STATEMENT: Commander who overturned sexual assault conviction in Aviano Scandal removed by Air Force from another case after deciding not to court martial airman accused of rape
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2013
Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com
*** STATEMENT ***
COMMANDER WHO OVERTURNED SEXUAL ASSAULT CONVICTION IN AVIANO SCANDAL REMOVED BY AIR FORCE FROM ANOTHER CASE AFTER DECIDING NOT TO COURT MARTIAL AIRMAN ACCUSED OF RAPE
Protect Our Defenders renews call for removal of Lieutenant General Craig Franklin after Stars and Stripes breaks story
Washington DC – Today, the Air Force announced that Lt. General Craig Fraklin decided not to seek a court-martial in another sexual assault case at Aviano Air Base in Italy. Stars & Stripes broke the news of Franklin being removed from the case.
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish released the following statement:
“Military leadership has supported Lt. General Craig Franklin for far too long. He should be removed from the Air Force immediately. Franklin’s ongoing actions are only the tip of the iceberg. He is but one high profile example of a problem that pervades a biased and unprofessional military justice system.
“For months we have called on the Secretary of Defense and the President to take action against Franklin. In this most recent case, Franklin, the Convening Authority, against the recommendation of the wing (base) commander and without even speaking to the victim, refused to allow the case to move forward to trial.
“Our service members deserve an independent and impartial justice system equal to the system afforded to the civilians they protect. It is time for Sec. Hagel and President Obama to back up their claims of ‘zero tolerance’ and having ‘victims’ backs’ and remove Franklin.
“As Franklin’s flawed judgment clearly shows, professional military prosecutors, not the accused’s commander, should decide whether to move forward to trial. And, commanders should no longer be allowed to over ride the decisions of military juries.
“The Aviano victims, their families and so many others have been forced to pay a heavy price for the failures of this Congress and this President to provide our service members with an unbiased, professional military justice system. Franklin and his biased actions are but a highly visible example of why over 90% of the estimated 26,000 victims in 2012 never reported their attacks. We have a system where one conflicted and often biased individual, the accused’s commander, has the authority to exercise their unilateral opinion, regardless of the evidence, on whether a case is objectively investigated and tried, and whether the perpetrator receives just punishment.”
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Stars and Stripes: Air Force removes Lt. Gen. Franklin from sexual assault case
http://www.stripes.com/news/air-force-removes-lt-gen-franklin-from-sexual-assault-case-1.258268
Air Force Times: Wilkerson: Demotion, ouster politically motivated
Air Force Officer At Center Of Sexual Assault Controversy Demoted And Forced Into Retirement
Protect Our Defenders Point by Point Rebuttal of Gen Franklin’s 18 Reasons for Overturning Col Wilkerson’s Sexual Assault Conviction
Protect Our Defenders petition Calling on President Obama and Sec. Hagel to Remove Lt. Gen. Franklin and Lt. Col. Wilkerson: http://www.causes.com/aviano
An Open Letter to Secretary Hagel from Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish
Stars & Stripes: Wilkerson had affair that produced a child, Air Force confirms
Military Times: Sex assault clemency surprised prosecutor
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20130422/NEWS/304220007/Sex-assault-clemency-surprised-prosecutor
Stars & Stripes: Emails show general warned against reversing Wilkerson verdict
http://www.stripes.com/news/emails-show-general-warned-against-reversing-wilkerson-verdict-1.238114
Associated Press: Air Force Officer Transfer Draws Protest
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/air-forces-officer-transfer-draws-ariz-protest
