MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government asked Washington on Tuesday to turn over custody of a U.S. Marine charged with the murder of a Filipino transgender woman.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila sought custody of Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton after he was charged by Filipino prosecutors Monday in the October killing of Jennifer Laude in Olongapo city, northwest of Manila. A regional trial court in Olongapo issued a warrant Tuesday for Pemberton's arrest.
Laude, whose former name was Jeffrey, had apparently been strangled and drowned in a toilet bowl after Pemberton discovered that she was a transgender woman in a motel, where they had checked in after meeting in a disco bar, according to prosecutors.
Read Wednesday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.