Former AFRL commander may face court-martial
By London Bishop - lbishop@aimmediamidwest.com
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE The former commander of the Air Force Research Lab faced a military judge Monday morning at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to determine whether or not allegations against him shall proceed to a formal court-martial.
Maj. Gen. William T. Cooley faces a potentially historic legal proceeding, having been charged with three counts of sexual assault under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. If preliminary hearing officer Col. Charles Wiedie who presided over the Article 32 hearing recommends that the case proceed to court-martial, Cooley would be the first Air Force general in history to face such a trial.
Government and defense attorneys traded arguments in military court Monday, with the defense for the former commander of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) contending that Maj. Gen. William Cooley is the victim of a "conspiracy" to end his career, and prosecutors arguing that Cooley sexually assaulted a woman.