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:

1. A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS WHERE THE INTERESTS OF AN ATTORNEY AND DEFENDANT DIVERGE ON A MATERIAL FACTUAL OR LEGAL ISSUE, OR A COURSE OF ACTION. THREATS BY REGIONAL TRIAL COUNSEL AND A REGIONAL TRIAL INVESTIGATOR TOWARDS CIVILIAN DEFENSE COUNSEL CREATED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BETWEEN CIVILIAN COUNSEL AND APPELLANT. DID THE MILITARY JUDGE ERR IN DENYING CIVILIAN COUNSEL’S MOTION TO WITHDRAW?
2. THE SIXTH AMENDMENT GUARANTEES AN ACCUSED THE RIGHT TO RETAIN COUNSEL OF HIS OWN CHOOSING. BEFORE TRIAL, AND AFTER HIS CIVILIAN COUNSEL MOVED TO WITHDRAW—CITING A PERCEIVED CONFLICT OF INTEREST—APPELLANT ASKED TO RELEASE HIS CIVILIAN COUNSEL AND HIRE A DIFFERENT COUNSEL. DID THE MILITARY JUDGE ERR BY DENYING THIS REQUEST?
3. III.  DID THE LOWER COURT ERR IN RATIFYING THE MILITARY JUDGE’S DENIAL OF APPELLANT’S REQUEST FOR CONFLICT-FREE COUNSEL, WHERE IT: (A) FOUND THE REQUEST WAS IN “BAD FAITH,” BASED ON ALLEGED MISBEHAVIOR BY APPELLANT OCCURRING BEFORE THE RTC’S UNEXPECTED THREATS; AND, (B) TREATED THE MILITARY JUDGE’S FINDING THAT APPELLANT’S REQUEST FOR COUNSEL WAS “OPPORTUNISTIC,” AS A FINDING OF FACT INSTEAD OF A CONCLUSION OF LAW?