Protesters display placards during a rally across the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday Nov. 22, 2006 to demand justice for the 23-year old Filipino woman named by court as 'Nicole,' who accused four U.S. Marines of raping her Nov. 1 of last year. A judge trying the case is scheduled to release the decision on the rape case on Monday Nov. 27. A decision by the city judge hearing the rape case, the first to be filed against U.S. soldiers, will be out by Monday Nov. 27. 'Nicole' claimed she was raped by the Marines Nov. 1 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

 

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21-year-old gets 40 years in prison; case has tested U.S.-Philippines ties

MANILA, Philippines - A U.S. Marine was convicted Monday of raping a Filipino woman and sentenced to 40 years in prison, ending an emotional trial that has strained U.S.-Philippine ties and tested a joint military pact.

Three other Marines and their Filipino driver were acquitted of complicity.

Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, 21, from St. Louis, was the first American soldier convicted of wrongdoing in the Philippines since the country shut down U.S. bases here the early 1990s. His lawyer, Ricardo Diaz, said he would appeal.

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