A Kentucky grand jury dropped a second-degree assault charge against a Fort Knox noncommissioned officer Thursday, after a Facebook post showing security footage of her being attacked in public went viral, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
Sgt. 1st Class Kai Waters, 33, was charged in February with stabbing an unnamed 58-year-old woman who followed her to an Elizabethtown gas station and began punching her while Waters was still in her car.
“It’s not really over for me,” Waters told the Post. “I’ve still got to work on fixing my records and my security clearance.”
The chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological specialist has 15 years in the Army and recently reported to Human Resources Command to work in career management for her military occupational specialty, a spokeswoman told Army Times last week.
Criminal charges can automatically suspend the security clearance required to handle sensitive information, as it did for Waters.
Ahead of Thursday’s hearing, stemming from an incident in which the soldier used a knife to defend herself against the woman, Waters posted to Facebook April 6 her side of the story and the gas station security footage to back it up.
“As you can see in the video I am kicking at her and screaming at her to leave me alone and go away,” she wrote. “She continues to lunge at me and attack me.”
Hardin County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shane Young told the Post that no charges had been filed against the other woman.
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“I’m pleased that Hardin County’s grand jury got it right, even when the police might not have, and the justice system worked in this particular case," Jeremy Aldridge, Waters’ civilian attorney, said.
He plans to resubmit a complaint to the county attorney on behalf of Waters, seeking charges against the other woman.
“I just want her to be held accountable for her actions,” Waters said, “but I do forgive her for what she’s done.”
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
