Jury acquits Air Force officer accused of g..

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Arlinton, Va. • A jury has acquitted an Air Force officer who once led the branch's sexual assault response team on charges that he groped a woman outside a Virginia bar.

The seven-member jury deliberated about an hour after hearing closing arguments Wednesday in the misdemeanor assault case against 42-year-old Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski. His arrest fueled a national furor over sexual abuse in the military and whether top brass take the issue seriously.

A 23-year-old woman testified that Krusinski grabbed her backside on May 5 outside the Crystal City bar.

Defense lawyers argued that there were inconsistencies in her story. She admitted punching Krusinski a few times in retaliation, while other witnesses described seeing her hit him countless times.

Prosecutors said the jury should not be distracted by what happened after the alleged grope.

Jury acquits Air Force officer accused of groping