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Title: Navy chief convicted for child sex gets honorable discharge
Source:
www.komotv.com
URL Source: http://www.komotv.com/news/15715297.html
Published: Feb 17, 2008
Author: Kitsap Sun
Post Date: 2008-02-17 13:02:08 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 1835
Comments: 26
BREMERTON - The Navy has granted an honorable discharge to a former Naval Base Kitsap command master chief who was convicted last year of attempted child rape. Edward E. Scott, 44, once the local base's highest enlisted man, was arrested after a sting operation in which an officer posed as the mother of young twins in an online forum. Scott was met by police at a Bremerton motel where he had arranged to have sex with what he believed was the mother and both children. Convicted and sentenced in June to nine months in jail and three years of intensive sexual deviancy treatment, Scott retired from formal service in the Navy on Jan. 31. His rank was reduced to senior chief petty officer, but he was allowed to retire with benefits. Discharge records are covered under the Navy's privacy act. Naval Base Kitsap spokesman Tom Danaher could not comment, but the Kitsap Sun has reviewed a report confirming Scott's status that has circulated through the criminal justice system. The result is surprising to Kevin McDermott, a former Navy Judge Advocate who's worked in military law since 1978. He now practices in California, and has most recently defended war crimes suspects from the Iraq war. "I don't know if I've ever heard of a serviceman being convicted of a sex crime, getting an honorable discharge," he said. Scott, who served 25 years, chatted from his home and work computers with an undercover detective posing as a mother of twin 12-year-olds in early 2006. The detective arranged a meeting with Scott for sex at a Bremerton hotel before work March 16. Detectives arrested him, and a month later he pleaded guilty to attempted child rape and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, both felonies. Though he faced a 90-month sentence, a Superior Court judge allowed Scott to opt for a nine-month sentence if he would undergo treatment. The Navy wouldn't comment on what proceeded internally before his retirement was completed. But McDermott said that according to protocol Scott would have had a hearing before a commanding officer, perhaps a captain or admiral, who would have likely conducted what's known as a "mast" hearing. Such a hearing would have given his commanding officer the authority to reduce him one rank — which did occur — and to take away a limited amount of pay as well as restrict him to a base or quarters for a limited span of time. However, his commanding officer could have referred Scott to a court martial, where he could have faced a dishonorable discharge, or a Navy "administrative separation board," which could result in a slightly less harsh bad conduct discharge. Ultimately, McDermott said, the Navy could have tried him again for the same crimes as were filed in the civilian Kitsap County Superior Court, as the concept of double jeopardy doesn't exist in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. In actuality, Scott was demoted one rank, honorably discharged, and retired with the benefits of the senior chief rank. He's due to finish the sexual deviancy treatment in March 2010, according to court documents filed in Kitsap County Superior Court. The Navy's decision sends the wrong message to servicemen and women everywhere, said Glenn Maiers, a retired Naval Base Kitsap senior chief petty officer. "What does that tell the (lower ranks)? The higher up in pay grade you are, the more you can get away with," he said. Part of a wider trend, McDermott contends the Navy and the armed forces have not been "coming down as hard" on service members post-September 11th. From the military's point of view, the best theory McDermott has on the rationale is simply: "We need bodies." In Scott's case, McDermott believes his honorable discharge could be a result of "karma." His long and successful career were simply too vast to overlook. Scott, who joined the Navy in 1982, served as command master chief of not only Naval Base Kitsap, but also the USS Camden and the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. His tour of duty has included time in Guam, Hawaii, Whidbey Island and San Diego. He was the recipient of the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Good Conduct Medal. "(His command) said, 'Thank you very much for your long and hard work,'" McDermott posited. "We're going to give you one tremendous kiss when you go." (The Kitsap Sun is a media partner of KOMO-TV. Click here to visit the Kitsap Sun's web site.)
Edward E. Scott is escorted out of Kitsap County Superior Court following his arraingment last year. (Photo courtesy of the Kitsap Sun.)
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 23.
#10. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
The result is surprising to Kevin McDermott, a former Navy Judge Advocate who's worked in military law since 1978. He now practices in California, and has most recently defended war crimes suspects from the Iraq war. "I don't know if I've ever heard of a serviceman being convicted of a sex crime, getting an honorable discharge," he said. This is highly unusual. Master Chief or not there is something funny here and I don't mean "ha-ha" funny. This guy should have been doing hard time at Leavenworth. His rank does not really account for the special treatment he received. My guess is that something else is being covered up. Just speculation, but possibly he was part of a group of like minded pedophiles some of whom happened to have "Scrambled Egg" on their hat i.e., Commander (Lt. Col. equivalent for you lubbers) or above.
I quite agree with you. We had a junior officer given much the same treatment because when a group of his peers was over at his quarters he said, "watch this," and flipped his male dog over and masturbated him. That hideous lack of judgment got him demoted and kicked out. A full bird colonel was found to have partied with prostitutes and bag bitches, and to have been doing lots of cocaine and he went to Leavenworth. You can't tell me this criminal and perverted dirtbag intended to do his first children with these girls, and I'm sure the sting ascertained that. It makes sense to as it strengthens their case a great deal. And you can't tell be sexual peccadilloes and huffing rails of blow are more serious a crime then pedophilia. Someone's ass what vulnerable here, and I bet more then one person investigating know exactly who it is.
Count on it. NIS (Naval Investigative Service) is dirty and they do what they're told. Someone ordered that this be buried to protect some high ranking exposed ass - some pervert with "Shoulder Boards". I also agree that this was probably not this perv's first experience with this. There could be an Intelligence connection given that the CIA, and who knows what other Intelligence Agencies, has been linked to the trade in child sex slaves. These types of pervs seem to network and link together to exchange stories about their "fun and games". There are some pretty sick bastards out their and some of them are in very high positions.
