What is a military jury?

A military jury is a group of officers who serve as jurors in court-martial proceedings in Washington. The military jury is made up of commissioned officers of the armed forces who are selected by the court-martial convening authority. They are tasked with determining the guilt or innocence of the accused, as well as sentencing. The court-martial convening authority appoints the military jury members, who may or may not be the same officers as the ones who conducted the investigation. The members of the military jury must have sufficient familiarity with the laws applicable to the case and must be able to form unbiased opinions based on the evidence presented in the court martial. The number of members required for the jury is typically determined by the rank of the accused. Generally, a jury of at least five members is required for a case involving an accused officer or enlisted person, while cases involving a warrant officer require a jury of seven members. The military jury is not a petit jury, which is comprised of citizens who are randomly chosen to serve as jurors in civil matters. Rather, the military jury is a panel of officers of the armed forces who must have the necessary knowledge and experience to understand the case and make an informed decision. Additionally, the members of the military jury are bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and must follow the rules and regulations that govern court-martial proceedings.

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