Aberdeen scandal

The Aberdeen Scandal was a military sexual assault scandal in 1996 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, a United States Army base in Maryland.

Ultimately, twelve drill instructors were charged with sex crimes; four were sentenced to prison, while eight others were discharged or received non-judicial punishment.[1] Additionally, "letters of reprimand were issued to Aberdeen's commanding general and three other senior officers."[1]

Charges brought against the officers

Captain Derrick Robertson and Sergeants Delmar Simpson and Nathanael Beech were accused of participating in the army's biggest sex abuse scandal on record. Robertson and Simpson faced rape charges and Beech was charged with adultery.[2]

Army Secretary Togo West accused those charged of abusing their power, and ordered all soldiers to undergo sexual harassment training so they could learn the army's "zero tolerance" policy towards sexual harassment.

The men accused felt that statements made by West and other officials within the army were prejudging the case and would result in an unfair trial. Robertson's attorney, Jerome Murphy, asked the judge, Military Judge Linda Webster, to enact a gag order on West and others, but she deferred judgment. However, she did order prospective jurors not to follow media coverage of the case to avoid interference with their judgment.[2]

Individuals involved and outcomes

Fort Leonard Wood scandal

A separate and unrelated scandal took place in 1996 at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri; charges in that case were announced five days before the Aberdeen scandal became public, and the two cases were reported by the media in tandem.[17][18] According to Army officials, 22 female soldiers "were involved in incidents" in which three men—Staff Sgt. Loren B. Taylor, Staff Sgt. Anthony S. Fore, and Sgt. George W. Blackley Jr.—were charged.[17]

Taylor pleaded guilty to failing to obey a general regulation "by having consensual sex with three female recruits and trying to have sex with another" and admitted to "improper contact with a fifth woman recruit."[17] Taylor was "discharged, demoted and sentenced to confinement."[19]

Fore pleaded guilty to failing to obey a general regulation, indecent assault, and assault and battery, and a military judge, after hearing testimony, convicting Fore "of two additional counts of failing to obey a general regulation and indecent assault."[19] The Army dropped several other charges.[19] Fore sentenced to eighteen months in prison and was dishonorably discharged.[19]

Blackley was acquitted on charges of failing to obey a general regulation, indecent assault, maltreatment and showing disrespect to a fellow non-commissioned officer.[18]

Aftermath

Since the charges were filed, the U.S. Army set up a hotline to take reports of sexual harassment in the military. It has also made available many resources for soldiers who feel they have been harassed or assaulted.[20]

Supervisors were also barred from having romantic relationships with the soldiers they trained. The Army cited the fact that they cannot be sure if all relationships are consensual due to the nature of a supervisor's power over their trainees.[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Steve Vogel, Scandal-Scarred Army Busts Drill Sergeant in Sex-Crime Clampdown, Washington Post (May 14, 2000).
  2. 1 2 Three soldiers arraigned in U.S. Army sex scandal
  3. 1 2 Michael E. Ruane, Army Captain, Sergeant Charged in Trainee Rapes, Philadelphia Inquirer (November 8, 1996).
  4. 1 2 3 4 Francis X. Clines, Drill Sergeant Gets 6 Months For Sex Abuse at Army Post, New York Times (May 31, 1997).
  5. ↑ Robert A. Erlandson, Captain saw Army as 'a way up' from rural poverty: Acquaintances puzzle over charges against a man 'so straight', Baltimore Sun (November 19, 1996).
  6. 1 2 3 4 Captain Enters Guilty Plea In Sexual Abuse of Private, New York Times (March 21, 1997).
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dana Priest & Jackie Spinner, Close Look at Army Cases Urged, Washington Post (March 13, 1997).
  8. ↑ Army Sergeant Sees Some Charges Dropped, New York Times (August 15, 1997).
  9. ↑ Drill Sergeant Acquitted of Assaulting a Trainee, New York Times (August 17, 1997).
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Sergeant Demoted, Two Discharged, Associated Press (August 19, 1997).
  11. ↑ Tom Bowman, 5th Aberdeen instructor faces court-martial Drill sergeant charged with indecent assault, Baltimore Sun (January 29, 1997).
  12. ↑ David Dishneau, Aberdeen Sex Scandal Nearly Over, Associated Press (November 7, 1997).
  13. 1 2 3 Some accused in Army sex scandal are cleared, CNN (February 20, 1997).
  14. ↑ Lisa Respers, Aberdeen soldier won't face court-martial in sex scandal, Baltimore Sun (February 20, 1997).
  15. 1 2 3 Carl Rochelle, Sergeant accused in Aberdeen sex scandal speaks out, CNN (June 13, 1997).
  16. 1 2 3 Philip Shenon, Commander at Aberdeen To Retire Over an Affair, New York Times (June 3, 1997).
  17. 1 2 3 Art Pine, Sergeant at 2nd Army Base Admits to Sex With Recruits, Los Angeles Times (November 13, 1996).
  18. 1 2 Army Sergeant Is Cleared of All Charges of Sexual Abuse, Reuters (December 17, 1996).
  19. 1 2 3 4 Prison Term For Army Sergeant in Sex Case, Philadelphia Inquirer wire services (December 13, 1996).
  20. ↑ Calls still pouring in on Army harassment hot line Archived May 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ Soldiers try to define sexual harassment

External links

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