USAF general guilty of sex assault
Maj Gen William Cooley
We last talked about the general a while back as the case was making its way forward. The case was decided today in Cooley’s court martial by the presiding judge in a bench trial (i.e. not a jury trial). The general will be sentenced on Monday.
From Air Force Times;
A military judge convicted Maj. Gen. Bill Cooley of sexually assaulting his sister-in-law in 2018, closing out Saturday the historic first full court-martial of an Air Force general.
Col. Christina Jimenez, who is presiding over the bench trial, is expected to sentence the former Air Force Research Laboratory commander on Monday. He faces up to seven years in jail, dismissal from the Air Force and withholding of pay, and a possible spot in the national sex offender database.
After about five hours of deliberation Friday and an overnight break, Jimenez — the chief circuit military judge with the Air Force Trial Judiciary, Western Circuit, at Travis Air Force Base, California — ruled Cooley is guilty of forcibly kissing the woman, the first specification in a single charge of abusive sexual contact. He is not guilty of two other specifications of groping her and moving her hand to touch his genitals over his clothes, she said.
This is the first time a military court has issued a verdict in a case involving an Air Force general. It’s also the first time sexual assault charges have led to criminal prosecution for someone so high up in the chain of command.
“Sometimes family members are the abusers,” Cooley’s sister-in-law said in a statement read by Ryan Guilds, her pro bono victim’s advocate, after the verdict. “The price for peace in my extended family was my silence. And that price was too high.”
Cooley pleaded not guilty to the abusive sexual contact charge for kissing the woman, and for allegedly touching her breast and genitals over her clothes while they were alone in her car in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also claims he moved her hand to touch his groin through his pants.
She agreed to be publicly identified by her relationship to the defendant, but not by name. Air Force Times does not publish the names of sexual assault victims without their permission to protect their privacy.
The woman and her husband — an Air Force civilian employee — as well as Cooley’s mother and several other family friends and expert witnesses testified in the trial, which began Monday. Those who the woman confided in after the alleged incident recounted that she was unlike herself, even shell-shocked, when discussing the alleged assault.
“She was incredibly upset, teary, incredibly shaken,” Rev. David Martin, an Episcopal deacon and close friend, testified Thursday.
The defense acknowledged a kiss happened, but characterized the lawsuit as a setup by the sister-in-law to get revenge for a brief, consensual tryst — a description the woman denies.
The trial counsel in closing arguments Friday argued the defense took evidence out of context and twisted the alleged victim’s words so the two-star general could avoid responsibility.
“[I] kissed you in an uninvited way … for my own selfish ego,” Cooley said in a written apology from 2018 that the prosecution cited in court. “I’m stunned at my deplorable actions.”
Much more at the source.
Several people sent this in, so thanks to all!
Category: Air Force, Breaking News, Dick Stepping, General Whackos
For a kiss???
“He faces up to seven years in jail, dismissal from the Air Force and withholding of pay, and a possible spot in the national sex offender database.”
Yup! Should be more i have never kissed or had sex with a woman that didnt 100% want it. And this guy forces himself on her, cmon? As a husband and a father to 3 girls and 2 boys, hes getting off easy.
Dumbass wanted a bench trial…
With a woman judge!
Shouldn’t be freakn on your SIL, bruh.
“Hot MI#F’s in your your town need love.”
Allegedly allegedly
Jenny, 867-5309, for a good time call…
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Now Cooley could spend some time in the cooler!
Thank you for your servicing of your SIL.
Real leery on she said/he said cases. Female “Judge”? Pro bono lawer? No jury? Possible previous tryst? Hmmm
Sorry/not sorry. I’d of had to be there and look in their eyes as they gave their testimony. Been lied on and lied to by some sho nuff professionals. And having had my share of experiences with snake headed wimmins and lying sacks of sh^t men, I’ve gotten real good a recognizing them.
Don’t read too much into this. A potato could be convicted of being a banana in a military “court”. After spending almost a year on “jury duty”, all I can say is that the rules of evidence, due process, and discovery just do not exist in the military system.
and then there is command influence. If the CG wants a conviction, the CG gets a conviction.
the bottom line here is that as many milblogs and news outlets have written over the past couple of years, the military justice system is beyond the pale and most of these trials need to be moved to the civilian system where due process and rules of evidence actually exist and are enforced.
I realize no human justice system is perfect, but the military system is a conviction machine.
Ol’ Poe is reminded of that old saying that, “Military justice is to justice, what military music is to music”.
But since Poe happens to have a special place in his heart for military music, he’ll just go with the obvious idea of the term military justice being an oxymoron.
As they used to say when I was a lad, UCMJ means Uniform Code of Marsupial Justice.
I don’t buy it.
I’ve no doubt the general is a shitbag. I’ve little doubt that his sister in-law isn’t, as well.
I don’t want either leading troops.
None of this deserves jail time.
