United States v. Aaron

54 M.J. 538, 2000 CCA LEXIS 223, 2000 WL 1530886
CourtUnited States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
DecidedSeptember 8, 2000
DocketACM 33648
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 54 M.J. 538 (United States v. Aaron) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Aaron, 54 M.J. 538, 2000 CCA LEXIS 223, 2000 WL 1530886 (afcca 2000).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

SPISAK, Senior Judge:

The appellant pled guilty to carnal knowledge, sodomy, indecent acts, and adultery with his adopted daughter, JA. Articles 120, 125, 134, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. §§ 920, 925, 934. Court members also found him guilty of three additional specifications of indecent acts with JA. Article 134, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 934. His approved sentence consists of a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for 6 years and 6 months, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and reduction to E-1.

The appellant raises four errors for our consideration. First, he contends the military judge erred by denying a motion to suppress evidence derived from videotaped surveillance of the appellant and his adopted daughter. Second, he complains the military judge erred by denying his motion to dismiss Specification 2, Charge III for failure to state an offense. Third, he argues the military judge erred when he denied a motion to dismiss Specifications 2, 3, and 4 of Charge III (all allege indecent acts with JA) as multiplicious and an unreasonable multiplication of charges. Finally, he argues the military judge abused his discretion when he refused to instruct the members to consider the appellant’s good military character when determining an appropriate sentence. We find no error and affirm.

I. FACTS

The appellant married SH in 1990. At the time of the marriage, SH had two young daughters, JA and SA. JA was then 9 years old. In March 1995, the appellant adopted both JA and SA. When JA was 13, she and the appellant began wrestling. Over approximately the next two years, the wrestling led to the appellant touching JA’s breasts and, eventually, when JA was 15, to sexual intercourse.

In November 1996, one of SH’s friends told agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) that SH suspected inappropriate relations between JA and the appellant. The appellant learned of the possible AFOSI interest in the case from his commander. He called the local area defense counsel, Captain (Capt) Dulaney, who advised him not to talk to the AFOSI. Because SH denied any suspicions and JA denied any sexual involvement with the appellant, the AFOSI closed the investigation without interviewing him.

By Christmas 1996, marital problems between SH and the appellant resulted in the appellant and JA moving out of the marital home to an apartment in which they continued their intimate relationship. In March or April 1998, shortly after her 17th birthday, JA moved out of the apartment. Sexual activity between JA and the appellant ceased until August 1998 when SH ordered JA out of her house. JA returned to the apartment and spent the night with the appellant.

In September 1998, JA told SH that she and the appellant had been sexual partners. The AFOSI again became involved and, together with JA, decided to have JA call the appellant to talk about their relationship. During this call, the appellant repeatedly responded, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Therefore, the agents and JA decided that a face-to-face meeting was needed. The AFOSI rented rooms at a local hotel and set up hidden microphones and cameras. JA then called and asked the appellant to come see her. The appellant came to the hotel room on two consecutive nights, 6 and 7 October 1998. On 6 October 1998, he was again guarded in his responses, but did make some incriminating remarks. On 7 October 1998, he became more talkative and made additional incriminating statements, all of which were recorded.

[543]*543II. SUPPRESSION OF EVIDENCE

A military judge’s rulings on the admission or exclusion of evidence, including rulings on motions to suppress, are reviewed for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Ayala, 43 M.J. 296, 298 (1995). We review a military judge’s findings of fact under a clearly erroneous standard and his conclusions of law de novo. Id. We use these same standards when an appellant alleges his confession was involuntary because he was denied his right to counsel. United States v. McLaren, 38 M.J. 112, 115 (C.M.A.1993). We also review de novo the question of whether or not an interrogation occurred. United States v. Young, 49 M.J. 265, 267 (1998) (citing United States v. Kosek, 41 M.J. 60, 63 (C.M.A.1994)).

The appellant made three arguments in support of his contention that the military judge should have suppressed all evidence derived from the two videotaped conversations he had with JA. First, he contended the AFOSI agents or JA should have advised him of his rights under Article 31(b), UCMJ. Second, he asserted that he was denied his rights against self-incrimination and to due process under the Fifth Amendment, United States Constitution. Third, he argued he was denied his right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment, United States Constitution, and Mil.R.Evid. 304.

A. Article 31 Rights

In his brief, the appellant relied heavily on United States v. Duga, 10 M.J. 206 (C.M.A. 1981), to support his contention that his rights under Article 31, UCMJ, were violated. However, during oral argument, his appellate defense counsel conceded that the portion of the brief that relied on Duga is “not well taken.” We agree.

The court in Duga established a two-part test to determine when a suspect is entitled to advisement of rights under Article 31, UCMJ. First, the questioner must be subject to the UCMJ and be acting in an official capacity. Second, the person questioned must perceive the inquiry as more than a casual conversation. Even from a cursory review of the videotape meetings on 6 and 7 October 1998 and the transcripts of those meetings make it clear that the appellant perceived that he was talking with his young daughter and former lover, not an agent of the government.

B. The Fifth Amendment, Self-Incrimination

The appellant’s claim that his Fifth Amendment rights were violated is also flawed. As the appellant notes in his assignment of errors, the Fifth Amendment protects an accused “when he is subjected] to custodial interrogation.” The appellant concedes, he was not subjected to an interrogation as contemplated by Duga. However, even if such an interrogation took place, the appellant was not in custody. Rather, he voluntarily appeared at a hotel room that he believed was occupied by his 17-year-old daughter. No one else was present and the appellant left without objection or interference when he chose to do so. Under these circumstances we find there was no custodial interrogation as contemplated by the Fifth Amendment. See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966) (made applicable to the military by United States v. Tempia, 37 C.M.R. 249 (C.M.A.1967)).

C. Sixth Amendment, Right to Counsel

The Sixth Amendment provides that in all criminal prosecutions an accused shall enjoy the right to the assistance of counsel. Once the Sixth Amendment right to counsel has attached, law enforcement officials may not interrogate a defendant unless counsel is present or the defendant expressly waives his right to the assistance of counsel. Michigan v. Jackson,

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Bluebook (online)
54 M.J. 538, 2000 CCA LEXIS 223, 2000 WL 1530886, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-aaron-afcca-2000.