Why did the Peers investigation have limited time to complete its work?

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A group of frightened Vietnamese women and children stand close together outdoors during the My Lai Massacre in the Vietnam War. — My Lai Massacre Vietnamese citizens photographed during the My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968.

The Peers investigation, which examined the cover-up of the My Lai Massacre, faced a constrained timeline because any potential charges were subject to a two-year statute of limitations. Consequently, Lieutenant General William Peers had less than four months to conduct his inquiry and finalize his report.1