Jury finds man not guilty of assaulting woman at US research station in Antarctica
Stephen Tyler Bieneman, right, stands outside the federal courthouse, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Honolulu.
FILE - McMurdo Station, a United States Antarctic research station, is photographed from the air on Oct. 27, 2014. Stephen Tyler Bieneman, accused of assaulting a woman at a U.S. research station in Antarctica, testified at his trial Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, that he never hurt her during a physical altercation in a dorm lounge last year. Bieneman has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault over the incident at McMurdo Station.
FILE - Stephen Tyler Bieneman walks out of a U.S. courthouse after the first day of his trial in Honolulu, on Nov. 6, 2023. Bieneman, accused of assaulting a woman at a U.S. research station in Antarctica, testified at his trial Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, that he never hurt her during a physical altercation in a dorm lounge last year. Bieneman has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault over the incident at McMurdo Station.
HONOLULU (AP) 无毛视频� A federal jury on Wednesday found a man not guilty of assaulting a woman at a U.S. research station in Antarctica in a case that drew attention amid reports of harassment and assault at the station.
Stephen Tyler Bieneman pulled tissues from a box on the defense table and cried as each juror was polled and said they found him not guilty of misdemeanor assault in connection with an incident last November at McMurdo Station. Jurors deliberated for 1-1/2 hours after a day in which Bieneman testified that he didn无毛视频檛 initiate the incident or harm the woman.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 taken a huge toll on my reputation,无毛视频� he said outside the courtroom. 无毛视频淭his vindicates him,无毛视频� said his attorney, Birney Bervar.
The verdict came amid increased scrutiny of McMurdo. An Associated Press investigation in August uncovered a pattern of women at McMurdo who said their claims of sexual harassment or assault were minimized by their employers, often leading to them or others being put in further danger.
Last week, the watchdog office overseeing the National Science Foundation said it was sending investigators to McMurdo as it expands its investigative mission to include alleged crimes such as sexual assault and stalking.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib told jurors this week in U.S. District Court in Honolulu that Bieneman got on top of the woman after she took his nametag from his coat as a joke. The prosecutor said Bieneman pinned her down and put his shin across her throat, preventing her from being able to breathe.
In his closing argument Wednesday, Khatib said Bieneman could have seriously injured or killed the woman.
Bieneman, a field safety coordinator trained in conducting searches and rescues, testified that the woman 无毛视频渒ind of immediately got in my face无毛视频� when he returned to a dormitory lounge after celebrating his birthday and Thanksgiving with a group. According to his testimony, she had cursed at him and was upset she wasn无毛视频檛 invited to the gathering.
At one point he left the lounge to return a key to a hut he used for the party. When he returned, he noticed one of the alcoholic seltzers he left behind was open. He said he asked the woman if she took it, and she said she also took his nametag.
无毛视频淚 said, 无毛视频楬ey that无毛视频檚 not cool 无毛视频� please give it back,'无毛视频� Bieneman testified. 无毛视频淪he said, 无毛视频榊ou无毛视频檙e going to have to fight me for it.'无毛视频� He said she grabbed his arms and fell onto her back while holding on to him.
无毛视频淪he was using all of her strength against me to prevent me from getting my nametag back,无毛视频� he testified.
Bieneman denied putting his shin on her neck.
无毛视频淣ot only did I not assault her I was trying my absolute hardest not to hurt her,无毛视频� he said.
Dr. Christopher Martinez, the physician who later examined the woman, testified Wednesday that he had expressed doubts that she was assaulted. Under cross-examination by Khatib, the doctor denied trivializing her complaints of pain.
After the incident, Bieneman was sent to a remote icefield where he was tasked with protecting the safety of a professor and three young graduate students. He remained there for a full week after a warrant for his arrest was issued, documents obtained by the AP show.
The professor wrote in a complaint that Bieneman was 无毛视频渄omineering and critical无毛视频� of the two female graduate students at the camp and that he told them he had had a fight with a woman at McMurdo. The professor wrote that they were astounded to find he was assigned to the team when it was already known that he was under investigation.
Bieneman said outside of court that he was surprised by the professor无毛视频檚 complaint. 无毛视频淚 thought I had a good relationship with them,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 felt I kept them safe and worked hard.无毛视频�
The National Science Foundation declined to answer AP无毛视频檚 questions about why Bieneman was sent out into the field in a critical safety role while under investigation. The case raised further questions about decision-making in the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is under scrutiny.
Bervar, Bieneman无毛视频檚 attorney, said after the trial that the scrutiny unfairly led to his client being charged.
The prosecutor said he was disappointed by the verdict. 无毛视频淲e felt like we had a righteous case,无毛视频� Khatib said.