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| US general's sex crimes case thrown into doubt | US general's sex crimes case thrown into doubt |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A US army judge has said the military may have improperly pushed for the sex crimes trial of a US army general. | A US army judge has said the military may have improperly pushed for the sex crimes trial of a US army general. |
| Judge Col James Pohl did not dismiss the case, but has offered Brig Gen Jeffrey Sinclair's lawyers another opportunity for a plea deal. | Judge Col James Pohl did not dismiss the case, but has offered Brig Gen Jeffrey Sinclair's lawyers another opportunity for a plea deal. |
| Gen Sinclair, 51, is accused of sexually assaulting and threatening a female captain with whom he was having an affair. | Gen Sinclair, 51, is accused of sexually assaulting and threatening a female captain with whom he was having an affair. |
| He has admitted the affair but denied assaulting or threatening the woman. | He has admitted the affair but denied assaulting or threatening the woman. |
| The US military has come under heavy pressure amid what the Pentagon has called an epidemic of rape and other sex crimes. | The US military has come under heavy pressure amid what the Pentagon has called an epidemic of rape and other sex crimes. |
| On Monday, Col Pohl said he had found evidence, in newly-disclosed emails, of unlawful influence from senior military echelons in the decision to reject a plea deal before the trial. | On Monday, Col Pohl said he had found evidence, in newly-disclosed emails, of unlawful influence from senior military echelons in the decision to reject a plea deal before the trial. |
| Gen Sinclair's defence has argued the former deputy commander of the elite 82nd Airborne Division was the victim of overzealous prosecutors under political pressure. | Gen Sinclair's defence has argued the former deputy commander of the elite 82nd Airborne Division was the victim of overzealous prosecutors under political pressure. |
| His lawyers now have until Tuesday morning to decide whether to submit a plea bargain proposal to a different set of military officials, or let the court martial proceed. | |
| "This is an unprecedented situation," lawyer Richard Scheff said. "It's a mess created by the government. It wasn't created by us. We have so many options, we don't even know what they all are." | "This is an unprecedented situation," lawyer Richard Scheff said. "It's a mess created by the government. It wasn't created by us. We have so many options, we don't even know what they all are." |
| Earlier, Gen Sinclair pleaded guilty to three lesser charges against him, including adultery, which is illegal in the military. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the guilty pleas. | Earlier, Gen Sinclair pleaded guilty to three lesser charges against him, including adultery, which is illegal in the military. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the guilty pleas. |
| Military prosecutors had no comment after Monday's hearing. | Military prosecutors had no comment after Monday's hearing. |
| Gen Sinclair's accuser took the stand on Friday, alleging the Army general had threatened to kill her and her family if she ever told anyone of their three-year affair. | |
| Prosecutors have alleged he twice ended arguments about their relationship by forcing her to perform oral sex on him. | Prosecutors have alleged he twice ended arguments about their relationship by forcing her to perform oral sex on him. |
| The Pentagon has estimated that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted in 2012, based on an anonymous survey. | The Pentagon has estimated that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted in 2012, based on an anonymous survey. |
| On Monday, the US Senate approved a bill changing how the US military justice system deals with sexual assault, including prohibiting the use of the "good soldier defence" to raise doubts that a crime has been committed and giving accusers a greater say in whether their cases are tried in a civilian or military court. | |
| A more wide-reaching bill on the issue was rejected by the Senate last week. | A more wide-reaching bill on the issue was rejected by the Senate last week. |