Commander who reversed (MST) conviction to retire

[unhappycamper]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MILITARY_SEXUAL_ASSAULT?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT



Commander who reversed conviction to retire
By DONNA CASSATA
Associated Press
Jan 8, 1:26 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The commander whose decision to overturn a sexual assault conviction forced major changes in military law said Wednesday he is retiring, blaming public second-guessing of his actions as a distraction for the Air Force.

Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, who has served in the Air Force for 37 years, said after lengthy consideration and discussions with his family, he will leave the service at the end of the month. Franklin was widely criticized last year for reversing a jury's ruling in a sexual assault case, and he cited potential challenges to his future decisions and the ramifications in announcing his retirement.

"In the last 10 months as the commander of 3rd Air Force and 17th Expeditionary Air Force, my judgment has been questioned publicly regarding my decisions as a general court martial convening authority," Franklin said in a statement. "This is a distraction for the Air Force and for my role as a general court-martial convening authority.

"The last thing I want in this command is for people to feel they cannot bring a sexual assault case forward or feel it won't be dealt with fairly," he added. "In addition, public scrutiny will likely occur on every subsequent case I deal with. I am concerned this could jeopardize the privacy of both the victim and the accused."

[WhiteTara]

1. Yes, being open would jeopardize the privacy of the accused.

The victim has already come forward and put their name out.