World

Okinawa Rape Airman Denied Bail

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

June 28, 2001 / 10:50 PM EDT / CBS

A district court in Japan refused on Wednesday to set bail for U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy Woodland, who is charged with raping a woman in Okinawa, Woodland's lawyer said.

Judge Midori Takamatsu of the Naha District Court rejected the bail request, saying Woodland might destroy evidence, according to defense lawyer Tsuyoshi Arakaki.

Arakaki asked the court on Tuesday to release Woodland, 24, on bail. He said he may appeal.

Woodland, who faces at least two years in prison if convicted, has denied raping the 20-year-old Japanese woman. Japan's Kyodo News agency has quoted Deputy Prosecutor Junichi Okumura as saying the sergeant insisted that the two had consensual sex.

Woodland's lawyer said he has not yet received a reply to a request he made on Monday, that the court allow American lawyer Annette Eddie-Callagain to join the defense team.

Under Japanese law, lawyers from foreign firms are barred from receiving payment for their work. Eddie-Callagain has said she would help defend Woodland without fee.

Okinawa, about 1,000 miles southwest of Tokyo, is home to more than half of the 47,000 American troops stationed in Japan.

Crime and pollution linked to the U.S. military have long been sensitive issues for Okinawa. Residents of Okinawa have been outraged by repeated crimes involving U.S. soldiers despite promises from Washington to ratchet up discipline. Three U.S. servicemen raped a 12-year-old girl on Okinawa in 1995, sparking huge protests.

This incident has the Okinawan population equally enflamed. Residents are calling for a speedy indictment.

"He should be indicted," said Takashi Kishimoto, assistant director-general of the Okinawa Peace Action Center. "The most important thing is to amend the Status of Forces Agreement."

U.S. officials had refused to hand him over to local police despite the issuance of an arrest warrant July 2, saying they wanted guarantees that his rights would be protected. Many Japanese took the delay as an insult to the nation's legal system.

Woodland was eventually arrested on July 6 after negotiators worked out a handover agreement. The Americans have not released details, but Japanese news reports said prosecutors agreed to limit questioning of Woodland to 10 hours a day and to move quickly on the case.

Adm. Dennis Blair, commander in chief of U.S. Pacific Command, told reporters in Tokyo shortly before the indictment that the agreement reached on Woodland's handover was "satisfactory."

"We are not shielding American servicemen from Japanese law," Blair said. "I'm satisfied that the incident is being handled correctly and I think we can handle these incidents in the future."

The case has prompted calls in Japan to revise the agreement that governs the nearly 50,000 American military personnel in Japan. Under that agreement, the United States is not required to hand over criminal suspects until they are formally charged, although it is supposed to "consider" requests fo custody before indictment.

Some Japanese say it should be changed to provide a quicker handover of American military suspects to Japanese authorities and to speed investigations.

Last week, the foreign affairs committee of Japan's lower house of Parliament adopted a resolution demanding a review of the bilateral agreement and criticizing the U.S. military for failing to prevent crimes by troops stationed in Japan.

Woodland is stationed at the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. U.S. military officials say Air Force regulations prohibit release of his hometown.