FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- An Army general on trial on North Carolina for sexual misconduct said Thursday he hired civilian lawyers after having doubts about his military attorneys.
Brig. Gen Jeffrey Sinclair told judge Col. James L. Pohl he had had doubts about the ability of his Army lawyers to fairly defend him, the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer reported.
Sinclair, a former deputy commanding general for the 82nd Airborne Division, said he since resolved those questions with the three military lawyers.
He will continue to retain four civilian attorneys from the law firm of Montgomery McCracken, which is based out of New York and Philadelphia.
Sinclair faces 25 counts on eight charges stemming from allegations he had inappropriate relationships with several women under his command.
During the hearing, the judge denied a defense request to disqualify prosecutors because they had accessed privileged information. He also banned potential jurors, who have already been identified, from reading about the case.
Pohl also changed the date of Sinclair's trial from May 13 to June 25.
