United States v. Callaway

21 M.J. 740
CourtU.S. Army Court of Military Review
DecidedJanuary 21, 1986
DocketCM 446824
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 21 M.J. 740 (United States v. Callaway) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Army Court of Military Review primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Callaway, 21 M.J. 740 (usarmymilrev 1986).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

De GIULIO, Judge:

Pursuant to pleas entered in accordance with a pretrial agreement, appellant was found guilty by a military judge sitting as a general court-martial of two specifications of adultery, two specifications of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman and two specifications of fraternization, in violation of Articles 133 and 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. §§ 933 and 934 [hereinafter cited as UCMJ]. He was sentenced to a dismissal from the United States Army. The convening authority approved the sentence.

Appellant was a Professor of Military Science and Tactics (PMST) for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at a university in Ohio. During the summer of 1983, he was assigned duties as a battalion tactical officer for an advanced ROTC camp at Fort Lewis, Washington. The appellant was responsible for the training and evaluation of ROTC cadets, who made up the battalion, and for the supervision of the military personnel assigned as cadre to the battalion. In effect, the appellant served as a commander. A newly commissioned female officer, Second Lieutenant (2LT) T [743]*743was assigned to work directly for appellant as an “aide” and training officer. During the fifth week of camp, the battalion cadre had a barbecue at the battalion executive officer’s home. After the barbecue, appellant stated there would be a “staff call” at a local inn. At the inn appellant bought 2LT T several drinks with the intention of initiating a sexual relationship with her. Two other officers and a master sergeant attended the “staff call” at the inn. They remained at the bar until it closed and thereafter went to another bar. Appellant bought a round of drinks at this bar. Subsequent to the “staff call”, two female lieutenants, two male master sergeants, appellant, and 2LT T returned to the battalion executive officer’s home. Each of the lieutenants went to a separate bedroom with one of the master sergeants to sleep together. Appellant and 2LT T went to a third bedroom where they had sexual intercourse at the urging of appellant and remained the night. All personnel, except one of the lieutenants, were under the direct control and supervision of the appellant. The next morning everyone was awakened by appellant. He and 2LT T returned to Fort Lewis. Later, appellant and 2LT T returned to the battalion executive officer’s house to help clean up. While there, they again had sexual intercourse at appellant’s suggestion. The other two female lieutenants and the master sergeants were again present at the house. On another occasion the lieutenants, the two non-commissioned officers, and appellant went drinking together at an inn in the civilian community. At the house and bars appellant dealt with those accompanying him on terms of social equality. Appellant had sexual intercourse with 2LT T on two other occasions at his BOQ, once during duty hours. Second Lieutenant T, in a pretrial statement, indicated that she felt victimized by appellant, that she later informed him that she did not wish to go out with him and thereafter avoided his company on and off duty.

During the summer of 1984, appellant again was assigned duties as a battalion tactical officer at the ROTO advanced camp at Fort Lewis, Washington. A recent college graduate and newly commissioned female officer, 2LT M. was assigned to appellant’s battalion. She was invited to dinner by appellant and had a date with him on 9 June 1984. Between 10 June and 27 June 1984, appellant publicly dated 2LT M, and they had sexual intercourse in his BOQ room on several occasions. Other officers living in the BOQ became aware that appellant and 2LT M were having sex in appellant’s BOQ room. Upon hearing of the relationship, the camp commandant ordered an investigation. At the start of the relationship, appellant falsely led 2LT M. to believe that he had been divorced for eight years. She continued to believe he was divorced until the investigation of the offenses which resulted in the charges. She stated that she would not have entered into the sexual relationship if she had been aware that appellant was married.

I

Appellant entered into a pretrial agreement to plead guilty to some of the offenses charged, provided that the convening authority would approve no more than 30 days confinement; instruct the trial counsel not to offer evidence on words excepted from the charges and specifications or to other specifications to which appellant pleaded not guilty; and, instruct trial counsel not to call 2LT T except in direct rebuttal of evidence presented by appellant. One of the offenses which was dismissed as a result of the agreement was an allegation that appellant raped 2LT T and appellant apparently felt, with some justification, that any testimony by 2LT T might have an adverse effect on his behalf. In exchange for these substantial concessions, appellant agreed to require the government to produce only one witness not in the immediate geographical area. It is the latter provision which causes appellant to urge that his pleas of guilty were improvident because he believes that the pretrial agreement deprived him of the substantial right to a complete sentencing proceeding.

[744]*744To be valid, a pretrial agreement must adhere to the basic notions of fundamental fairness. United States v. Partin, 7 M.J. 409, 412 (C.M.A.1979). A pretrial agreement may not include a provision which denies a fair hearing, even if the hearing is limited by the plea to matters other than guilt or innocence of the accused. United States v. Holland, 1 M.J. 58 (C.M.A.1975). Thus, a pretrial agreement cannot prevent the presentation of non-jurisdictional motions prior to pleas,1 inhibit the accused from exercising his appellate rights,2 or require the accused to waive his right to hire civilian counsel or have individual military counsel.3 Certain rights can be bargained away, however, to conserve time, money and effort. United States v. Sharper, 17 M.J. 803 (A.C.M.R.1984). More complex pretrial agreements are acceptable when the complexity emanates from appellant. See United States v. Schaffer, 12 M.J. 425, 428 (C.M.A.1982); United States v. Jones, 20 M.J. 853 (A.C.M.R.1985).

The question to be determined in this ease is whether a pretrial agreement provision which requires the government to produce only one “out-of-the-area” witness violates a fundamental right which abridges a fair trial. We find that it does not. In United States v. West, 13 M.J. 800 (A.C.M.R.), pet. denied, 14 M.J. 215 (C.M.A.1982), a provision whereby an accused agreed to waive personal appearance of a witness was upheld as a proper subject of a pretrial agreement. A pretrial agreement which waives the personal appearance of character witnesses is not against public policy. United States v. Krautheim, 10 M.J. 763 (N.C.M.R.1981); United States v. Hanna, 4 M.J. 938, 940 (N.C.M.R.), pet. denied, 5 M.J. 252 (C.M.A.1978). The provisions of RCM 1001(e)(1) and (2), Manual for Courts-Martial, 1984, do not require production of witnesses in presentencing proceedings.4 Further, it is a permissible condition for the accused to offer in a pretrial agreement to waive the opportunity to obtain the personal appearance of witnesses at sentencing proceedings. RCM 705(c)(2)(E), MCM 1984.

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Bluebook (online)
21 M.J. 740, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-callaway-usarmymilrev-1986.