DoD special trial counsel offices become fully operational, giving more protections to sexual assault victims

Summary: Special victims units are now solely responsible for investigating sexual assault and some other serious crimes, marking a turning point for the military justice system and the way sexual misconduct is handled in the military. Within each military service, Offices of Special Trial Counsel will allow trained lawyers to evaluate and prosecute allegations of sexual assault and other “covered” offenses independently, taking those cases out of the hands of victims’ commanders. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced today that the Offices of Special Trial Counsel are now fully operational, officially shifting away prosecutorial discretion for serious offenses from unit commanders to specially trained military attorneys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices