United States v. Carson

55 M.J. 656, 2001 CCA LEXIS 218, 2001 WL 880743
CourtArmy Court of Criminal Appeals
DecidedAugust 3, 2001
DocketARMY 9801402
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 55 M.J. 656 (United States v. Carson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Army 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. Carson, 55 M.J. 656, 2001 CCA LEXIS 218, 2001 WL 880743 (acca 2001).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

HARVEY, Judge:

A military judge, sitting as a general court-martial, convicted appellant, contrary to his pleas, of maltreatment of subordinates (five specifications) and indecent exposure (three specifications), in violation of Articles 93 and 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C §§ 893 and 934 [hereinafter UCMJ]. The convening authority approved the adjudged sentence to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for forty-two months, and reduction to Private El. The convening authority waived statutory forfeitures for six months and directed payment of such monies to appellant’s wife. See UCMJ art. 58b(b), 10 U.S.C. § 858b(b).

In this Article 66, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 866, appeal, appellant asserts as part of his third assignment of error1 that, as a matter of law, a conviction for maltreatment of a subordinate requires proof that the charged misconduct resulted in “physical or mental pain or suffering” by the alleged victim. We disagree.

Facts

All of appellant’s convictions stem from his sexually harassing behavior towards three subordinates during the period 1 December 1996 through 3 June 1998. Appellant, who was the supervising desk sergeant in the military police (MP) station, repeatedly exposed his penis to Privates (PVT) K, R, and G while these female MP soldiers and appellant were performing duties at the MP station. Additionally, appellant asked PVT K to engage in oral sodomy on him in return for an assignment to a military police investigative team. He also ordered PVT R to physically search his crotch.

Appellant challenges one maltreatment specification because of insufficient evidence of PVT G’s “physical or mental pain or suffering” as a result of appellant’s one-time exposure of his penis to her. Private G was 20 years-old and had been in the Army less than a year at the time of the offense. She was working for the first time with appellant, who was supervising PVT G as part of his duties as the MP desk sergeant. At about 0100, 3 June 1998, appellant, who was wearing his Battle Dress Uniform, went inside the office bathroom. From inside the bathroom, appellant asked PVT G to hand him a bag. When she handed him the bag, she saw appellant’s penis as he stood in the doorway dressed only in a T-shirt and socks. Shortly thereafter, appellant exited the bathroom. Appellant yelled, “Hey,” at PVT G, causing her to look at him. She again saw appellant wearing only a T-shirt and socks, with his penis exposed. Appellant asked PVT G whether the patrol supervisor was reporting back to the MP station. She answered his question, and then appellant returned to the bathroom and put on his Battle Dress Uniform.

On both occasions when she saw his penis, appellant made no attempt to cover it. Appellant did not touch or attempt to touch PVT G, nor did he make any sexual comments to her. Private G did not immediately report appellant’s conduct. Private G testified that she did not ask to see appellant’s penis, she was bothered and shocked to see him expose himself, and she considered herself a victim. Appellant did not testify, and no evidence was presented that he had any reason to believe that FVT G consented to his exposure of his penis. Appellant was convicted of maltreating PVT G, a person [658]*658subject to his orders, by exposing his penis to her, in violation of Article 93, UCMJ.

Maltreatment of Subordinates

The origins of the military offense of maltreatment of subordinates prior to enactment of the UCMJ in 1950 are set forth in United States v. Finch, 22 C.M.R. 698, 701, 1956 WL 4861 (N.B.R.1956) and United States v. Sojfer, 44 M.J. 603, 608 (N.M.Ct. Crim.App.1996), aff'd, 47 M.J. 425 (1998), which describe case law and legislative history interpreting Article 93, UCMJ, as “sparse.” After 1950, Article 93, UCMJ, prohibited cruelty and maltreatment, stating: “Any person subject to this chapter who is guilty of cruelty toward, or oppression or maltreatment of, any person subject to his orders shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.” The Manual for Courts-Martial, United States (1998 ed.) [hereinafter MCM], Part IV, paragraph 17b, lists two elements for maltreatment: “(1) That a certain person was subject to the orders of the accused; and (2) That the accused was cruel toward, or oppressed, or maltreated that person.” In defining the nature of the act of maltreatment in greater particularity, MCM, Part IV, paragraph 17c(2), explains that “sexual harassment”2 may constitute maltreatment, stating:

The cruelty, oppression, or maltreatment, although not necessarily physical, must be measured by an objective standard. Assault, improper punishment, and sexual harassment may constitute this offense. Sexual harassment includes influencing, offering to influence, or threatening the career, pay, or job of another person in exchange for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature.

“The example of sexual harassment was added [to the 1984 version of the MCM] because some forms of such conduct are nonphysical maltreatment.” MCM, Article 93 analysis, app. 23, at A23-5; see also Exec. Order No. 12,473, 49 Fed.Reg. 17,152 (Apr. 23, 1984).

Although our superior court has noted that Article 93, UCMJ, “ ‘is not a strict liability offense punishing all improper relationships between superior and subordinates,”’ United States v. Fuller, 54 M.J. 107, 111 (2000) (quoting United States v. Johnson, 45 M.J. 543, 544 (Army Ct.Crim. App.1997)), it has not “particularly defined the word[ ] ‘maltreatment.’ ” United States v. Knight, 52 M.J. 47, 49 (1999) (citing United States v. Curry, 28 M.J. 419, 424 (C.M.A. 1989)). Paragraph 3-17-ld of Dep’t of Army, Pam. 27-9, Legal Services: Military Judges’ Benchbook (30 Sep. 1996) [hereinafter Benchbook], currently indicates that maltreatment refers, “to unwarranted, harmful, abusive, rough, or other unjustifiable treatment which, under all the circumstances: (a) results in physical or mental pain or suffering, and (b) is unwarranted, unjustified and unnecessary for any lawful purpose.”

The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has recently addressed the issue of whether adverse victim impact is required for maltreatment without clearly resolving it, stating:

Moreover, there is some disagreement over the precise scope of [Article 93, UCMJ] in the service appellate courts. For example, in United States v. Hanson, 30 M.J. 1198, 1201 (A.F.C.M.R.1990) [, aff'd, 32 M.J. 309 (C.M.A.1991)], the Air Force court held that “[t]he offense occurs when the treatment viewed objectively, results in physical or mental pain or suffering and is abusive or otherwise unwarranted, unjustified and unnecessary for any lawful purpose.” (Emphasis added). The Navy-Marine Corps court, however, has rejected a pain or injury requirement. See
[659]*659United States v. Goddard, 47 M.J. 581, 584-85 (N.M.Ct.Crim.App.1997).3

Knight,

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Related

United States v. Gurney
73 M.J. 587 (Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, 2014)
United States v. Carson
57 M.J. 410 (Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 2002)

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Bluebook (online)
55 M.J. 656, 2001 CCA LEXIS 218, 2001 WL 880743, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-carson-acca-2001.