Former Marine convicted of raping woman at Denver airport
DENVER (AP) - Jurors in Denver have convicted a former U.S. Marine embassy guard of sexually assaulting a woman at a Denver International Airport concourse in April.
The Denver Post reports jurors on Monday found 27-year-old Noel Bertrand, of Portland, Ore., guilty of felony sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison.
His lawyer had argued that that the woman had consensual sex with Bertrand then regretted it.
She testified that after having drinks, the two moved to an airport concourse where he attacked her after she refused a kiss. She told jurors she didn't scream because she was being choked. Two airline mechanics intervened when they saw her struggling.
Bertrand served on Marine security details at U.S. embassies in Dublin, Ireland; Caracas, Venezuela; and Doha, Qatar.
The Denver Post reports jurors on Monday found 27-year-old Noel Bertrand, of Portland, Ore., guilty of felony sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison.
His lawyer had argued that that the woman had consensual sex with Bertrand then regretted it.
She testified that after having drinks, the two moved to an airport concourse where he attacked her after she refused a kiss. She told jurors she didn't scream because she was being choked. Two airline mechanics intervened when they saw her struggling.
Bertrand served on Marine security details at U.S. embassies in Dublin, Ireland; Caracas, Venezuela; and Doha, Qatar.
Pics of the rapist here:
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2205773/Women-23-raped-concourse-Denver-airport-relives-testimony-attacker-said-gurgling-sexy-strangling-her.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
This was no big deal and he should have just gotten a fine and both of them move on. It made a mountain over a molehill.
@Donacita you must be trolling. This guy should have his equipment cut off. He's a sex offender, and it doesn't get lower than that.
 @Donacita Are you being serious?  "No big deal". . . .  "mountain over a molehill"?  Have you read any of the testimony from the court proceedings?  This guy (the rapist) is sick and deserves many years in prison.
Lock this clown up and throw away the key.
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and let's not refer to him as a 'former Marine'. He lost his right to be considered such by raping this woman. He deserves the lesser title of 'ex-Marine' as in 'no longer meeting the required level of honor to be considered anything else'.
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The, "She Consented But Recanted Defense" doesn't tend to work when witnesses see your hands around her neck. Geez.
"His lawyer had argued that that the woman had consensual sex with Bertrand then regretted it."
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"Two airline mechanics intervened when they saw her struggling."
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Ya-huh, consensual. I don't think the lawyer knows the meaning of the word.
 @Just_Mike I'm sure the lawyer knows exactly what it means but it is their job to offer a defense, no matter how asinine at times the lawyer is just doing their job so don't get too worked up about it.
 @Just_Mike He thought it was just rough consensual sex
I completely agree that a life sentence should be a requirement when it deals with sexual assault.
 @yentaleh While I think a life sentence might be the ideal sentence in most cases, it isn't required. In this case, it's the maximum possible.
Lock this disgraced POS up with his attorney, for life. Â
 @notez2cme First find out if the attorney was a public defender. If not, I'm ok with your suggestion. If he IS a public defender, he has to do SOMETHING to represent his client (and in this case, it's entirely possible that anything he could do adds up to 'wrong').