You have to have the hubris of those used to being protected to contact people in such a cavalier fashion over the Internet. This has the "I am bullet proof" air to it, and I am used to seeing that in action. Once when I first flunked Morse Code school by one five character code group in the send half of the test I was boarded by a Master Sergeant who tried to get me to chose another Special Forces 18 series MOS. He was stinking ass drunk and smelled like whiskey and acted like an idiot and jerk and I went through all the motions as if he were sane and sober. And the cadre in my training unit saw he was drunk and covered it up. One time the orderly room coffee pot in my aviation unit I was first in was dosed with LSD and most of the upper level NCOs in the unit sequestered themselves all day in the Commander and First Sergeant's offices rather then go get checked out, report it and have 'Uncle' CID crawling around everywhere. The Military has one hard and fast rule; cover the asses of those in high ranks. Anyone who thinks different who served is either a liar, delusional or got really lucky in the people they knew on active duty.
I had a friend who got caught on a UA for Pot, BUT the Executive Officer came back positive for Speed on the same test so it was declared a "bad batch" and all the results were thrown out and so my friend, who had just made E-5, got to keep his stripe. Lucky bastard. Good man though and I'd take a dozen of him if I was ever in a tight spot. You're preaching to the choir on that one - if it involves a senior officer or a "connected" senior NCO then they'll go to great lengths to cover and hush up.
I took an Article 15 alleging violation of Article 89 to to a special court martial, (later increased to include Article 90) past a summary court martial and had the thing thrown out because the judge ruled the prosecution failed to prove a Prima Facie case, in that their was compliance to render a proper hand salute prior to and subsequent to the alleged incident as per the sworn testimony of the First Sergeant. I was accused of flipping the U.S. Flag off during an pay day ceremony at the 82nd Airborne Division Museum field. I probably would of relented and let them give me the magic several incidents of non-judicial punishment they no doubt were starting because they could not stand my sort of very up front left wing political efficacy. I first felt in the Army that as long as I did a good job, I could say what I wanted. Wrong. I shut up in my new unit I was moved to and made sergeant E5 two years and three months after enlisting as an E1. I was lucky, yes; but if you don't see my prevailing as partially because of how stubborn, smart and ornery I was at age 23, it's because you don't know me too well. ;-) I liked parts of military service, but the right wing fundies put the bite too hard to twist people's arms to join their brand of Christianity, and what you say, wear, drive and believe influences where you go and even if you stayed in. I said that past tense because military justice also works on the sliding scale with manpower needs. You are in higher jeopardy of being roasted and booted if they have too many people. I don't think that even being gay and making a pass at your platoon sergeant with a joint in your hand while wearing Victorian Secret undies would get you booted with their critical manpower needs so badly unmet these days. It's a shame. I believe justice should be justice, no matter what other extraneous factors like manpower needs factor into the equation of managing active duty billets.
I never saw anything resembling such in the Air Farce. It was a matter of having a job and doing it. We were either flying or drunk, now and again they were mixed.
I have read several pieces about the aggressiveness and interesting apocalyptic themes fundies are using to twist arms of service people to gain religious conversions. It didn't really exist when you were in, but it is a big factor in military culture today. it has become quite controversial. People should have a right not to be stigmatized if they don't join a church. It was there but not big when I was in the last time, as they would only coerce people with legal or family troubles to join a church - or else. We are fast becoming the Christian version of Muslim Jihadists in the extent and extremism of our religious culture, go figure.
Not the usual 12 step program.
No, but if you have an "alcohol incident," a 12 step group is mandatory, and you are 'flagged' and the fundies sniff at your heels. There is a certain amount of class-ism in how they do things these days where those with neo con or economic connections overwhelmingly avoiding military service like the plague. Not only does this make 'cannon fodder' more expendable in their eyes, often this sort of predatory religion is condescendingly viewed as just, and for these poor and ill educated kid's 'own good.' This is one of the reasons I am all for a resumption of a draft that would make the wealthy and chicken hawk at heart serve.
They avoided the draft before, they will again.
That is how corporate fascism works, he who has the gold, makes the rules.
There are no replies to Comment # 23. End Trace Mode for Comment # 23.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestDischarge records are covered under the Navy's privacy act. Naval Base Kitsap spokesman Tom Danaher could not comment, but the Kitsap Sun has reviewed a report confirming Scott's status that has circulated through the criminal justice system.
#11. To: Original_Intent (#10)
(Edited)
#12. To: Ferret Mike (#11)
... I bet more then one person investigating know exactly who it is.
#13. To: Original_Intent (#12)
#16. To: Ferret Mike (#13)
The Military has one hard and fast rule; cover the asses of those in high ranks. Anyone who thinks different who served is either a liar, delusional or got really lucky in the people they knew on active duty.
#17. To: Original_Intent (#16)
(Edited)
#18. To: Ferret Mike (#17)
I liked parts of military service, but the right wing fundies put the bite too hard to twist people's arms to join their brand of Christianity,
#19. To: Cynicom (#18)
US Air Force Academy Used "Former Terrorists" to Proselytize Fundamentalist Christianity to Cadets
#20. To: Ferret Mike (#19)
#21. To: robin (#20)
"Not the usual 12 step program."
#22. To: Ferret Mike (#21)
#23. To: robin (#22)
"They avoided the draft before, they will again."
Replies to Comment # 23.