Retired general faces rape charges in Virginia following dismissal of Army case
A retired Army general has been indicted on charges of rape in Virginia, seven months after a judge dismissed related charges in the military justice system because the statute of limitations in that case had changed.
James J. Grazioplene, 69, faces multiple counts in Prince William Circuit Court, according to court records. Authorities said the alleged attacks occurred between Aug. 1, 1987, and May 1, 1988. Grazioplene was arrested Friday at his home in Gainesville, Va., booked and arraigned Monday morning. His attorney, Thomas Pavlinic of Annapolis, acknowledged a court appearance and said his client says he’s not guilty, but otherwise declined to comment.
It is the latest chapter in legal troubles for the retired two-star officer, who was charged by the Army last year with rape after an Army investigation dating back to early 2015. Military officials prepared to court-martial Grazioplene this year rather than passing on the decades-old case. The U.S. military has prosecuted a general on felony charges just a handful of times in modern times.
Army officials heard evidence against Grazioplene during an Article 32 hearing at Fort Meade, Md., in August 2017 in which the general’s accuser described years of abuse at his hands. The case fell apart this year after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces found that there should be a five-year statute of limitations on rape charges.
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