The Navy’s top lawyer unlawfully scuttled a SEAL’s case, court rules

Politics especially have no place in any Court Martial or any other court proceeding for that matter. Undue Command influence has always been a no no, that cannot be allowed to exist. The Court Martial proceeding depend on their clear independent ability to function and examine the facts associated with each case to come up with a fair and accurate verdict. Above the regular local Post or base court Martial level is a Court of Military review and also a Court of Military appeals. Even beyond those levels the US Supreme Court can make ruling if a case arrives in front of them. This case it seems proves why those levels of review or appeal are needed. It seems that the Court of Military appeals made the ruling and corrected this wrong.

Vice Adm Crawford should not be allowed to just retire. I don't doubt he felt he was acting in the best interest of the service, but that wasn't what the case was about. It was about the charges against the defendant, period.