According to Pentagon figures, since October 2001, more than 50,000 soldiers from all branches of the military have gone AWOL. So reports Truth. In response to President Barack Obama’s announcement on December 1 to deploy 30,000 additional troops to the occupation of Afghanistan, the organization March Forward!, comprising both veterans…
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Navy Article 120 decision
The Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals released today its en banc decision in United States v. Medina, No. 200900053, __ M.J. __ (N-M. Ct. Crim. App. Dec. 17, 2009). The main portion of the opinion focuses on Art. 120. The majority finds Art. 120 facially constitutional, citing United States…
Faith in police sponsored labs
Before we place too much faith in police sponsored and monitored laboratories, here is a word of caution. The New York State Police’s supervision of a crime laboratory was so poor that it overlooked evidence of pervasively shoddy forensics work, allowing an analyst to go undetected for 15 years as…
Coast Guard CO’s Article 32
A young Coast Guard petty officer faced the military courtroom with tears in her eyes Wednesday and told the two teams of lawyers the intimate, personal details of her sex life with her former lover, who was sitting across the room at the defense table. The woman, who is the…
Fourth Circuit
North Carolina Judges James Wynn of Raleigh (JAGC, USNR) and Albert Diaz of Charlotte (former Marine JA), on their path to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, breezed through a brief confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, facing just a handful of questions from three senators. News Observer…
Hasan update
Rumor has it that there are now 12 trial counsel assigned to the prosecution of Major Nidal Malik Hasan, at least one of whom has military death penalty litigation experience. The defense remains at three with Mr. Galligan and two military defense counsel, none of whom have death penalty experience…
25% of Army pending prosecution-discharge for drug abuse
The wrongful use of prescription medications is an offense under Article 112a, UCMJ. About one in four soldiers admit to abusing prescription drugs, most of them pain relievers, in a one-year period, according to a Pentagon health survey released Wednesday. The study, which surveyed more than 28,500 U.S. troops last…
An Iraq death prosecution
An Army captain from Evergreen, accused of ordering Iraqi officers to kill two Iraqi civilians, will find out in the next few weeks if his case will go before a court martial. The United States Military "preferred" one count of reckless endangerment and two counts of premeditated murder against Capt.…
Stolen valor guilt 1 — remorse unknown
A Palm Springs man who surprised former classmates at his high school reunion in Martinez when he showed up in a Marine Corps uniform has pleaded guilty to wearing military medals that he never earned. He will face as much as a year in prison and up to a $100,000…
Writing tip
A first draft challenge