Navy Officer to Face Court-Martial on Charges of Raping Colleague

A Navy officer will face a court-martial next week in Washington on charges that he raped a civilian co-worker last June, the Navy said Thursday.

Lt. Cmdr. Donald Clause, 34, has been charged with rape, adultery, sexual harassment and conduct unbecoming an officer, said Lt. Karl Johnson, a spokesman for the Naval District Washington.

The military trial will take place at the Washington Navy Yard. If convicted, Clause could be dismissed from the Navy, jailed, fined and forced to forfeit pay. Clause has served on active duty since May 1983, the Navy said.

Baltimore television station WBAL, which first reported the case Wednesday, said the alleged victim contended that she was raped in Clause’s office and that he threatened to fire her if she told police.

WBAL also reported that genetic tests linked Clause to the victim’s baby, born three months ago. Clause’s attorney, Navy lawyer Larry Birch, told WBAL his client denies the rape charge.

Johnson said the alleged rape took place last June 29 while Clause was deputy director of a department at the Navy Public Works Center, which is in charge of maintenance of Navy facilities in the Washington area. He is on temporary duty at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland pending the outcome of the case, Johnson said.

In addition to the rape charge, Clause is accused of violating a 1993 Navy order against sexual harassment. A description of the charges was released by the Navy in Washington.