This will be a general court martial. It will be presided over by a judge who will be a military officer. The jury will be made up of fellow officers who may also be medical officers or may be line officers. While I never served on a court martial I know others who did and they took the assignment very seriously. All they were concerned with was the facts presented in evidence and whether or not prosecution proved their case. I don't expect the officers assigned to LCOL Lakin's court martial will be any different.
Well, I never served on a Court Martial panel, but I did serve on a panel in a proceeding that was run just like a Court Martial. I was the junior member of the panel. The senior member was a bird colonel. (O-6).
We asked questions, we looked beyond the raw evidence, and looked to larger issues. Mainly in setting the punishment recomendation. The factual issues were pretty much stipulated. We considered not just what the Airman "deserved" but also what was in the best interest of the command and the Air Force.
I expect these officers will be no different.
Yes the judge will be an officer, a JAG officer. But he/she will have no where near the power that a civilian trial judge has.