ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 25, 1997 TAG: 9701270054
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WEST POINT, N.Y.
SOURCE: Associated Press
The first male West Point cadet to be charged with raping a female cadet was acquitted Friday of sexually assaulting the woman after a night of drinking at an off-campus party.
James Engelbrecht, 22, of Conroe, Texas, also was acquitted of committing an indecent act. The jury of seven male Army officers deliberated five hours.
``We expected this in a man's world,'' the mother of the female cadet, who was not identified, said after the verdict.
Engelbrecht had faced life in prison and dismissal from the Army if convicted.
``It's like an incredible burden's lifted off of me,'' he said. ``It's been on my shoulders for eight months.''
His accuser did not speak to reporters.
Defense attorney James Fitzgerald said West Point officials brought the case to trial to avoid accusations that they weren't taking the case seriously.
Thursday, Engelbrecht testified that the woman had initiated sex and did not appear to be upset afterward.
Prosecutors at the U.S. Military Academy said the woman was too drunk to agree to sex.
Engelbrecht said he had gone to sleep as the party continued in another room of the Stockholm, N.J., home last May, when the woman climbed into bed with him and began kissing him.
After fumbling with their clothes, Engelbrecht said they briefly had consensual sex. Another cadet testified that he walked into the room and saw the woman straddling him.
The woman testified that she had passed out in a bed after drinking, and woke up in pain to find Engelbrecht raping her.
LENGTH: Short : 42 linesby CNB