Officer Found Innocent In Army Harassment Case Instructor’s Acquittal Follows Two Recent Guilty Pleas At Post

An Army instructor was found innocent on Monday of sexually harassing a female trainee after testifying he had never even met the private who accused him of abuse.

A judge also cleared Sgt. George W. Blackley Jr., 34, of other charges, including making an “indecent tongue gesture” to a female sergeant. Blackley said he could not recall making the gesture.

Blackley’s acquittal follows the recent guilty pleas of two other instructors at courts-martial at Fort Leonard Wood.

Blackley declined to speak to reporters, and the judge, Col. Gregory O. Varo, did not comment.

The charges against Blackley listed eight alleged victims in incidents in 1995, and prosecutors had a list of 40 witnesses. But only two of them were called, and both sides rested their cases after only a few hours.

At the time of the alleged incidents, Blackley was a noncommissioned training and advice officer, with duties that included processing trainees upon their arrival. His position meant he was one of the first military personnel new recruits would meet.

He testified he had never met the private who said he called her into a private office in July 1995 and rubbed against her, including her breasts, then repeated the rubbing that night in her barracks during an inspection.

Blackley also said he never entered the female barracks unescorted by a female guard.

The defense called Blackley’s mother to refute the female sergeant’s testimony. Caponia Blackley said her son frequently licks his lips out of a habit that was probably misinterpreted.

Blackley was charged Nov. 9, 1995, almost one year before the military sex scandal broke at the Army Ordnance Center at Aberdeen, Md.