Dean Tom Romig honored at TBA luncheon by Brig. Gen. Mark Martins
Washburn Law Dean Tom Romig was honored at the Topeka Bar Association luncheon on January 9, 2015, by Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, the chief prosecutor of military commissions. Martins spoke to about 70 Topeka Bar Association members, stating that the military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay are focused on justice, not vengeance.
Shortly before Romig joined Washburn Law in 2007, he retired from the U.S. Army after a 34-year career in which he was a major general and judge advocate general.
The Military Commissions Act of 2009 included recommendations from Romig. Martins said those recommendations included: “the accused should hear all the evidence that is presented against him; the defendant should have discovery rights to all evidence and the right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses; trial before an impartial military judge and juries; a ‘meaningful’ appeal; and protection from the use of statements obtained under torture,” according to The Topeka Capital-Journal.
“I have great admiration for Tom Romig and the contributions he made to our country,” Martins said. He presented Romig a silver cup with the inscription, “A country without law is a jungle,” a saying Martins attributed to tribal leaders.
“Sir, I wanted you to have that because no one else embodies that value more than you,” Martin said.