Senate Kills Plan for Military Rape Prosecutors

A proposal that would have appointed independent prosecutors, rather than unit commanders, to handle sexual assault cases in the military will be MIA from the Defense Authorization Act. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin has decided to kill the provision, siding with military brass who complained that the measure could erode commanders' power, NBC News reports. The proposal, from fellow Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, had 27 co-sponsors, including four Republicans. Levin is, however, likely to accept a military-approved Claire McCaskill provision preventing commanders from overturning jury verdicts. (More Carl Levin stories.)