A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senator Chris Coons: Take Prosecution Out of Military Chain of Command

official website

Delaware Senator Chris Coons has joined a bipartisan group of legislators who are proposing a measure that would take the prosecution of all crimes punishable by a year or more in prison out of the military chain of command.

These would exclude charges uniquely military in nature such as disobeying orders or being absent without leave.

(See: Navy Veteran's Story of Sexual Assault)

The group of Senators and Representative says that this would be the first time the decision as to whether a case goes to trial or court-martial is completely taken out of the hands of the military.

The legislation comes in the wake of two sexual assault convictions that were overturned by senior officers along with two recent incidents involving personnel charged with leading programs to prevent such assaults and helping victims.   

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.