As it turns out, Secretaries of Defense don’t have the authority to undo plea deals already accepted by military courts. Who knew? [Raises hand.]
A military judge has reinstated the plea deals that Lloyd Austin attempted to vacate three months ago. The unnamed judged ruled that the Department of Defense lacks the authority to undo court orders in these tribunals, and to remove their convening authority ex post facto. That will allow the masterminds of 9/11 to spend the rest of their lives in super-max facilities rather than face the death penalty:
A military judge ruled on Wednesday that plea agreements between the alleged 9/11 conspirators at Guantanamo Bay and the US government are “valid and enforceable,” a defense official told CNN – roughly three months after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked the deals.
The ruling allows for the plea deals to…
