)
A major hurdle cleared for sexual assault victims in the military.Congress passed a bill that would give victims rights and protection they never had before.The push came after the tragic murder of local marine Maria Lauterbach and her unborn son.Maria’s mother, Mary, was thrilled when she heard the news that the bill had passed the Senate. -WKEFandWRGT (December 20, 2013)
Sexual assault in the military is being reported more and more everyday.But our military is now learning how to protect themselves and teaching civilians the same thing. -WKEF/WRGT (March 10, 2014)
DAYTON — Today, Congressman Michael Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, hosted Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA), at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Turner says he and Tsongas have worked together since 2007 to eliminate sexual assault from the U.S. military. Bother co-chair the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus. -WKEF/WRGT (September 9, 2014)
It is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Congressman Mike Turner was in town to talk about ways to cut down on sex assault in the military. Turner led a meeting with top brass from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State University in hopes of continuing open conversations about the issue. The objective is to educate everyone on how to prevent sexual assaults from happening in the first place. -WKEF/WRGT (April 21, 2015)
Law protecting military victims of sexual assault discussed -WDTN TV (May 1, 2018)
Congressman Mike Turner changed the laws to make women serving in the military safer. -Mike Turner (August 20, 2018)
Air Force Commander Brigadier General Thomas Tinsley died in his home at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska of an apparent self-inficted gunshot wound to the chest on July 27, 2008. He was a fighter pilot and flew the F-15, F/A-18 and F-22A. The cause of death was ruled suicide by Air Force officials. The circumstances surrounding his death are being questioned by others including his family.
Col. Richard Walberg, who assumed command at Elmendorf after Tinsley’s death, said Tinsley was not under investigation or undue stress. “Gen. Tinsley was under no investigation,” he said. “As far as stress, sir, this job, by nature of being an Air Force officer in a nation at war, is stressful. Undue stress, no.” –The Mercury News
Army Spc. Seteria Brown, 22, of Orlando, Florida, died of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident in Sharana, Afghanistan on July 25, 2008. She was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade in Fort Hood, Texas. At the time of the DoD press release, the incident was under investigation. The official cause of death and outcome of the investigation is unknown.
Rumors quickly circulated she committed suicide, but her family and friends don’t believe that. “The Army has not ruled anything yet,” Harris said. “They’re still investigating. They didn’t rule it suicide. They just said she was found in the barracks. The type of weapon she was shot with, a M16, is a tall weapon. It might even be the same height she is. It’s hard to shoot yourself with that. –Tuscaloosa News
Air Force TSgt. Jackie Larsen, 37, of Tacoma, Washington, died of natural causes on July 17, 2008 at Balad Air Base in Iraq. She was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base in California.
Larsen died of non-combat-related medical causes, a Beale spokesman said, but the exact cause of death is not being released. –Military Times
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 