11/02/2024

Jury Acquits an Ex-CIA Recruit in an Assault Case

The case led to sexual misconduct reforms

A former CIA officer-trainee was acquitted by a Virginia jury Wednesday of charges that he attacked a female colleague in a stairwell, accusations that spurred a flood of sexual misconduct complaints and reforms at the spy agency.

Prosecutors said Ashkan Bayatpour came up behind a fellow trainee in the stairwell at CIA's Langley, Virginia, headquarters in 2022, wrapped a scarf around her neck and tried to kiss her while making threatening remarks.

Bayatpour appealed last summer after he was convicted by a judge of the same misdemeanor assault and battery charge. Under Virginia law, the Alabama native and former Navy intelligence officer was entitled to a full jury trial in Fairfax County. The panel deliberated several hours Wednesday before its verdict.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.