Bill Clinton's Air Force wants to put an officer in prison for possibly 20 years. Seems he had consensual sex! No perjury, no obstruction of justice.
Let's see, a measured response for Clinton's crimes should be several life terms. Put him in a cell with Hillary - but that would be cruel and unusual.
Air Force Pilot Charged in Sex Case
By DAVID KLIGMAN Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Air Force Capt. Joseph A. Belli's
life has been ruined simply because he fell in love, his attorney
says.
Belli, a 12-year veteran who flew Defense Secretary William
Cohen's entourage to the Mideast last spring, faces 20 years in
prison if convicted of fraternization and other charges.
''Everything he holds dear is essentially gone,'' said lawyer John
Hodson. ''I don't know that you have a lot of control over who
you fall in love with in life. But it's a hell of a price to pay, isn't
it?''
Formal charges were filed last week against the Travis Air
Force Base captain and father of five. An Article 32 hearing,
the military version of a grand jury proceeding, is expected to
begin within the next two weeks.
Belli was charged with fraternization and conspiracy, and he is
also accused of disobeying a direct order to end the relationship
with Airman Susan Redo.
Belli, a member of the 6th Air Refueling Squadron, allegedly
began the affair when he was stationed at Diego Garcia Air
Base in the Indian Ocean in November 1997, several months
after his wife requested a divorce.
Belli, 35, told his estranged wife about the affair when he
returned to Travis last year, military officials said. She became
angry and notified his commanding officer.
''I doubt very much if that lady had any inkling of the ton of
bricks she was about to bring down on her children's father,''
Hodson said.
Air Force officials have accused Belli of asking his wife and
Ms. Redo, who is in her early 20s, to lie about the affair.
Ms. Redo will not be prosecuted because the military assumes
an officer is in control in such a relationship.
Fraternization between officers and enlisted personnel became a
national issue in 1997 when Lt. Kelly Flinn, the first female B-52
bomber pilot, was charged with adultery for having an affair
with the husband of a female airman in North Dakota. She
eventually was allowed to resign and was not prosecuted.
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