Two-star General Accused of Sexual Assault
From Air Force Times: The Article 32 hearing for Maj. Gen. William Cooley, former head of the Air Force
Research Laboratory, on a charge of sexual assault has been rescheduled for Feb. 8, Air Force Materiel Command said Tuesday.
The hearing, which is similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding, was originally set to begin Thursday. If it proceeds to a court-martial, it will be the first time an Air Force general has ever faced such a trial.
AFMC spokesman Derek Kaufman said that coronavirus-related travel restrictions for other cases prompted Cooley’s hearing to be rescheduled.
Cooley is accused of making unwanted sexual advances on a civilian woman, who is not a Defense Department employee, while off-duty in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Aug. 12, 2018. According to a charge sheet in the case, Cooley allegedly kissed the woman on her mouth, without her consent, “with an intent to gratify his sexual desire.”
Cooley was fired from command of the laboratory on Jan. 15, 2020, due to alleged misconduct. The Air Force then said Cooley was under investigation by the Office of Special Investigations.
SOURCE: Two-star Air Force general to face Article 32 hearing Feb. 8 by Stephen Losey https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/01/27/two-star-general-to-face-article-32-hearing-feb-8/
