More details are now emerging about what happened during last month’s policewoman rape case in Seoul involving to US soldiers:

One of two U.S. soldiers on trial for allegedly trying to rape an off-duty South Korean policewoman in April told a panel of judges Friday he was trying to catch a taxi when the incident occurred.

Pfc. Mark Feldmann, 21, testified that he told his friend, Sgt. Anthony Q. Basel, that he planned to smoke a cigarette outside the bar they were in and then catch a taxi home. The pair, based at Camp Stanley, were in Seoul on leave had spent the day drinking in at least two restaurants and two bars.

Feldmann said he tried to catch three taxis on a main street but none would stop, so he went through an alley to a side street. He said he was trying to catch a taxi there when Basel, who had just left a public bathroom, found him and told him they needed to leave.

South Korean police arrested both a short time later, saying they had tried to rape the police officer. Basel told the court that he did try to rape the woman, but remembered only being on top of her with his pants around his ankles because he had drunk at least 20 beers that day.

I’m surprised he could walk after drinking at least 20 beers.  What else I find interesting is that an NCO is hanging out and drinking with a private and the NCO is the one who appears to be drunk and out of control.  NCOs are not supposed to be hanging out with soldiers and especially drinking with them.  Usually the E5 sergeant rank is the worst violators of this and this case is a perfect example. 

The PFC will most likely be convicted of something because no US soldier ever gets acquitted in a Korean court, but if he does get acquitted I guess the command can bring him up on charges for abandoning his battle buddy.  If only he had the new battle buddy card maybe all of this could have been avoided.