Army Times reports: The Army has launched a crackdown on the drug spice at least nine commands in response to a spike in usage among soldiers. A designer drug that mimics marijuana, spice is legal in most states, and is available for sale in smoke shops and online for around $50 for three ounces. What’s…
Continue reading ›Navy Times reports: Nearly four years after Navy officials nixed a mandatory degree requirement for advancement to senior chief, a rating has made an associate degree mandatory for all its sailors. In September, some of the 487 sailors in the legalman rating started their studies. This move is expected to transform the Navy’s legal community,…
Continue reading ›I posted yesterday on a new Army case dealing with instructions on an affirmative defense in a court-martial under the UCMJ. Today I’m posting on United States v. Ramon, an unpublished opinion from the NMCCA dated 28 September 2010. In his sole assignment of error, the appellant alleges that the military judges erred in failing…
Continue reading ›On 23 September 2010 USA Today published a front page piece about federal prosecutors. Federal prosecutors are supposed to seek justice, not merely score convictions. But a USA TODAY investigation found that prosecutors repeatedly have violated that duty in courtrooms across the nation. The abuses have put innocent people in prison, set guilty people free…
Continue reading ›DOD reports General Amos to be the new Commandant of the Marine Corps: In the biggest headline-making comments during the hearing, Amos told questioning lawmakers he personally opposes repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that prohibits gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military. He vowed, however, to ensure that whatever is…
Continue reading ›The Boston Globe has a piece and copy of a letter from Senator John Kerry to the Secretary of Defense. In that letter Senator Kerry says: Secretary Robert M. Gates 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400 Dear Mr. Secretary: On behalf of the family of deceased U.S. Navy sailor Caitlin Trask, who was killed by…
Continue reading ›Missye Brickell, Filling the Criminal Liability Gap for Private Military Contractors Abroad: U.S. v. Slough and the Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2010, 2 Leg. & Policy Brief. Abstract To ensure that all contractors who commit crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan can be prosecuted effectively in the United States, Congress must pass legislation to update…
Continue reading ›There are lots of reports out there on the Stryker Brigade cases now in the Article 32, UCMJ, process. One of the highlighted issues has been the reports that SPC Winfield’s father made numerous attempts to tell the Army what was going on. Here is an interesting CNN piece: Charles Keyes, “Father: Frustrated in trying…
Continue reading ›United States v. Stanley. The appellant raised eight errors through counsel and an additional six in accordance with United States v. Grostefon. One assignment of error warrants discussion, but no relief. Specifically, appellant alleges that the military judge erred by failing to properly instruct the panel regarding appellant’s right during mutual combat to exercise self-defense…
Continue reading ›Kate Wiltrout at Virginia Pilot reports: The XO of USS SAN ANTONIO has chosen to go to a court-martial on charges he was negligent on the day a sailor was lost at sea last year. If convicted, Lt. Cmdr. Sean D. Kearns, now assigned to a staff job at the U.S. Navy’s Second Fleet headquarters…
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