Posted on 03/08/2013 8:16:00 PM PST by nickcarraway
During the funeral for two Santa Cruz Police Officers, Former Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, did something unexpected.
He dove into the suspect’s background. “We do know that he had a history of sexual violence both in and out of the military, and for whatever reason, people somehow always look the other way,” Panetta said.
Jeremy Goulet was accused of raping two military officers in 2006, while in the army, but a plea bargain allowed him to walk away, with a less than honorable discharge. “At some point, somebody pays a price,” Panetta said.
While the former Secretary of Defense never said it outright, many believe Panetta implied that dismissed case, so many years ago, had a ripple effect that may have ultimately led to the death of the two Santa Cruz police officers last Tuesday.
The problem of sexual assault in the military has been well documented and was an issue Panetta spent much of his time as Defense Secretary addressing.
“I thought Secretary Panetta was responding from his heart as a human being in responding to a crisis and a tragedy really in terms of how well we’ve taken care of the problem of sexual assault in the military and how both the victims and the perpetrators of those crimes haven’t been managed appropriately in past years,” Beth Hillman, a professor of law at UC Hastings and the president of the National Institute for Military Justice said.
Experts estimate that as many as 19,000 military women and men are sexually assaulted every year, but only 13-percent ever report the attacks.
Many believe that is because the current system for prosecuting the cases gives too much power to commanding officers.
“I think it’s time to take this problem away from our military leaders and put it in the hands of independent prosecutors and investigators who can manage this without worrying about the impact or the reputation of the military," Hillman said.
Rep. Jackie Speier agrees. She released the following statement, “The commanding officer is the judge and the jury. The commanding officer when you report a rape can decide not to pursue it, not to have it investigated.”
The Congresswoman has introduced three bills in hopes of creating an environment that better protects the victim, and reduced what many call a “good ol’ boys” network that better protects the victim that, in some cases, protects predators.
“Rapes will continue in the military, sexual assaults, sexual harassment unless we take dramatic steps to change it,” Speier said.
Considering your failure to address my questions I would say you are projecting -you are being evasive I suspect that is the only way you can carry on justifying the leftist big mommy government will protect us delusional crap that Panetta promotes. The same crap premising the gun control 'debate'
Wake up and smell the coffee...
Lol one would think my response was crystal clear. Evidently I should have dumbed it down to a level understandable to you i.e. finger puppets. Seeing as FR doesn’t offer that form of communication lets try the closest thing to grunting. Rapist bad. Military justice imperfect. Rapist walk free. Bad. Need to change.
Change we can believe in? As in never waste an opportunity? Note, my comments were premised upon discussing the article topic posted. NOT your tangent...
You want to debate improving the military justice system -that is another topic... However, Panetta implies that crimes such as this can be prevented because they are 'predictable' -this is leftist lunacy that premises much too much law that violates individual liberty for the sake of 'security'.
“However, Panetta implies that crimes such as this can be prevented because they are ‘predictable’”
So basically your panties are all in a knot because of the word “predictable?” How’s about “not inconceivable?” Rapists are known to repeat offend / engage in other violent crimes. But hey, its all some vast conspiracy right Hillary?
Yup -like the veteran --> ptsd --> = no guns conspiracy OR any number of rules, regulations, and laws that are premised upon preventing crime by infringing liberty and violating individual rights.
For leftists -evil means are just dandy as long as they 'move forward' the collective along the road to utopia...
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