PrintJune 25, 2008
War, Hell and Civilian Juries
It is extremely difficult for civilians to possibly understand the stress, and instant decision making demands, that are required in combat. A jury of pure civilians, judging military actions in combat, would not be truly be a "jury of peers." - Captain Pete Hegseth, Iraq War Veteran and Executive Director, Vets for FreedomI've never been to war, and I'm much too old to go now. In any case I don't think I would make a good soldier; I'm more the Private-Benjamin sort. And I'm not at all happy about the fact that I could actually be called upon to serve on a jury in the prosecution of an American war veteran for alleged crimes committed in combat.Until a few weeks ago, I wasn't even aware that our Congress had enacted legislation in 2000 to require civilian prosecution for criminal acts committed in war, under certain circumstances. The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act popped up on my own citizen's radar when I learned of an Iraq...(Read Full Article)
