Army Times reports: A Fort Wainwright soldier is under investigation for allegedly posting a video on his Facebook site showing Iraqi children being taunted. Navy Times reports: A 400-cell military brig is being constructed near Naval Station Norfolk to consolidate Navy and Marine prisons closing in Virginia and North Carolina.…
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Hasan update
The LA Times has interesting piece which essentially posits that both the defense and Congress are being stonewalled in production of relevant information. Usually it’s only the defense. But even before the gavel comes down, two legal battles are underway to try to force the Army and the Department of…
New ACCA reminder on sentencing
In United States v. Eslinger, __ M.J. ___ (A. Ct. Crim. App. 14 May 2010), the court has set out a useful reminder in two areas: a military judge’s duty to instruct on all issues and the potential problem of defense waiver of instructions, and how to handle testimony that…
CAAF grants
Here are some CAAF grants/issues that should resonate in the field. No. 10-0332/AF. U.S. v. Yolanda FLORES. CCA S31621. Review granted on the following issue: WHETHER TRIAL COUNSEL IMPROPERLY COMMENTED ON APPELLANT’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT THUS DEPRIVING APPELLANT OF A FAIR TRIAL. No. 10-0334/AF. U.S. v. Dennis R.…
Doctor-Patient privilege
Federal Evidence Review notes the following: In conspiracy to distribute controlled substances prosecution, physician-defendant could not assert that the medical records of his patients were subject to a doctor-patient privilege because the federal courts do not recognize this privilege under FRE 501, in United States v. Bek, 493 F.3d 790…
An interesting Indiana case on 410
Prof. Colin Miller posts: Somewhat similar to its federal counterpart, Indiana Rule of Evidence 410 provides in relevant part that Evidence of a plea of guilty or admission of the charge which was later withdrawn, or a plea of nolo contendere, or of an offer so to plead to the…
Failure to report
In United States v. Serianne, the CAAF affirmed an NMCCA decision that a Navy order to report civilian DWI/DUI convictions was unlawful and not enforceable at court-martial. Navy Times reports: The Navy’s self-reporting requirement for drunken driving arrests will fundamentally change as a result of a recent military court ruling,…
NMCCA on Quintanilla
NMCCA denied Quintanilla’s petition in which he sought to have the court overturn the ruling of the military judge at his sentencing rehearing to the effect that Life Without Parole (LWOP) is not an authorized sentence in his case. Alternatively, the petitioner requested that this court direct the military judge…
Proverbs 18-17
The King James (UK) version of Proverbs 18-17 says: He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. The King James (Am.) version says: He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbor comes and searches him. The…
Up periscope WE 160510
The Guardian, at guardian.co.uk reports that: An Afghan prosecutor has issued an arrest warrant for an American special forces commander over allegations that a police chief was murdered by a US-trained militia. He accused American officials of refusing to hand over evidence or to permit his investigators to interview the…