United States v. Fuller

54 M.J. 107, 2000 CAAF LEXIS 994, 2000 WL 1283200
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Armed Forces
DecidedSeptember 11, 2000
Docket00-0095/AR
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 54 M.J. 107 (United States v. Fuller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Fuller, 54 M.J. 107, 2000 CAAF LEXIS 994, 2000 WL 1283200 (Ark. 2000).

Opinions

Judge EFFRON

delivered the opinion of the Court.

A general court-martial composed of officer and enlisted members convicted appellant, contrary to his pleas, of cruelty and maltreatment (3 specifications), rape, sodomy (3 specifications), indecent assault, unlawful entry, fraternization, and kidnapping, in violation of Articles 93, 120, 125, and 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), 10 USC §§ 893, 920, 925, and 934, respectively. He was sentenced to a dishonorable discharge, confinement for 5 years, total forfeitures, and reduction to the grade of E-l. The convening authority approved the sentence as adjudged, and the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed in an unpublished opinion.

On appellant’s petition, we granted review of the following issue:

WHETHER THE EVIDENCE IS LEGALLY SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN A CONVICTION FOR CRUELTY AND MALTREATMENT OF PFC M (SPECIFICATION 1 OF CHARGE II) WHERE PFC M TESTIFIED AND PROVIDED SWORN STATEMENTS THAT SHE VOLUNTARILY DRANK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ENGAGED IN SEX WITH APPELLANT.

For the reasons set forth below, we find that the evidence is not legally sufficient to sustain appellant’s conviction for cruelty and maltreatment, but is sufficient to sustain a finding of guilty for a lesser-ineluded offense under the general article.

I. BACKGROUND

At the time of the offenses, appellant and Sergeant First Class (SFC) Davis were members of the Inprocessing Training Center (ITC) at Darmstadt, Germany. As cadre members at the ITC, their mission was to assist soldiers and families transition into Europe. Soldiers would inprocess for approximately 2 to 3 weeks. While at the ITC, soldiers would engage in orientation activities such as German language training, driving training, and unit inprocessing. On December 8, 1996, Private First Class (PFC) M reported to the ITC, where appellant and SFC Davis were her platoon sergeants.

On December 27, 1996, PFC M and Private (PVT) I, another soldier at the ITC, celebrated PVT I’s birthday with friends at the barracks. With the exception of PFC M, everyone drank shots of liquor. At some point that afternoon, appellant called the barracks looking for SFC Davis. While speak[109]*109ing with PFC M, appellant asked what she and her friends were doing that evening. PFC M told appellant that they planned to go to the Rainbow Club that was located on base. Appellant asked if he and SFC Davis could join them at the club, and PFC M told him that they could do whatever they wanted.

At approximately 9:30 that evening, PFC M and PVT I and their friends went to the Rainbow Club. While there, PFC M drank four or five mixed drinks, consisting of whiskey and cola. At the club, appellant and SFC Davis approached PFC M and asked if she and PVT I wanted to go to an off-base club to further celebrate PVT I’s birthday. PFC M told appellant that she would have to ask PVT I if she was interested. PVT I and PFC M went to the bathroom to secretly discuss whether they wanted to go to an off-base club with appellant and SFC Davis. Once they both had agreed, PFC M told appellant that they would like to go to the other club with him and SFC Davis. PFC M then “decided that [they] needed to make up something so that it didn’t look so obvious to the other ITC people there that [they] were leaving. So [she] made up a story that [she and PVT I] were going to the barracks to call [PVT I’s] mom because it was her birthday and she wanted to speak with her.” PFC M made up the stoiy “[s]o that it wouldn’t look like [she and PVT I] were going out with members of [them] cadre.”

In order to ensure that no one saw them leave together, appellant suggested that PFC M and PVT I leave the club before he and SFC Davis and wait for them at his car. PFC M and PVT I agreed and waited outside, in the cold, at appellant’s car. After approximately 20 minutes, appellant came outside and let them into his car, but then he returned inside the club to find SFC Davis.

