Virginia jury acquits a former CIA officer in an assault case that led to sexual misconduct reforms

A former CIA officer trainee was acquitted by a Virginia jury Wednesday of charges that he assaulted a female colleague in a stairwell; These accusations led to numerous sexual misconduct complaints and reforms at the spy agency.

Prosecutors said Ashkan Bayatpour climbed a stairwell behind a fellow intern at the CIA’s Langley, Virginia headquarters in 2022, wrapped a scarf around her neck and tried to kiss her while making threatening statements.

Bayatpour appealed last summer after a judge convicted him 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 for several hours before reaching its decision Wednesday.

“I am grateful that a jury of my peers believed me and found me not guilty,” said Bayatpour, 40, who resigned from the CIA after an earlier conviction in the case. “Being falsely accused for the last two years has been a nightmare. “My family and I were robbed of so much of our peace, joy, privacy, and security, and now my focus is on putting my life back together after this ordeal.”

Bayatpour admitted at an earlier hearing that she wrapped her scarf around the woman’s neck, but insisted it was a joke during a 40-minute walk together. His lawyer said the incident was “a prank that did not turn out the way it was intended.”

The woman’s decision to take the case outside the spy agency has emboldened at least two dozen female CIA employees over the past two years to come forward with their stories to authorities and Congress of what they say is a campaign of sexual assault, unwanted touching and perpetuation of the same. They prevented them from speaking.

One AP investigation The accusations, some dating back years, range from suggestive statements about sexual fantasies to a senior CIA officer office party He reached up a colleague’s skirt and forcibly kissed her in front of his astonished colleagues.

House Intelligence Committee, bipartisan report this year, he faulted the CIA for failing in its response to such allegations of sexual misconduct. The report, based on interviews with 26 whistleblowers and multiple briefings with CIA officials, found that the agency’s investigations into sexual assault or harassment were ineffective and victims were deterred from filing complaints.

The agency said it has since reformed its policies, including ensuring officers are aware they can report complaints to law enforcement and other steps to facilitate internal investigations, support victims and quickly discipline those responsible.

“We take the issues of sexual assault and sexual harassment extremely seriously and remain committed to providing a safe workplace for our officers,” the CIA said in a statement.

Bayatpour accuser Rachel Cuda was fired After he filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the CIA retaliated against him for reporting the incident to local law enforcement and testifying about it in a closed congressional hearing.

His attorney, Kevin Carroll, said he was disappointed with the outcome of the case and questioned the defendant’s tactics to clear his name; This, he said, included trying to embarrass the complainant with false, biased and irrelevant allegations.

“This effort to discredit him is reprehensible and it is surprising that this is allowed in 2024,” he said.

The AP generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually abused, unless alleged victims identify themselves publicly or allow their names to be published, as Cuda did in this case.

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Goodman reported from Miami and Mustian from New Orleans. Contact AP’s global research team at: (email protected).