The star witness and accuser against an Air Force basic training instructor charged with rape said his misconduct began with a kiss she didn't see coming.
Tech. Sgt. Marc Gayden is charged with rape, forcible sodomy and trying to develop an illicit personal relationship with the woman while he was her basic training instructor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. He faces life in prison if convicted.
Gayden is the 25th instructor to go on trial in a scandal that so far has seen 33 trainers fall under investigation for misconduct with 67 recruits and technical school students.
Prosecutors say Gayden raped the woman and tried to force her to perform oral sex.
The witness identified as Airman 1 took the stand for around three hours Thursday to testify against Gayden. She said she was standing duty as a dorm guard on the night of the incident, when Gayden left an office inside her living quarters.
“He came up to me and tried to hug me, and I turned my head,” she said.
Houston defense attorney Guy Womack spent much of the morning trying to debunk her testimony.
The case hinges on her believability. She is the sole witness against Gayden, an 11-year Air Force veteran the defense says was highly regarded.
As the morning unfolded, she maintained her military bearing, never becoming emotional as some victims have over the last 15 months.
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