Letters

摘要

Secretary of Defense Hagel announced support to change the UCMJ to strip convening authorities of their ability to modify findings of a court-martial ["Air Force World: UCMJ Changes Recommended," June, p. 18]. Hagel said, "These changes ... would help ensure that our military justice system works fairly, ensures due process, and is accountable." Of course, the Secretary is directly implying that the current process does not work fairly. All of this stems from political agenda fallout over Lieutenant General Franklin's decision to set aside and dismiss a wrongful conviction of an Aviano lieutenant colonel. Has no one in the political arena ever heard of a false accusation or wrongful conviction? Have they never heard of the Innocence Project? (Google Brian Banks.) Just as in the civilian world, sometimes the services get it wrong and convict the wrong guy. In fact, the Air Force's own study said that as many as 45 percent of all sexual assault accusations may be false. The Justice Department found 25 percent of rape cases they revisited with the ability to test DNA evidence convicted the wrong man.