Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Here is a piece about guilty pleas in military death penalty cases from FDL.
The New York Times is reporting that the Obama Administration is considering changing the law to permit prisoners at Gitmo to plead guilty to death penalty cases without need for a trial. This is apparently a reaction to the stated desires of five Gitmo prisoners to become "martyrs."
WHIO reports that: the Article 32, UCMJ, hearing “in response to allegations that the former top enlisted man at the base sexually harassed 10 female co-workers. [will be held 26 May].”
But here is a much better article from the Air Force Times.
The charge sheet — a document used by law enforcement officials to give details of alleged crimes — states that Gurney had extramarital affairs as well as “unprofessional relationships” with the 10 female airmen, who are not identified. The affairs and relationships date back to June 1, 2007.
Island Packet reports that: “A Beaufort Marine has been sentenced to four years in military prison after being found guilty of child pornography charges.”
KTIV.com reports that an Ellsworth AFB accused may have additional charges.
A Friday statement from the base says Vinicus Santana is also suspected of aggravated assault with a loaded firearm, drunk and disorderly conduct, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a controlled substance, communicating a threat, aggravated sexual assault and forcible sodomy.
ModernHealthCare.com reports that: Former Virgin Islands hospital CEO Rodney Miller faces a new criminal charge for allegedly attempting to submit a falsified Navy identification card as evidence during a trial at which he was convicted of hiding a bad-conduct discharge when he applied for his job.
Goose & Gander – ooops, AP reports:
Mexico defended its military courts system on Thursday after a U.S. human rights report cited reports of alleged abuses by the army and a lack of investigation in many of the cases.
The U.S. State Department’s annual human rights report cites hundreds of complaints of illegal detention, some involving abuse or killings allegedly carried out by Mexico’s military, which has been called in by President Felipe Calderon to help fight powerful drug cartels.
"The military’s domestic law enforcement deployment led to an increased number of reported human rights abuses, and human rights NGOs complained that an opaque military justice system led to impunity," according to the U.S. report.
The Honolulu Star Bulletin reports that:
A 31-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier will face a general court-martial, probably this summer, for allegedly killing a civilian contractor after a daylong standoff at a military base in Iraq last year.
(Note. I am the trial defense counsel in this case. I don’t anticipate blogging on it, unless the government comes out with anything that should be rebutted consistent with the Rules. The quotes in the article are from the record at the Article 32, UCMJ, hearing.)
Stars & Stripes reports that:
Two Stuttgart-based noncommissioned officers are facing attempted murder charges in connection with a Dec. 30 confrontation with a group of rivals in Heidelberg that included both soldiers and civilians, according to military officials and charging documents.
Stars & Stripes reports that:
Servicemembers who contracted malaria in Haiti could be punished for failing to follow the prevention protocol, according to the Joint Task Force overseeing earthquake relief operations here.
[T]wo Marines deployed to Haiti had contracted malaria. Ten soldiers have also come down with the disease during the relief operation[.]