Updated 11:15am, March 17
The Army general accused of forcing his mistress into oral sex and threatening to kill her family pleaded guilty Monday on lesser charges, bringing his closely watched assault case to a close as the military seeks to clamp down on sexual violence in its ranks.
A judge accepted a guilty plea by Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair to disobeying a commander’s order not to contact his mistress, misusing his government travel charge card, using demeaning language to refer to female officers and using a curse word when confronted about that conduct, the Associated Press reports, bringing a humiliating two-year affair to an unsettled end.
The case against Sinclair was derailed earlier this year after prosecutors found that their chief witness—the general’s mistress and an army captain—may have lied under oath at a pretrial hearing. But Army officials say they believe his former lover’s testimony that the general forced her to perform oral sex against her will.
Had Sinclair been convicted on sexual assault charges, he could have faced life in prison.
[AP]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com