Activists March Outside Court In Support of Vets’ Lawsuit

NORFOLK

Veterans, Civil Rights Activists and Citizens held a demonstration against Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Physical Assault, Rape and Sexual Harassment on Friday, August 9, 2019, at the U.S. District Court in downtown Norfolk.

DAV Roy Perry-Bey, in a letter to Congresswoman Elaine Luria, 2nd District of Virginia, requested Congress to hold hearings into allegations that military officials named in a lawsuit (Perry-Bey,  et al., v. McCarthy et al., No. 219cv344) used their positions to assault, sexually assault, rape or harass active duty military members who are now veterans while these veterans were serving under their command. The suit which reveals criminal conduct was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on July 1, 2019.

Perry-Bey has requested that Congresswoman Elaine Luria review the veterans’ lawsuit and notify the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. He and his supporters are requesting that independent special prosecutors with experience in military sexual assault cases be asked to investigate for possible criminal prosecution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office representation, in this civil matter, he said, may create a conflict of interest for possible criminal prosecution of military officials that could undermine the victims’ “plaintiffs” rights.