As we all know the military does not have the nolo contendre or Alford plea. Thanks to Prof. Berman at Sentencing Law & Policy, here is an intriguing study. If you go back many years you will see reflections of the Milgram experiments, and the other experiments that turned college…
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Crawford for the future
Applying Crawford’s Confrontation Right in a Digital Age Jeffrey Bellin Southern Methodist University – Dedman School of Law May 10, 2012 Abstract: Much of the recent commentary on the Confrontation Clause focuses on the past. Commentators (and Supreme Court Justices) evaluate the evolving jurisprudence by comparing the confrontation right articulated…
Prior inconsistent statements
The inability to remember in court, what about it? If the witness testifies in court that the traffic light was green, and in a prior statement to police they said it was red. That’s a prior inconsistent statement. The witness may be impeached. Asked the “on x to officer X,…
Scientific evidence
Paul C. Giannelli (Case Western Reserve University School of Law) has posted The 2009 NAS Forensic Science Report: A Literature Review (48 Crim. L. Bulletin 378 (2012)) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: In February 2009, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released its report on forensic science: Strengthening Forensic…
The SecDef’s sexual assault grab
Here is a link to the new “order” requiring sexual assault cases to be disposed of at at least the O-6 level.
Writs of error coram nobis
I have from time to time filed writs of error coram nobis, most recently in United States v. Graner. Courtesy of CrimProfBlog here is an excellent case reviewing the writ of error coram nobis. The court discusses the history of the writ and the three part test to considered. Note…
Is the death penalty a deterrent
Not sure, that’s the conclusion of a study done by the National Research Council. h/t Prof. Berman at Sentencing Law & Policy
Beyond general competence
You need to know about collateral effects of a court-martial conviction: Voting Firearms Immigration status Sex offender registration Death penalty And now, should you have a special competence with forensics? Funk & Berman on Attorney Competence in Forensics Christine Funk and Evan Berman have posted Rising to the Challenge of…
Best evidence of data
The government wants to offer data from a computer or some other mechanical or recording device. Can a NCIS agent testify about the contents. No. That violates the best evidence rule, Mil. R. Evid. 1001. Courtesy of federalevidence.com here is a link for a recent case dealing with GPS information:…
Worth the read
Not sure the value – but I’m tracking the impending release of this publication: Apparently written for civilian attorney’s representing current or former military personnel, it may well have resources, ideas, and guidance for the military practitioner. Major Evan Seamore, Chief of Military Justice for the U.S. Army Maneuver Center…