Prosecution almost done with evidence vs Pemberton

OLONGAPO CITY—Government prosecutors have only five witnesses left as they proceed to wrap up their presentation of evidence against US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton by the end of this month.

Pemberton is facing murder charges for the death of transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude on Oct. 11 last year.

“By July, we’re going to formally offer our evidence to the court. The defense team will present their case in August,” according to a member of the prosecution panel, who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter.

On Monday, the prosecution called to the stand Special Agent Jeremy Michael Dastrup of the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) stationed in Singapore, the prosecutor said.

Dastrup, the prosecutor said, took the photographs of Pemberton when the soldier was subjected to a physical examination two days after Laude was found dead inside a bathroom of the Celzone Lodge on Magsaysay Drive here.

“He (Dastrup) was the only NCIS special agent who was present during Pemberton’s physical examination,” the prosecutor said.

Two American medical officers testified last week that Pemberton bore “defensive wounds” during that medical examination, said lawyer Virgie Suarez, one of the counsels of the Laude family, at the conclusion of the June 1 trial.

Suarez and lawyer Harry Roque Jr., the Laude family’s lead counsel, were absent during Monday’s hearing. The prosecutor said the Laude family’s private lawyers did not send any representative during Monday’s hearing.

Last week, Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of Regional Trial Court Branch 74 heard testimonies from Lt. Commander Kenny Choi of the US Navy and Jennifer Kurneza, senior medical officer of the US vessel, USS Peleliu.

Earlier, Suarez said Choi, a gynecologist, described the wounds he discovered on Pemberton, but both Choi and Kurneza could not determine if Laude was sexually assaulted or if she had engaged in a sexual activity before she was killed.

“Dastrup’s testimony centered on his involvement in the gathering of evidence during the investigation,” the prosecutor said.

The source said Dastrup testified that he interviewed Lance Cpl. Bennett Dahl, one of the three US Marines who admitted they were with Pemberton at the Ambyanz Disco Bar, where the murder suspect met Laude, on Oct. 11. Allan Macatuno, Inquirer Central Luzon