Opening statements were heard Tuesday as the court-martial of Lt. Col. Keithen Washington resumed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Washington is accused of sexually assaulting a civilian woman with whom he was in a relationship, and repeatedly hitting her in 2014 and 2015. Washington was commander of the 86th Force Support Squadron at Ramstein Air Base in Germany from July 2012 to August 2014, when two of the alleged non-sexual assaults took place.
According to his charge sheet, Washington faces one specification of a sexual assault charge in violation of Article 12 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He is accused of digitally penetrating the woman without her consent “with an intent to abuse, humiliate or degrade” her by causing her bodily harm, the charge sheet said. That offense allegedly took place in or near Philadelphia between June 28, 2015, and July 2, 2015.
Washington also faces five specifications of assault in violation of Article 128 of the UCMJ. The charge sheet said Washington allegedly kicked the woman in the leg in either March or April 2014, and hit her in the forehead with a cell phone at some point in June 2014. Both alleged assaults took place in Germany.
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Throughout February 2015, Washington allegedly kicked the woman on multiple occasions, struck her in the face with his hand on multiple occasions, and struck her in the hand and stomach with his fist, the charge sheet said. Those three alleged assaults took place in San Antonio.
Washington’s court-martial originally began at Andrews last October, but the judge delayed the hearing to address a scheduling issue, Lt. Col. Darrick Lee, spokesman for Air Force District Washington at Andrews, said at the time. Lee confirmed Wednesday the court-martial has resumed.
Washington was moved to serve as deputy chief of assignment policy for the joint officer branch at Air Force headquarters in the Pentagon last May, three months after charges were preferred against him.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
