Air Force officer is acquitted

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, VA.

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 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 23-year-old woman testified that Krusinski grabbed her backside 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.