Apr 24 10:01 PM US/EasternNAHA, Japan, April 25 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The U.S. military has decided to court-martial a U.S. Marine, who was arrested by Japanese police in February for allegedly raping a junior high school girl in Okinawa Prefecture but was released after the victim withdrew the accusation, the U.S. Marine Corps said Friday.
Tyrone Hadnott, 38, has been charged with several violations of military justice, including raping a child under 16 and kidnapping.
He will be court-martialed, but the dates have not been set, according to the U.S. Marine.
The Okinawa prefectural police arrested Hadnott on Feb. 11. But the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office dropped the charges after the girl withdrew the accusation. He was handed over to the U.S. military.
The Status of Forces Agreement gives Japan primary jurisdiction for crimes committed by U.S. military personnel outside U.S. bases when they are not on duty. The latest move comes as the Japanese side did not exercise its right to jurisdiction.
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