Military Defense Lawyer Argues for Not Guilty in Coast Guard Sex Assault Court Martial in North Charleston, South Carolina
by Andrew Knapp
December 6, 2013
Read the full story here postandcourier.com/article/20131206/PC16/131209607/1009/as-defense-rests-in-coast-guard-court-martial-witnesses-contradict-accusers-accounts&source=RSS
Asking for the acquittal of a Coast Guardsman accused of sex crimes, a defense attorney said Friday that Petty Officer 2nd Class Omar Gomez was blamed for depraved behavior that’s rampant aboard the Charleston-based ship he served on.
Gomez, 35, is charged with violating five military laws in connection with the rape and sexual harassment stemming from missions of the cutter Gallatin or its crew.
“Was anyone else in that chain of command held accountable?” Morris said. “No. The scapegoat of that culture was (Gomez).”………..
Four, or two-thirds, of the six jurors, must agree on the findings. Unlike civilian criminal trials, a unanimous verdict isn’t necessary.
During his closing argument, lead prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Mike Cintron said the facts of each alleged incident “speak for themselves.” In one case, he noted, Gomez sent a text message to a seaman that said, “I want you bad.”
“Those are the words of a sexual predator,” Cintron said, dubbing the defense argument a “distraction.”
Military sexual assault attorneys
The five counts against Gomez are:
. Violation of a general order by sexually harassing a seaman on the basis of her gender.
. Maltreatment of subordinates by making sexual comments to six female Coast Guardsmen inferior in rank.
.False official statement by telling investigators that he didn’t have sex with the civilian woman who accused him of rape in West Ashley, then recalling the next day that he had sex with someone whose face he couldn’t remember.
. Aggravated sexual contact by fondling four female shipmates, raping the civilian, and exposing his genitals to shipmates on three occasions.
. Conduct discrediting to the armed forces by taking a picture of his genitals with a seaman’s camera.
If convicted, Gomez could face more than 30 years in prison.
