A French Foreign Legionnaire is punished for sexual advances and abuse of his soldiers in this Breaking News press release from Cavelo.

Press Release: Sex Sentence
by Cavelo

(KW:AM-PA-SEX SENTENCE)
(D0312/M)
(ON-LINE WIRE;W20;D0312 ;NBRX;)
(WB) Former Legionnaire given prison term Oran-Algeria

A former French Foreign Legionnaire was sentenced Friday to up to 5 years in the Penal Brigade for coercing troopers into having sex with him while stationed a Sidi-bou-Said, a Legion outpost in northwestern Algeria.

Peter Von Battenberg, 43, was sentenced to five consecutive terms of 12 months in a military prison in Algiers on charges of official oppression (unjust or cruel exercise of authority of power). Von Battenberg was in his seventh month as commander at Sidibou-Said when he was accused by a young recruit of making sexual advances, fondling and threatening him with punishments unless he engaged in sex acts with him. During the trial, recruit Steven Reeves, 26, American, stated under oath that after rejecting several of Von Battenberg's advances, he was accused and arrested for striking von Battenberg---an officer. Reeves spent 72 hours in the stockade where he was "severely disciplined" by Von Battenberg and his specially selected bullies.

Reeves testified that he was strung up by the ankles in the stockade and flogged on his bare flesh with whips made of toughened hide dipped in salt water. Reeves further stated that he was then bound to the gun carriage wheels where he remained fixed in one position for 8 hours. "The hot Sahara sun beat down on my torn and lacerated body and thousands of flies played havoc," Reeves said. At the Court-martial Reeves removed his shirt to reveal scars from the approximately 50 lashes he received while in Von Battenberg's hands. Additional troopers testified that they too had been harassed by Von Battenberg although none of the witnesses claimed to have been physically abused.

Von Battenberg was apprehended in May 1932. Later that year he pleaded guilty but mentally ill in a plea bargain that angered many fellow Legionnaires. Von Battenberg, who became infatuated with the young recruit soon after Reeves joined the company, has been at a military facility in Algiers for psychiatric and emotional evaluation.

AP-PC-07-21-1933 2230EDT/L

2 Comments

  1. 31118azti - February 20, 2020, 7:15 am

    Interesting story….thanks!

  2. Amalaric - February 21, 2020, 1:00 am

    These things are a blast- totally unexpected plots and love the ‘contemporary’ feel!

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