WASHINGTON, D.C. — Attorneys for Major Jason P. Watson have filed a motion demanding his immediate release from pretrial confinement, where he has been held in a civilian county jail — in conditions amounting to solitary confinement — since August.
A military judge will hear arguments on November 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
The motion argues that Major Watson — a career Air Force officer with more than seventeen years of service and no criminal history, who deployed to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq — never should have been jailed. The government’s own witnesses testified that he is not a flight risk. Before his confinement, he reported in every single day, without a single missed check-in. The government has made no finding that he is a danger to anyone.
“The government could not point to a single person Major Watson has harmed, because there isn’t one,” said Christopher Mutimer, partner at Monument Legal and counsel for Major Watson. “They are holding a career officer in solitary confinement, with no finding that he is a danger and no finding that he will flee. That is not justice. That is punishment before a single charge has been proven — and we are asking the court to end it.”
The motion notes that Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling has no confinement facility of its own, so the government contracted to hold Major Watson in a Maryland civilian jail, where he cannot be placed in general population and is instead held in de facto solitary confinement. The defense asks the court to order his release, or to impose conditions short of confinement, and to award confinement credit.
Press Access: Members of the media may attend the November 17 hearing. Base access is coordinated through 11th Wing Public Affairs; reporters should contact Public Affairs in advance to arrange entry.
About Monument Legal
Monument Legal is a Washington, D.C. law firm representing clients in criminal defense, military justice, civil, medical malpractice, and juvenile matters. Led by partner Christopher Mutimer, the firm is known for principled, aggressive advocacy in high-stakes cases.