When academic Sarah Steele was strangled in her Cambridge home, she expected justice in a British court. Instead, her case was tried by a US military court, with a jury of all male air force personnel. This little-known system, where US military personnel are court-martialed for crimes committed in the UK, is under growing scrutiny.
The Case of Sarah Steele
Steele told the Guardian investigations correspondent Harry Davies that after she was strangled by Jacob Wulfson, a US fighter pilot living in Cambridge, her case was taken up by the US military justice system. The jury at her trial consisted entirely of men from the air force. “It’s been really difficult having to literally sit in a room full of people in uniform, overwhelmingly older men, and have those individuals who haven’t any semblance of life experience similar to my own; they were culturally different,” she said.
A Parallel Justice System
Davies explains to Annie Kelly that this parallel justice system operates under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the US and UK, which allows US military courts to try certain crimes committed by US personnel in the UK. The system differs from British courts in several ways, including the makeup of the jury and the legal procedures. Other crimes tried under this system include assault, theft, and even more serious offenses.
Scrutiny and Concerns
Critics argue that the system lacks transparency and can be unfair to victims, who may feel alienated by the military culture and procedures. The case of Sarah Steele has brought renewed attention to these concerns, highlighting the need for reform or greater oversight.
