Justice Can Only Come From A Courts Martial
Last week, former US Army Soldier Steven D. Green was arrested in North Carolina and was charged with one count of rape and four counts of murder. He entered a plea of not guilty on all counts. Currently the case will be prosecuted in the Western District of Kentucky and will be presented before a grand jury sometime in mid-July.
Green, served 11 months with the 101st Airborne Division, received an honorable discharge and left the army in mid-May. He was discharged because of an “anti-social personality disorder.” He would have had an eight year total service obligation and there is no reporting if he was simply discharged from the active component and placed in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
The only way for there to be Justice, with a capital “J”, is for there to be absolute confidence in a verdict of guilt or a dismissal of the charges. That degree of confidence can only be obtained by a US Army Courts Martial in which he is judged by fellow Soldiers.
The Manual for Courts Martial provides for instances when a former member may still be tried by a Courts Martial:
“A person who was subject to the code at the time an offense was committed may be tried by courtmartial for that offense despite a later discharge or other termination of that status”
A jury of civilians in the United States will be unable to evaluate if a crime has been committed and regardless of their verdict, Justice will not be served.
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