Report: Military Putting Trials Off-Limits

By: E&P Staff Military trials and criminal hearings are virtual Star Chambers, a report issued Friday by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) says.

RCFP found the public and the press has only a "slim chance" of discovering even the existence of criminal hearings and trials conducted by U.S. armed forces here and abroad.

Among the findings:

45% (34 bases) refused to provide any information for upcoming Article 32 hearings.

37% (28 bases) declined to disclose courts-martial schedules.

Just 27% (20 bases) provided a complete docket for upcoming Article 32 hearings

Just 36% (27 bases) provided a complete docket for upcoming courts-martial schedules.

Base officials at about 20% of the plants agreed to provide docketing information for Article 32 hearings and courts-martial -- but then withheld such basic details as the defendant's name and the charges being brought.

"The right to a fair and public trial is a bedrock principle of democracy," said RCFP Executive Director Lucy A. Dalglish. "Unfortunately, in this regard, members of the armed services have fewer rights than those granted to criminal defendants in civilian courts. We believe that, at a minimum, the armed services should create an easily accessible docket? of information listing those charged, details regarding the charges against them and the date and time of their trials and pre-trials."

For the study, RCFP interviewed reporters, lawyers, and military personnel, and used survey data from researchers at the Tully Center for Free Speech at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

The full report can be found here.