Aide: General Threatened to Kill Me if I Revealed Affair

The military hearing for an Army general accused of sex crimes involving female subordinates began this week, and an Army captain who allegedly had a 3-year affair with Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair testified yesterday that Sinclair threatened to kill her if she revealed the relationship. She admitted that, "in a (expletive)-up way I still love him"—the relationship appears to have been consensual at least at times, with text messages showing her calling Sinclair "Mr. Sexy Pants" and a birthday card expressing her love for him—but she said that he was extremely controlling during their relationship, forcing her to perform oral sex at least twice when she tried to end the affair.

"I was crying" during those attempts, she testified, adding that Sinclair was so controlling he even dictated how much water she could drink and when she could go to the bathroom while she was on an Afghanistan combat tour. Sinclair, who is married, rolled his eyes and sighed as the woman testified, the AP reports; the defense attempted to paint her as a scorned lover just trying to get revenge on Sinclair. The general is accused of forcible sodomy, wrongful sexual conduct, and engaging in inappropriate relationships; the charges involve three more of his military subordinates and one civilian. More of those women will testify today, the AP reports. (More Jeffrey Sinclair stories.)