Former top US soldier escapes jail

McKinney and his wife exchange thoughts outside the court

The US army's former top soldier, Gene McKinney, has escaped a prison sentence after being convicted of obstruction of justice in the sexual-misconduct case against him.

McKinney, once the Army's highest-ranking enlisted man, could have received up to five years in prison and a dishonourable discharge. Instead, the military jury at Fort Belvoir in Virginia decided to reprimand him and demote him one rank.

The sentence was imposed by the same jury of six men and two women that cleared him of 18 out of 19 counts on Friday, including all charges that he pressured six military women for sex.

McKinney, 47, was convicted of obstruction for encouraging one of his accusers to lie to army investigators.

As the sentence was imposed, McKinney stood at attention and showed no emotion. His wife, Wilhemina, sat stoically, directly behind him.

Secret recording

Could have received 55 years in prison

The court martial was played a tape of a telephone conversation made by one of his accusers, Staff Seargeant Christine Fetrow, at the request of army investigators.

In the recording, McKinney is heard telling Sgt Fetrow, "Just tell them that we talked. ... No inappropriateness at all, just that we talked."

Sgt Fetrow testified that McKinney pursued her for sex for more than two years.

She said that in the call, he was urging her to lie; McKinney testified he was merely encouraging her to tell the truth.

Four of McKinney's six accusers sat next to one another in the courtroom.

Sgt Fetrow's accusations accounted for 10 of the 19 charges against McKinney.

Had he been convicted on all counts, McKinney could have received 55 years in prison.

Prosecution sought jail term

The Army's lead prosecutor, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Child, had asked the jury to sentence McKinney to six months in prison and a reduction to the lowest rank, buck private. He did not ask for a dishonourable discharge.

McKinney was removed from the powerful post after his first accuser, Seargent Major Brenda Hoster, made her allegations public in February 1997.

Ms Fetrow and four other women said in interviews that by acquitting McKinney of the sex charges, the jury "sacrificed" the women and considered them "expendable." They said the army did too little to protect their reputations.