Marine general chastised, sergeant's conviction overturned in hazing case

Undue command influence? Wouldn't be the first time it's happened, nor will it be the last. This MajGen might not even have meant to do it, but sometimes these general officers don't realize the power of their comments when overheard by ambitious ADCs or staff officers. Happened to me back in the 80's. One day the CG at III MEF reportedly made an offhand comment that there was something about moustaches on Marines that he didn't like, and it was overheard by some colonel. Next day I was called in by my A/G-2 and asked to shave my 'stache off (even though it was completely within regs). I wasn't happy, but I did it. From what I heard (RUMINT), the CG was flustered that his comment had had such an effect, and that he didn't mean it that way.

I think that this might be taking the interpretation of command influence too far, but rather too far than not far enough.