First Word: Sexual assault in the military finally gets heard

After Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered a review of the current military judicial system that allows a military commander to overrule court martial convictions by military juries as evident in the Aviano case where an Air Force fighter pilot was cleared of a jury’s conviction for aggravated sexual assault, senators on Wednesday will question a number of military sexual assault survivors. They told a Senate panel to further examine the military’s handling of sexual assault cases and asked Congress to change laws that would convict assailants of sexual harassment and assault in all the service branches.

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