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Thanks to OpinoJuris for pointing us to the 11th Circuit decision in United States v. Frank. You will recollect that CAAF has found that the CP related statutes don’t apply overseas. Here is part of the OJ summary. The Eleventh Circuit upheld the conviction finding that (1) Miranda warnings were unnecessary; (2) the statute applied…

United States v. Blazier. Here are the relevant portions of the opinion written by Judge Ryan for the moment. This case presents the question whether the admission of drug testing reports” over defense objection violated Appellant’s rights under the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause. The antecedent question, whether certain admitted evidence was testimonial, we answer affirmatively,…

North County Times reports: That the military judge “ruled prosecutors must show beyond a reasonable doubt that unlawful command influence hasn’t tainted the manslaughter case against a Camp Pendleton Marine accused of taking part in the 2005 slayings of 24 Iraqi civilians.” This means the defense was successful so far in showing sufficient evidence to…

Marine Corps Times reports: Eight Marines were charged in the biggest criminal case against U.S. troops to arise from the Iraq war. Six have had charges dismissed, and one was acquitted. Whether the only remaining and perhaps highest-profile defendant stands trial may hinge on what happens this week in a military courtroom. Lawyers for Staff…

MySAnews reports that: Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, charged in November’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead and 32 others wounded, will be moved from San Antonio to a county jail near the military post. Bell County Sheriff Dan Smith issued a statement Monday, saying Bell County commissioners court formalized a…

Thanks to Fourthamendement.com, here is an article about Arizona v. Gant. Arizona v. Gant: Does it Matter? by Barbara E. Armacost of the University of Virginia School of Law in 2009 S.Ct. Rev. __ (2010). And from the abstract: Prior to the Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Arizona v Gant, it was standard practice under…

I’ve posted before about issues with forensic testing and police controlled laboratories (including military drug testing laboratories). Here is an article from my old crim law professor, a former Army JA. You’ve also heard me frequently talk about confirmatory bias in regard to police investigations and other investigations. Paul C. Gianelli, Independent Crime Laboratories: The…

Military.com reports that: A four-star general will testify at a pretrial hearing in the biggest criminal case against U.S. troops to arise from the Iraq war, a Marine Corps spokesman said Thursday. Gen. James Mattis is scheduled to address a military judge Monday on a defense motion to dismiss charges against Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich…

WOAI.com reports: Hasan’s lawyer claims the U.S. Army is withholding key information he needs to defend Hasan. Attorney John Galligan said he has been waiting months for classified material needed to help his client. He said he has been given limited access to criminal investigation files. Does Mr. Galligan have the appropriate security clearance? If…

United States v. Clayton. Another special exception, in of course, a CP case. The dissent says it all. RYAN, J., with whom ERDMANN, J., joins (dissenting): I cannot agree with the continued dilution of the requirement that there be an actual, as opposed to an intuitive or a hypothetical, nexus between the evidence sought and…