Who may release a prisoner from PTC before referral?

• A. Any CC in the ACC's chain of command and the PRCO.
• B. The assigned MJ.
• C. The SPCMCA.
• D. The ACC's CC only.

Answer: (A)

Authority to release a prisoner from pretrial confinement before referral rests with those who hold command responsibility within the ACC’s chain of command, together with the designated Prisoner Release Coordination Officer (PRCO). This setup ensures that decisions about releasing someone in pretrial confinement are made by leaders who can balance security and discipline with the individual’s rights, and that there is a designated, accountable process to handle releases.

The assigned military judge is not the typical authority for this pretrial-release action, since their role centers on adjudication rather than managing pretrial confinement. The Special Court-Martial Convening Authority isn’t the appropriate source for this management duty either. Limiting the authority to the ACC’s commanding officer alone would be too narrow, while including the PRCO ensures there is a clear, specialized channel for coordinating releases.