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US Army General Jeffrey Sinclair faces assault accuser | US Army General Jeffrey Sinclair faces assault accuser |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A US Army captain who accuses a general of sexually assaulting her has wept as she told a court he threatened to kill her family. | |
The unidentified accuser spoke after opening arguments in a military trial at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, against Brig Gen Jeffrey Sinclair, 51. | The unidentified accuser spoke after opening arguments in a military trial at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, against Brig Gen Jeffrey Sinclair, 51. |
Defence lawyers said the general was the victim of an infatuated woman and a prosecution under political pressure. | Defence lawyers said the general was the victim of an infatuated woman and a prosecution under political pressure. |
The Pentagon has been pledging to stamp out an epidemic of sexual misconduct. | |
In two other cases to emerge on Friday: | |
But the case of Gen Sinclair is believed to be the highest-ranking US military prosecution to date. | |
He already faces a sentence of up to 15 years after admitting on Thursday to adultery and other charges deemed illegal in the military. | |
The former deputy commander of the elite 82nd Airborne Division could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of sexual assault. | The former deputy commander of the elite 82nd Airborne Division could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of sexual assault. |
'Sexually explicit texts' | 'Sexually explicit texts' |
In Friday's opening statements, Army prosecutor Col Robert Stelle said Gen Sinclair had used his authority to intimidate a female officer into sexual acts. | |
The female captain, who has been granted anonymity, testified that Gen Sinclair twice ended arguments about their relationship by forcing her to perform oral sex on him. | |
She said she "knew it was wrong" when they began their three-year affair. But she said she thought Gen Sinclair's wife knew about their relationship until he told her that she must never find out. | |
"He told me that if I ever told her or anyone else about he and I, he would kill me and then he would kill my family," she said, sobbing on the witness stand. | "He told me that if I ever told her or anyone else about he and I, he would kill me and then he would kill my family," she said, sobbing on the witness stand. |
"And he would do it in a way no-one would ever know." | "And he would do it in a way no-one would ever know." |
But Gen Sinclair's lawyer, Ellen Brotman, read excerpts from the captain's diary, in which she expressed desire for him even after he allegedly threatened violence against her loved ones. | |
"I'm so in love with him," Ms Brotman read from the diary. "I do know that I love him incredibly... I love him almost unconditionally." | "I'm so in love with him," Ms Brotman read from the diary. "I do know that I love him incredibly... I love him almost unconditionally." |
The only fear she expressed, Ms Brotman said, was that he might still love his wife. | The only fear she expressed, Ms Brotman said, was that he might still love his wife. |
Gen Sinclair and his accuser also exchanged thousands of often sexually explicit text messages, even after he tried to end their relationship, said the defence. | Gen Sinclair and his accuser also exchanged thousands of often sexually explicit text messages, even after he tried to end their relationship, said the defence. |
On Thursday, a bill that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide whether to prosecute rapes and other serious crimes failed to progress in the US Senate. | On Thursday, a bill that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide whether to prosecute rapes and other serious crimes failed to progress in the US Senate. |
Lawmakers instead voted to move forward a more moderate measure. | Lawmakers instead voted to move forward a more moderate measure. |
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