OLONGAPO CITY—Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, on trial here for the death of Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in October last year, admitted on Monday to the crime, saying he choked Jennifer but it was “in self defense.”
Pemberton, appearing at the Regional Trial Court Branch 74 as a witness for the defense, told presiding Judge Roline Ginez Jabalde the circumstances that led his killing of Laude.
Lawyer Harry Roque, one of the private prosecutors, told the media in a news briefing, that Pemberton made the admission during his testimony.
Roque said Pemberton told the court Laude was performing oral sex on him when he discovered Laude was anatomically a man, not a woman.
The US serviceman said he was shocked at the discovery and pushed back Laude, who fell from bed but got up and went to slap him in the face.
He said he retaliated by putting his hand in Laude’s neck and tried to choke him.
He said he saw Laude stop moving and thought he lost consciousness. Pemberton then dragged Laude’s body to the bathroom to try to pour water on him to revive him.
He said he found no water in the bathroom so he decided to just leave him there.
Court sources said part of Pemberton’s testimony indicated he had oral sex twice in the room with another “woman.”
Pemberton, 19, was on shore leave with some of his marine buddies from USS Peleliu after participating in the just concluded US-Philippines joint military exercises in Subic on October 11, 2014.
He met Laude at the Ambyanz Nightlife Bar along Magsaysay Avenue and were later seen checking in together at the nearby Celzone Lodge.
Laude was found dead at the bathroom of the motel hours later.
A murder complaint was filed against Pemberton in December last year.
Pemberton is currently detained at a US facility inside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.