United States v. Scott., ordering a Dubay hearing. I could not find a subsequent opinion on the ACCA website, which could mean the Dubay hearing produced nothing noteworthy and the court proceeded to affirm the findings and sentence. CAAF has granted the following issue: No. 19-0365/AR. U.S. v. Jason A.…
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Searching lawyers
We have had a number of military cases of the years involving searches of lawyer “files” or other materials. Here is an interesting opinion from the Fourth Circuit about “taint teams.” The Fourth is not generally known as a defense friendly court. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion 31 October…
Searching car computers
I’ve had several cases of serious and fatal car wrecks. In the process the investigators have “searched” the car’s onboard computer. There’s is quite a bit of information than can be retrieved to evaluate such things as speed, acceleration, and braking, that can aid in a prosecution. So, here is…
Forensic science?
Kate Judson knows too well that science and criminal justice can often be at odds. After working as a public defender in New Mexico, the attorney spent seven years with the Innocence Network consulting on child abuse cases involving shaken baby syndrome. For years, the diagnosis had been used to…
Prosecutorial discretion–WTR
American Prosecutors’ Powers and Obligations in the Era of Plea Bargaining. Darryl K. Brown [University of Virginia School of Law]. I. Introduction American prosecutors are generally understood to have a lot of power, and that power is often the subject of criticism. But whether American prosecutors’ power is problematic depends on…
Striking testimony–ah–RCM 914
On Wednesday the CAAF granted: No. 19-0411/AR. U.S. v. Norman L. Clark, Sr. CCA 20170023. On consideration of the petition for grant of review of the decision of the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals, it is ordered that said petition is granted on the following issues: I. DID…
Prosecutors discovery obligations
I have argued in a number of cases that the Service RPR provides greater obligations on TC beyond Brady-plus that requires more timely and broader obligations. http://www.abajournal.com/web/article/split-over-prosecutors-ethical-disclosure-duties-intensifies#When:13:30:00Z
New CAAF grant
No. 19-0376/MC. U.S. v. R. Bronson Watkins. CCA 201700246. On consideration of the petition for grant of review of the decision of the United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, it is ordered that said petition is granted on the following issues: A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS WHERE THE…
Military justice stats for FY 2018
https://jsc.defense.gov/Portals/99/Documents/Article%20146a%20Reports%20-%20FY18%20-%20All%20Services.pdf?ver=2019-09-19-163824-157
Suicide issues in the military
If you, like me and some of my colleagues, have personal experiences from military clients who commit, get stopped in the act, or consider suicide while pending court-martial, you are facing a difficult challenge. My first was a client I was representing on appeal who hung himself in the SHU…