Brickbat: Stacking the Deck

In a 5-0 decision, the nation’s highest military court tossed out the 2012 rape conviction of Coast Guard Petty Officer John Riesbeck. The court found admirals placed five women, four of whom held jobs as advocates for victims of sexual assault, on his seven-person jury. The court noted the case against him was so weak a hearing officer wanted to throw it out but was overruled by an admiral and suggested a more balanced jury would not have found him guilty. The court threw out the conviction with prejudice, meaning Riesbeck cannot be re-tried.