How the court-martial against the Fitz’s former CO was thrown into disarray this week

[rangerrebew]

How the court-martial against the Fitz’s former CO was thrown into disarray this week
By: Geoff Ziezulewicz  


The court-martial of the former skipper of the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald was tossed into disarray Tuesday when a military judge ruled that the admiral who brought charges against Cmdr. Bryce Benson failed to remain neutral in his case.

For now, the decision scraps charges brought against Benson last year because the four-star disqualified himself as a convening authority with his “improper referral,” judge Capt Jonathan T. Stephens wrote in his opinion.

“The Navy is reviewing the court’s ruling and assessing legal options,” service spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Day said in an email to Navy Times. “All future action will be in the best interest of justice.”

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/01/23/how-the-court-martial-against-the-fitzs-former-co-was-thrown-into-disarray-this-week/