Kirk & Picard were never found guilty of anything as far as I can remember. And Picard wasn’t doing anything of his own free will so I don’t think that should be a comparison point, but Kirk going rogue is certainly a fair comparison. Although Kirk by that point had a lifetime of goodwill built up and likely had friends everywhere in SF command that were willing to look the other way. My issue isn’t so much that she was reinstated, but to me it would be easier to swallow if they suspended her sentence and said you’re back in SF but you’re starting at the bottom. To just hand wave it all and put her right back where she was is just odd to me.
She was serving LIFE in prison. It’s not like they discovered new evidence that indicates she was wrongfully accused. I think story wise they made the charge and punishment too severe considering they knew 10-12 episodes later they were going to wipe it all away.
I agree it's not apples to apples in either case...but they are equally ridiculous situations to reinstate these officers and give them command of high-profile starships again.
We all know Picard was not acting of his own free will for example. But you have to remember at this point in Star Trek history, very little was known or understood about the Borg. It's crazy to assume that Starfleet would simply put him back in the captains chair without months or perhaps years of observation given that they do not know or understand the potential lingering side effects of the experience he went through, or even if he was truly separated from the hive. Furthermore, to assume that he had no significant psychological impacts is also craziness.
The only realistic conclusion to Picards story would have been for him to either be forced to resign after months of medical and psychological evaluation, and or to be permanently grounded on earth in a desk assignment.
And, if you think about the modern day analogy I threw in there for what Kirk did in TSFS, it's equally crazy that he ever would have commanded a ship again.
So again, in light of all that, I find myself pretty forgiving with the direction the current series chose to end on!