General's court-martial is thrown into jeopardy
Source: AP-Excite
By MICHAEL BIESECKER
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) - The sexual assault case against an Army general was thrown into jeopardy Monday when the judge said the military may have improperly pressed ahead with a trial to send a message about its determination to curb rape and other widespread misconduct.
Judge Col. James Pohl refused to dismiss the charges against Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair but offered the defense another chance to plea-bargain the case down with a different set of military officials.
The twist comes with the Pentagon under heavy pressure from Congress and beyond to combat what the military says is an epidemic of rape and other sex crimes. On Monday, in fact, the Senate was expected to approve legislation cracking down on misconduct.
Pohl reviewed newly disclosed emails in Sinclair's case and said he found evidence of unlawful command influence in Fort Bragg officials' decision to reject a plea deal before the trial began late last week.
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Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140310/DACF2HO01.html
In this March 4, 2014, file photo, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, right, leaves the courthouse with his lawyers Richard Scheff, left, and Ellen C. Brotman, not pictured, following a day of motions at Fort Bragg, N.C. A military judge declined Monday, March 10, 2014, to dismiss sexual assault charges against Sinclair after reviewing what he said was evidence that political considerations influenced the military's handling of the case. (AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, James Robinson, File)
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