Jeffrey krusinski verdict meaning

An Arlington County, Va., District Court judge set a July 18 trial date for a lieutenant colonel who ran the U.S. Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and was charged with sexual battery over the weekend.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, maintained a stoic facial expression throughout his arraignment Thursday afternoon. He spoke only to answer that he does understand the charge against him.

Sheryl Shane, Krusinski's lawyer, pushed for a September trial date because the media attention focused on the case, but Judge Richard J. McCue rejected that argument and denied the request, News4's Mark Segraves reported.

Shane told the judge the case is not as cut-and-dry as prosecutors would have people believe. She also said the case will last longer than one day because of the number of witnesses she plans to call and she asked for time to hire a private investigator.

Police allowed Krusinski to leave the courthouse through a private exit to avoid the media, but he went back in the courthouse and told police he wanted to walk past the cameras again, Segraves reported. Mobbed by reporters, Krusinski remained silent.

Krusinski approached a woman in a parking lot in the Crystal City area and grabbed her breasts and buttocks about a.m. Sunday, police said. He was drunk, according to the police report.

The victim fought him off — leaving scratches on his face — and called police. 

Krusinski was from his post, which he'd held since February, pending the outcome of an investigation. An Air Force spokesperson told Segraves Krusinski remains on active duty and has been moved to a new position within the same organization.

The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a $2, fine.

Depending on the outcome of the trial, Krusinski could face military discipline, including court martial. That decision is up to the secretary of the Air Force and won't come until after the civilian trial.

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — An Air Force officer who once led the branch’s sexual assault response team was acquitted Wednesday of allegations that he groped a woman outside a Virginia bar.

A seven-member jury deliberated about an hour after hearing closing arguments in the misdemeanor assault case against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 42, of Arlington. His arrest fueled a national furor over sexual abuse in the military and whether top brass take the issue seriously.

A year-old woman testified that Krusinski grabbed her backside on May 5 outside the Crystal City bar.

Defense lawyers argued that there were inconsistencies in her story. In particular, the defense honed in on the woman’s testimony admitting she punched Krusinski a few times in the face in retaliation. Numerous other witnesses, though, described seeing her hit him countless times.

Prosecutors had urged the jury not to be distracted by what happened after the alleged grope.

Krusinski showed no visible reaction after the verdict was read, but smiled and hugged family members outside the courtroom. He did not respond when reporters asked him for his reaction.

The jury forewoman, Alison Kutchma, said “the commonwealth did not present evidence to meet the threshold of reasonable doubt. Our job was to look at the evidence.”

She declined to say whether there was any testimony or issue in particular that swayed the jury.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos said she was disappointed by the verdict. “We think we put on a good case, but the jury, as they say, has spoken.”

The woman who brought the complaint declined comment leaving the courtroom. Stamos met with her after the verdict and described her as “relieved that it’s over.”

The alleged victim testified that Krusinski grabbed her backside and was backed up by a bar employee who testified that she saw the grope as well, though she described it somewhat differently than the alleged victim

Military Law News Network &#; Nov 18, &#; A civilian jury recently acquitted Air Force officer Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski. Lt. Col. Krusinski was accused of groping a woman outside of a bar in Arlington, VA. In this episode, court-martial lawyers, Michael Waddington, Tim Bilecki, and Noel Tipon discuss the Lt. Col. Krusinski case and how it impacts the military&#;s ongoing &#;War On Sexual Assault.&#; The lawyers also make predictions on how this case may play out in the Air Force. Lt. Col. Krusinski once led the Air Force&#;s sexual assault response team. A jury of five men and two women deliberated for an hour and 15 minutes in the misdemeanor assault case against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 42, of Arlington, Va.

His arrest fueled a national furor over sexual abuse in the military and whether top brass take the issue seriously.

Jury acquits Air Force officer accused of groping

&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;

Link to the the video:

&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;

TRANSCRIPT:

Mike:              An Air Force colonel accused of assaulting a young woman outside of a Crystal City Bar this past spring has been fully acquitted by an Arlington Jury.

Mike:              My name is Michael Waddington with the Military Law News Network.  In this episode, I’m joined by attorneys Timothy Bilecki and Noel Tipon.  The big case this week that concluded on 13 November is the case of Lt Col Jeffrey Krusinski, but this was not a case that was tried in military courts.

Krusinski, 42 is the head of the Air Forces Sexual Assault Prevention Branch when he was arrested after the March encounter, outside a Crystal City bar.  The incident was swept up in an ongoing debate over whether the military is equipped to handle sexual assaults amongst its ranks.  The interesting thing is in this case, the military was not allowed to have jurisdiction, the State Court decided to proceed because it felt the military was not competent to successfully prose

An Air Force officer who led the branch's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response unit has been charged with groping a woman in a northern Virginia parking lot, authorities said Monday.

His arrest underscored the urgent problem of sexual assault in the military, as the Pentagon prepared to release its annual report Tuesday. That report is expected to show an alarming rise in the number of people anonymously saying they have been the victim of unreported assaults, NBC News reported.

Arlington County Police said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski of Arlington faces a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery following an alleged assault about a.m. Sunday in the Crystal City area of the county.

A police report says that the year-old Krusinski was drunk and grabbed a woman's breast and buttocks. Police say the woman fought him off and called police.

Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says Krusinski did not know the woman involved.

Susie Doyle, a spokeswoman for the Arlington County Sheriff's Office, said Krusinski was released Sunday on a $5, personal recognizance bond. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.

A working phone number for Krusinski could not be found Monday and court records did not list an attorney.

Air Force spokeswoman Natasha Waggoner said Krusinski was removed from his post in the sexual assault unit after the Air Force learned of his arrest. He started in the post in February.

An Air Force website says the "Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program reinforces the Air Force's commitment to eliminate incidents of sexual assault through awareness and prevention training, education, victim advocacy, response, reporting and accountability."

The website continues: "Sexual assault is criminal conduct. It falls well short of the standards America expects of its men and women in uniform."