PowerPoint Presentation

The Court-Martial ProcessMilitary Law Week 8Jay CanhamThe Court-Martial Process: Trial and SentencingChronology of a Trial Review of counsel rights with the Defendant.Voir Dire of the Military Judge?Review Forum Rights with the DefendantRequest for any motions, Military Judge then takes final pleas.The Providency Inquiry!Review the charges with the Defendant.Review the Pre-trial agreement with the Defendant.Enter a judgment (Guilty/Not Guilty) on the charges.

Providency of a Guilty PleaBefore a plea of guilty may be accepted, the Military Judge must determine by personal inquiry of the Accused, whether the plea is provident.that isit is voluntary and intelligent.

The Sentencing Phase of a Court-MartialInitially, sentencing evidence presented by the Trial Counsel for the Government Service and Personal Data: The government may present evidence from any of the Defendants service records. Evidence of Prior Civilian or Military Convictions: Evidence of past uncharged misconduct is only admissible to help the sentencing authority gauge the Defendants rehabilitative potential. Rehabilitation Potential: The government may introduce opinion testimony concerning the Defendants rehabilitation potential, but cannot recommend a specific sentence to the court.Evidence in AggravationEvidence in AggravationAggravation evidence is the circumstances surrounding the convicted offense that cause an adverse impact on unit readiness, the units mission, or upon a victim.

Defense Evidence in Sentencing: Really unrestricted!The Defendants favorable duty performance; andCommunity service, education, or family responsibilities; andOpinion testimony of the Defendants favorable rehabilitation potential; and Statement by the Defendant; andThe defense may present evidence in extenuation and mitigation.

******The defense may not continue to contest the fact that he committed a crime.******

Defense Evidence: Extenuation and MitigationMatters in Extenuation: Any circumstances serving to explain the commission of the offense, including the reasons that motivated the accused, but not extending to a legal justificationMatters in Mitigation: Any circumstances having for its purpose the lessening of the punishment to be awarded by the court and the furnishing of grounds for a recommendation of clemency.

Statement by the DefendantThe Defendant is allowed to remain silent; orThe Defendant is allowed to testify under oath; orThe Defendant is allowed to submit an unsworn statement from the accused;The court or the government may not cross-examination the Defendants unsworn testimony, but may offer evidence to rebut it.

Sentencing Argument: Trial Counsel/GovernmentMay make a specific sentencing recommendation. The government may not comment upon the accuseds failure to plead guilty or the accuseds failure to testify. May comment upon the accuseds lack of remorse in an unsworn statement during the defenses sentencing case. May comment upon the low rehabilitative potential of the accused

Sentencing Argument: Trial Counsel/GovernmentMay argue generally accepted sentencing philosophies: Specific deterrence is accomplished when a sentence is imposed that prevents the offender from repeating his offense. General deterrence is accomplished when the accuseds sentence sends a message to other persons in the community that crime doesnt pay. Social retribution is punishment for the sake of punishment.

Deliberation ProceduresMilitary members vote in closed deliberations to protect the court members from outside influences. Every court member has an equal vote regardless of rank. A senior member of the court may not use his rank to influence the vote of junior ranking members. Commanders of court-members are not permitted to comment on a court-members participation at a court in military in performance evaluations.Communications during deliberations are privilege, court-members are not permitted to disclose the statements or the vote of another court-member. Voting requirements varyFor a finding of guilt: A two-thirds majority of the court.For an imposed sentence: A two-thirds majority of the court.For an imposed sentence of 10 years confinement or more: A three-fourths majority of the court.To impose a death sentence: The vote must be unanimous.

Death Penalty in the MilitaryDated punishmentbut in the modern era, fairly rare.Has a civilian political element:President, as the Commander-In-Chief, has to approve the order to execute a military member.

How common are executions?Since the beginning of the Civil War, about 465 executions have been held, most for mutiny and desertion in Wartime.From 1950 to 1961, only 10 service-members have been executed.Since 1984, 80% of all the death sentences have been reversed during the appeals processusually commuted to life sentences.Since 2008, weve had 6-9 service-members on death row.

The Court-Martial ProcessMilitary Law Week 8Jay Canham