A U.S. Marine who allegedly raped a 14-year-old Okinawa girl was turned over to prosecutors Tuesday in a case that has prompted government officials to voice outrage and warn the incident could affect the Japan-U.S. alliance and the reorganization of U.S. bases in the prefecture.
The arrest Monday of Staff Sgt. Tyrone Hadnott, 38, for the suspected rape of a local junior high school girl Sunday night has rekindled memories of the 1995 gang rape of a 12-year-old Okinawa girl by three U.S. servicemen, an incident that triggered mass resentment against the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.
Hadnott, based at Camp Courtney, has reportedly denied the accusation.