What’s the relation? Is it his brother’s wife or his wife’s sister?
The only difference is what weapon is used to address the issue. The courts should stay out of this.
Jerry Springer…
Joe seems like the complete package. Too much man for one woman.
If Mom likes ‘em young, maybe she just troll the Enlisted Club for some companionship.
With the money they got for appearing on Jerry Springer, they can now afford to put the door on their mobile home back on its hinges, and maybe have a few bucks to upgrade their meth lab.
Maybe even put a door on the mailbox?
Pretty sure it’s his brother’s wife. When Sibling Rivalry goes too far.
I’ll just leave this here:
https://youtu.be/DXgPQ_R0ut0
Just think, if Jim had lived… he’d have been in Vegas, overweight in a white jumpsuit, forgetting his lines because a guy’s toupee fell off.
“Ride the snake, ride the snake, to the lake, the ancient lake baby, the snake is bald, can’t find his toupee… jeez, 14 years down the f*cking drain.”
“Ride the snake, ride the snake, to the lake,
Had to google that. Glad I did. Haven’t laughed that hard in a while. Thanks.
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/jimmy-tangos-fat-busters/2861295
…Just a personal observation and opinion, YMMV, of course: DOD has been under extreme pressure for some time now to ‘correct’ its handling of sexual assault cases, i.e.; make sure the guy loses, without exception, every single time. The only reason it hasn’t happened yet is that the services have fought it tooth and nail.
So, I’m wondering – was MGen Cooley the sacrificial lamb? I mean, let’s face it – the SIL certainly wasn’t the first, but she was certainly the one who could be a slam dunk in a GCM. There had to have been a folder with his name on it somewhere with lots of reports and accusations, but nothing anybody could make stick. The services can now go to the politicians and say, “See? One of our own has been well and truly slammed,” and the politicians are likely to buy it – or at least back off a bit – until the next spectacular case of high-ranking commissioned stupidity pops up.
Another one of those general/flag officers who actually believe that they got better looking, smarter, and more attractive to women with each promotion?
Dumbass.
Agreed that he’s a dumbass. But there’s actually a reason many men in power apparently think that’s the case.
There seems to be a subset of women who find men in positions of power and authority highly attractive because of that fact. Example: Kissinger – who was not exactly the physical archetype of a “manly stud” – was apparently quite the ladies’ man, particularly while National Security Advisor and SecState. His take on the matter was: “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.“
Yup!
Some dadgum handsome looking GOs though. GEN Stephen Townsend, MG Sean Bernabe & MG Matthew McFarlane are a just a few.
“Women sense my power and seek the life essence… ” well, it ain’t ’cause he’s got sense.
Does he lose his coffee cup
This guy was an idiot.
As a General, he had to know the political climate and the outcome if she sounded off, honest or not. Lose-lose situation.
Fucking moron.
That’s why there are hookers.
Agreed. To paraphrase GEN Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stillwell: the higher you climb that flagpole, the better everyone can see your butt.
For the reasons you stated, I have zero sympathy for any GO/FO who gets caught doing something dumb and loses a career over same. At that point in their career, they damn well should know better – and know how the “game” has to be played.
On the one hand, he should be old enough, and mature enough to know when to stop and not to hit on his SIL. On the other hand…much of what she described would have been considered the normal “handsiness” of dating back in the Dark Ages of the ‘6s and ’70s. He tried a variety of moves, she stopped him, all just part of ‘the game’. Admittedly, the amount of force involved is key. Did seem he was doomed before it started… she was one of many accusers, not the only one.
Stupidity combined with the justice railroad and likely vindictiveness on the part of the SIL result in the hammer dropping.
I had the misfortune of being in the way when counter accusations were made by a psychotic captain in my directorate who had allegations made against her. Even though the allegations against me were demonstrably false, I was still under investigation for four months. Highest stress I’ve ever experienced even though I knew I was innocent. The other victim of her vindictiveness didn’t survive contact. Neither did my deputy, who had let the original problems fester for years.
UPDATE:
“Air Force Maj. Gen. William Cooley Sentenced To Reprimand, Forfeiture Of Pay In Court-Martial”
https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2022-04-26/air-force-maj-gen-william-cooley-sentenced-court-martial-5806551.html
“An Air Force judge Tuesday sentenced Maj. Gen. William Cooley to a reprimand and ordered that he forfeit $10,910 of monthly pay for five months…Cooley’s monthly pay is $15,966.”
“Conway called the sentence “a very significant sentence,” and he said a letter of reprimand may have implications in terms of the rank at which Cooley will be allowed to retire, if he chooses to retire. But Conway also said that it’s still Cooley’s hope that he may continue serving in the Air Force.
As of now, Cooley retains the rank of major general. Military prosecutor Lt. Col. Matthew Neil believed Gen. Arnold Bunch, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, may write a letter of reprimand against Cooley or direct someone to write that letter.”