Press & News

Gerald Skoning Published in The National Law Journal
"Military Judges Shine"
08/25/2008

Gerald Skoning’s article, "Military Judges Shine," was published in the August 25, 2008 issue of The National Law Journal. In his article, Gerry discusses the recently concluded Guantanamo Bay military commission trial of Salim Ahmed Hamdan. The panel of military officers convicted Hamdan of one war crime but acquitted him of another, more serious, charge. Gerry uses this trial to reflect on the work of military judges as a whole. According to Gerry, "some commentators complain about so-called 'command influence' adversely affecting the fairness of the trials. But courts-martial and military commissions have tried major cases for decades with scant evidence of the military hierarchy pressuring officers for a certain preordained result."

Gerry concludes that "military judges should take a well-deserved bow. In the glare of international media tension, they are taking their judicial duties seriously, doing a stellar job and doing America proud."