When appellant and SFC Davis finally returned to the car, they all drove off-base together. WTiile driving, appellant and SFC Davis discussed the possibility that other cadre members might be at the other club. To avoid getting caught with two privates, they suggested that they go drink at appellant’s off-base apartment. PFC M testified that she and PVT I agreed to go back to appellant’s apartment. On the way, they stopped at a gas station so that SFC Davis could buy a few bottles of liquor. Wdiile he was in the gas station, PFC M moved up to the front seat to sit next to appellant. When SFC Davis returned, he sat in the back seat with PVT I.

When they arrived at appellant’s apartment, SFC Davis poured everyone a tequila shot to toast PVT I’s birthday. Since the tequila was poured into regular glasses rather than shot glasses, each shot contained double the amount of tequila. Soon after they arrived, appellant left the room. While he was gone, PFC M and PVT I had approximately four to six of these double shots of tequila. PFC M testified that she “drank on [her] own that night” and that “nobody forced [her] to drink.”

After drinking the tequila, SFC Davis asked PVT I to slow dance. WThile they were dancing, they started to take off each other’s clothes. PFC M sat on the couch and was not “paying too much attention to them.” By the time appellant returned to the room, SFC Davis and PVT I were already on the bed having sexual intercourse. Appellant and PFC M drank some shots of brandy, and soon thereafter they began kissing, got undressed, and started to have sexual intercourse. After a few minutes, appellant told SFC Davis, “You’ve gotta get some of this.” Appellant then moved away from PFC M, and SFC Davis started having sex with her. At the same time, PFC M looked over at PVT I and saw appellant having sexual intercourse with her.

PFC M testified that she did not resist having sex with appellant or SFC Davis. She testified that at the time, she thought to herself, “ ‘[W]ow,’ and ... ‘oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m having sex with him too.’ ” PFC M believes she blacked out for a few minutes because she does not recall when SFC Davis stopped having sexual intercourse with her, but she and appellant had sexual intercourse again. She testified that she did not move because she was very embarrassed.

Appellant then asked her if she had ever had anal intercourse. At trial, PFC M testi[110]*110fied that she did not recall what she said to appellant, but she remembered that the anal sex hurt. She twisted away and rolled over on her back and they had vaginal intercourse again. At trial, PFC M testified that on the night of December 27, she had “willingly engaged in sex with [appellant]” and that “he had [her] permission.” She did not say “no,” nor did she attempt to stop the sexual activities. PFC M testified that although she did not actually want to have sexual intercourse with appellant or SFC Davis, she did not indicate that to either of them.

The following morning, PFC M told appellant that she and PVT I wanted to go back to the barracks. On the way back to base, the four of them joked in the car and stopped to eat lunch together. PFC M testified that neither she nor PVT I were upset that morning. PFC M testified that after she got home, she did not tell anyone about what had occurred. She tried to forget about the evening because she was not proud of herself.

PFC M did not see appellant again until approximately 11:00 p.m. on February 5, 1997, when she awoke to him knocking at her door.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. Second Lieutenant RICKY A. SMITH
Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2025
United States v. Staff Sergeant DAVID E. PADGETT
Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2020
United States v. Sergeant JESUS D. CARDENAS
Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2019
United States v. Sergeant ANTHONY J. PATTON
Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2017
United States v. Gurney
73 M.J. 587 (Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, 2014)
United States v. Phillips
70 M.J. 161 (Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 2011)
United States v. Miller
67 M.J. 385 (Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 2009)
United States v. Leak
61 M.J. 234 (Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 2005)
United States v. Leak
58 M.J. 869 (Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2003)
United States v. Tynes
58 M.J. 704 (Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2003)
United States v. Farence
57 M.J. 674 (U S Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals, 2002)
United States v. Carson
57 M.J. 410 (Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 2002)
United States v. Carson
55 M.J. 656 (Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2001)
United States v. Simpson
55 M.J. 674 (Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2001)
United States v. Goddard
54 M.J. 763 (Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, 2000)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
54 M.J. 107, 2000 CAAF LEXIS 994, 2000 WL 1283200, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-fuller-armfor-2000.