General to Accept Plea Bargain on Sex Charges

Retired Army Maj. Gen. David Hale, accused of sexual improprieties with the wives of his subordinates, struck a deal under which he will plead guilty to some charges in exchange for a reduced sentence, his lawyer said Tuesday.

The allegations against the former deputy inspector general for the Army had earlier led to changes in Pentagon rules barring top officers from retiring while facing charges of impropriety or criminal wrongdoing.

The plea agreement was accepted by Hale and Army prosecutors, said his attorney, Frank Spinner.

Hale will enter his plea today before a military judge to seven counts of conduct unbecoming an officer--including having four improper relationships with the wives of subordinates--and one count of making false official statements. Spinner said Hale won’t plead guilty to any non-consensual sexual offenses.

Hale faces a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison. Under the initial 17 charges, he had faced the possibility of 56 years in prison if convicted.

NBC News, citing unidentified military sources, said Hale agreed to plead to the eight counts in return for a 30-day jail sentence and a $75,000 fine. Col. Melanie Reeder, a Ft. Lewis spokeswoman, said she could not confirm the report.

Hale, 53, was allowed to retire with honor in February 1998 after four months as a deputy inspector general, despite suspicions about alleged improprieties while he was a top North Atlantic Treaty Organization commander in southern Europe.

The alleged relationships occurred from 1996 to 1998.