2nd day of sentencing hearing in US Army general's sex case; lawyers argue against jail time
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair shakes hands with his defense attorney Ellen C. Brotman outside the Fort Bragg, N.C., courthouse, Monday, March 17, 2014. Sinclair, who admitted to improper relationships with three subordinates, appeared to choke up as he told a judge that he'd failed the female captain who had leveled the most serious accusations against him. (AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Johnny Horne) (The Associated Press)
A witness at the sentencing of an Army general who admitted to having inappropriate relationships with three subordinates testified about a bawdy skit intended to depict the man and his primary accuser.
Lt. Col. Benjamin Bigelow says the skit at a 2010 party in Germany depicted suggestive acts between soldiers dressed up to be Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair and the woman with whom he has admitted a three-year affair. The woman also accused him of sexual assault, but those charges were dropped in a plea deal.
Sinclair has pleaded to several lesser violations of military law in the plea deal that was accepted by a military judge on Monday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prosecutors finished their part of the sentencing hearing before lunch. Sinclair's attorneys were expected to start calling about 20 character witnesses Tuesday afternoon.