Biden-era military justice reform failed me and thousands of other victims
On a cold December day, the judge’s words washed over me: “… taking her from behind and throwing — putting her onto a bed when she’s screaming no … I make a finding of domestic violence was committed … against Ms. Landry.”
TL;DR
- The author, a victim of domestic violence, describes being failed by the military justice system despite reforms.
- The Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC), established in 2023, is criticized for lacking oversight and accountability.
- The author's domestic violence case was halted by prosecution leadership after 15 months of cooperation, with no satisfactory explanation.
- A civil judge had already found domestic violence occurred based on sworn testimony and evidence.
- The author suggests reforms including empowering victim's counsel, providing civilian victims with a de facto command, and establishing accessible oversight for OSTC decisions.
- Despite structural changes, culture and process problems persist in the military justice system, with a continued instinct to avoid accountability.