Military Press Conference 15 Jan 08

[Sumanadevii]

I don't have a link to the entire conference but am curious if anyone else watched it. IMy personally feelings is that the Marine's did a fine job of covering their own asses and little to bring light to the hell Maria was living. They claim she had a victim's advocate to work with her...Yet we find the advocate was a superior to her in the military. Maria had her car keyed and was slugged in the face (while she was pg) on base but this advocate didn't feel like her rapist was the threat. Most of their documentation revolves around the very words of Maria. Maria was asked if she felt the man was a threat and she said no. Ummmm...has anyone ever heard of the word "intiminated"? The young woman had just graduated high school and was on her first duty assignment. It wouldn't take much to talk her out of what she really wanted to say.

Plus...they called her rapist and murderer (from what we do know) a STELLAR Marine. Maria was said to be a GOOD Marine. Later toward the end of the conference, the spokesman says, "We have lost two Marine's"...TWO?????? I would think they lost ONE Marine and ONE pig. I couldn't help but hear a definate difference in how they saw this manly man Marine next to Maria. Even with his record of horror, he is a STELLAR Marine and even Maria in her grave is a GOOD Marine.

Oh, I could go on and on...I just wanted to air my anger ...The Marine's have lost my respect in this. The only thing that can change my mind is they know something they are not telling us....

[SavannahStar]

Plus...they called her rapist and murderer (from what we do know) a STELLAR Marine. Maria was said to be a GOOD Marine. Later toward the end of the conference, the spokesman says, "We have lost two Marine's"...TWO?????? I would think they lost ONE Marine and ONE pig. I couldn't help but hear a definate difference in how they saw this manly man Marine next to Maria. Even with his record of horror, he is a STELLAR Marine and even Maria in her grave is a GOOD Marine.

*snipped*


Hi Sumanadevii....just wanted to respond to that portion of your post, hence the snipping.

Here is the relevant portion of the Marines report:

LCpl Maria Lauterbach was born in Orange City, Florida. Her home of record when she joined the Marine Corps in July of 2005 was Vandalia, Ohio. She graduated from Boot Camp in September of 2006 and was trained as a Personnel Clerk. This was her first duty station after completing her required training. She had not deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism. She was promoted to Lance Corporal on February 1st, 2007, and her record indicates she was a solid Marine.

Cpl Cesar Laurean was born in Mexico and is a naturalized American citizen. His home of record when he joined the Marine Corps was Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated from Boot Camp in December of 2004 and was trained as a Personnel Clerk. This was his first duty station after completing his required training. He had not deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism. He was meritoriously promoted to Corporal on September 2nd, 2006, and his record indicates he was a stellar Marine.

I think if you read the above, when they refer to ML and CL by those adjectives, it is done according to a certain criteria used in judging their performance as a Marine, during the time in question for their evaluation. In other words, perhaps "solid" and "stellar" are actual ratings used.

I'm only being a devil's advocate on this! I hear ya that it sounds insensitive. But although it seems clear that she is an innocent victim and he is a cold-blooded murderer of a woman and a baby, still and all, it could well be that during their careers as Marines, he was rated (during evaluation) as having a better record/performance than she did.

I see it as neither victim bashing nor putting a perp on a pedestal. It's just the facts regarding their qualities as Marines, at a time when they were judging solely on their records.

That's the way I see it anyway. :022:

[Sumanadevii]

Hi Sumanadevii....just wanted to respond to that portion of your post, hence the snipping.

Here is the relevant portion of the Marines report:



I think if you read the above, when they refer to ML and CL by those adjectives, it is done according to a certain criteria used in judging their performance as a Marine, during the time in question for their evaluation. In other words, perhaps "solid" and "stellar" are actual ratings used.

I'm only being a devil's advocate on this! I hear ya that it sounds insensitive. But although it seems clear that she is an innocent victim and he is a cold-blooded murderer of a woman and a baby, still and all, it could well be that during their careers as Marines, he was rated (during evaluation) as having a better record/performance than she did.

I see it as neither victim bashing nor putting a perp on a pedestal. It's just the facts regarding their qualities as Marines, at a time when they were judging solely on their records.

That's the way I see it anyway. :022:
It may all be true...that he lived a nice lie for them....However, there is a young woman that has been murdered and raped...and her family to consider. It needed not be said. They could have kept that STELLAR Marine line out of the conference. There was no need to refer to him as such.

I see it and continue to see it as the good ol boys network. I hope I am wrong. I hope they know more than they are saying.

"We lost two Marine's"...pfffffffffff.....They lost a Marine and a pig.