Anonymous threats have been made against at least two of the six women who accused former Sgt. Maj. of the Army Gene McKinney of sexual misconduct, the Army's lead prosecutor said Thursday.
At a pretrial hearing in advance of McKinney's court-martial at this Army post south of Washington, Lt. Col. Michael Child said threats against Staff Sgt. Christine Fetrow are so serious the Army has moved her twice to hide her whereabouts."This young lady is in danger," Child told the hearing judge, Col. Ferdinand Clervi.
McKinney's defense attorneys indicated they planned to show that Fetrow has fabricated at least some of the threats, but Child insisted she was in so much danger even the defense attorneys should not be told where she is living.
"Somebody wants her to not continue to give evidence" that McKinney made inappropriate sexual advances to her, Child said. At an investigative hearing last summer, Fetrow testified that McKinney had kissed her and urged her to have sex with him.
McKinney, who is married and is a 29-year Army veteran, has denied the charges against him.