Starfleet Harshness

[Rayleo02]

In Discovery we see Michael Burnham Gets sentenced to life in prison for mutiny that seems a bit harsh, i mean in Voyager We see Tom Paris and a alien blow up a oxygen refinery or something and gets a MONTH in the brig AND get to keep his commission!! Also in Voyager B'lanna Torres, Assaults [technically] the EMH and has him preform a illegal and unnecessary surgery on her and her child, We see NO punishment at all!!
How is that fair?

 

[Feron]

In real world militaries a mutiny sometimes gets a death penalty.

 

[XCV330]

Jurisprudence 90 years after DIsco might be different, but mutiny is a very dangerous crime. She assaulted her commander, and nearly took over a ship with the power to destroy entire world populations. The penalties for that would always have to be harsh. This is the same period where just visiting Talos IV will get you executed.

 

[Fandango831]

I'd guess the difference between 24th Century Starfleet and 23rd Century Starfleet policies. Also the difference between a call Janeway makes versus the the Starfleet Command Hierarchy. Also from TOS we can see that Starfleet is not exactly a shining light in the sky and far from perfect. Between Tracy and Decker as well as even Kirk's freelancing of decisions the "clean cut" Starfleet of TNG onwards has yet to fully develop if you can even believe that it is with even outstanding examples existing in TNG.

 

[BillJ]

Jurisprudence 90 years after DIsco might be different, but mutiny is a very dangerous crime. She assaulted her commander, and nearly took over a ship with the power to destroy entire world populations. The penalties for that would always have to be harsh. This is the same period where just visiting Talos IV will get you executed.

It is also the same time period where Spock mutinied and went to Talos IV, and didn't even get a slap on the wrist.

 

[Charles Phipps]

On a serious note, I think Michael's sentence was grossly disprortionate and showed Starfleet is a hypocritical and cowardly organization during this war. Any decent lawyer would have been able to bring up extenuating circumstances like her psychology at the time of the event as well as recent assault/medical status.

However, Starfleet threw the book at her because they were angry their attempts at peace making had failed.

They made her a scapegoat the same way they were willing to make Kirk multiple times.

 

[Charles Phipps]

It is also the same time period where Spock mutinied and went to Talos IV, and didn't even get a slap on the wrist.

Mind you it's also the time period that the penalty for that was death and Kirk was almost executed for a manslaughter charge.

Starfleet seems to have made its laws from a combination of liberal 21st century idealism and Genghis Khan.

 

[BillJ]

They made her a scapegoat the same way they were willing to make Kirk multiple times.

I don't ever recall Kirk being a scapegoat?

 

[XCV330]

It is also the same time period where Spock mutinied and went to Talos IV, and didn't even get a slap on the wrist.

And the same period where an admiral stole a ship and went to a forbidden planet and had it exploded and just got knocked down a paygrade. His accomplices got off free and apparently all got promoted later.

and where a XO who commited mutiny and assault on a superior officer served six months of a life sentence and was then returned to active bridge duty.

Starfleet may have harsh sentences, but they don't seem very good at enforcing them.

 

[BillJ]

...and Kirk was almost executed for a manslaughter charge.

When?

 

[Kemaiku]

When?

The courtroom episode, with the Ion pod ejection story.

 

[Charles Phipps]

When?

I'm sorry my Trekkese is failing me. If only there was an internet database of some kind...

"Court Martial."

Everyone was ready to throw the book at him on specious evidence.

 

[GeekUSACarl]

The worst part about her mutiny is it was completely worthless.

Klingons were going to war with the federation no matter what happened.

I think the backdrop being a war started in the same incident as her mutiny probably played into the penalty.

 

[BillJ]

The courtroom episode, with the Ion pod ejection story.

There was never any talk of executing Kirk.

 

[BillJ]

The worst part about her mutiny is it was completely worthless.

The worst part is that we know what the Klingons are doing. So we know that she is right.

 

[GeekUSACarl]

The worst part is that we know what the Klingons are doing. So we know that she is right.

Doubt that,

those religious fanatics came there to light a beacon and start a war,

they were going to do that, "Vulcan hello" or not.

 

[Kemaiku]

There was never any talk of executing Kirk.

I know, I think the poster assumed a much worse penalty for being found guilty in that one.

 

[BillJ]

Doubt that,

those religious fanatics came there to light a beacon and start a war,

they were going to do that, "Vulcan hello" or not.

The Klingons come and find a debris field there is nothing there, no religious zealot, to sell them on the idea of uniting and going to war.

 

[GeekUSACarl]

The Klingons come and find a debris field there is nothing there, no religious zealot, to sell them on the idea of uniting and going to war.

I don't think there was any intent on destroying the massive ship. The point of the Vulcan hello is to signal them and tell them they aren't pushovers.

It isn't likely that the Vulcan hello woulda just destroyed their ship and left nothing there, that battle would take time, it would last, Klingons would show up...

 

[Charles Phipps]

That's part of why I think Michael was not in a state to be considered guilty of mutiny because it's clear she's panicked and trying to save everyone from dying--which it wouldn't have done but she was grasping at straws.

She's also not in a right mind because she just suffered severe radiation burns and being almost stabbed by a Klingon warrior.

I don't think there was any intent on destroying the massive ship. The point of the Vulcan hello is to signal them and tell them they aren't pushovers.

It isn't likely that the Vulcan hello woulda just destroyed their ship and left nothing there, that battle would take time, it would last, Klingons would show up...

In fact, it was her second plan which would have saved everyone. T'Kuvma as a prisoner would have humiliated his followers.