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August 25, 2015

Philippines: Marine Testifies to Choking Transgender Filipino Woman 
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In news from the Philippines, a U.S. marine has testified in court that
he choked a Filipino transgender woman until she was unconscious, but he
claims he did not kill her. U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton is on
trial for the 2014 murder of 26-year-old Jennifer Laude, who was found
dead in a hotel room near a former American naval base that still
frequently hosts U.S. ships. He testified Monday that he punched and
choked Laude after learning she was transgender. The case has strained
relations between the U.S. and the Philippines, with some Filipino
lawmakers calling for changes to the rules permitting American military
forces in the country, which is a former U.S. colony.

 

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