A Defense Department disagreement over how to bring to justice the accused mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and four others has thrown the cases into disarray. That disagreement has also surfaced the tension between the desire of some victims’ families to see a final legal reckoning and the significant obstacles that may make that impossible. Many want to see the defendants convicted and sentenced in their death penalty cases. But many experts say the legal obstacles caused by torture, disputes over evidence and other issues make it unrealistic to expect a conclusion anytime soon. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently revoked a plea deal with the accused Sept. 11 mastermind and two others.
