Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
v.
Webster M. SMITH, Cadet
U.S. Coast Guard, Appellant
No. 08-0719
Crim. App. No. 1275
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
November 10, 2009
March 29, 2010
STUCKY, J., delivered the judgment of the Court, in which RYAN,
J., joined. BAKER, J., filed a separate opinion concurring in
the result. ERDMANN, J., filed a separate opinion concurring in
part and dissenting in part, in which EFFRON, C.J., joined.
Counsel
Brian M. Judge
We granted
We hold
that Appellant was not denied his right to confront his accuser,
and affirm.
I.
A general court-martial consisting of members convicted
Appellant, contrary to his pleas, of attempting to disobey an
order, going from his place of duty, sodomy, extortion, and
indecent assault.
In
sixty-day period for filing at this Court began on the date the
defense was formally notified, under the provisions of Article
67(b), UCMJ, of the CCAs decision on reconsideration.
The
Shortly thereafter,
indiscretion.
On this occasion, he
M.R.E. 412(b)(1)(C).
Cadet SR
The CCA
Appellant
Uncovering and
Through cross-
See United
We have
United
To
We
Dorsey, 16 M.J. at 6
Id. (citation
fairly precise and plausible theory of bias, i.e., that she lied
to preserve a secret which if revealed could have an adverse
impact on her Coast Guard career, including possibly
disciplinary action under the UCMJ.
The vital
All of
complainants credibility.
Finally, Appellant argues that Cadet SRs past indiscretion
and her lies about it gave her similar motive to lie about her
relationship with Appellant.
Even
To
10
Id.
Second, it was SR
Contrary
M.R.E. 412(b)(1)(C).
relevant, the members did not need to know the specifics, but
could be provided with a non-specific summary;1 although the
evidence could show that SR had a propensity to bring false
accusations against men with whom she had consensual sexual
encounters, the evidence was not strong since the source of the
allegation, Smith, was biased; there was a significant
1
We review a military
Id.
Discussion
The Drafters
Id. at 678-79.
There
M.R.E. 412(b)(1)(C).
60
Id. at 222.
M.R.E. 401.
Id. at 222.
to protect her career, as she had in the past for the same
reason.
Evidence of a
Balancing
Once the military judge has determined that the proffered
Banker, 60 M.J.
Id.
Id. at
10
With this
Id. at 351.
The
Id. at 351-52.
Similarly,
The
The
12
Putting aside the fact that M.R.E. 412 may not even
I would
further find that the error was not harmless beyond a reasonable
doubt as it essentially deprived Smith of his best defense and
the excluded evidence may have tipped the credibility balance
in [Smiths] favor.
13