United States v. Pena

61 M.J. 776, 2005 CCA LEXIS 313, 2005 WL 2622796
CourtUnited States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
DecidedSeptember 15, 2005
DocketACM 35397
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 61 M.J. 776 (United States v. Pena) 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. Pena, 61 M.J. 776, 2005 CCA LEXIS 313, 2005 WL 2622796 (afcca 2005).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

SMITH, Judge:

Consistent with his pleas, the appellant was found guilty of several sex-related offenses that occurred over a three-year period. Apart from a single charge of attempted indecent assault, in violation of Article 80, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 880, the appellant’s misconduct was detailed in 15 separate specifications that alleged violations of Article 134, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 934. A military judge sitting as a general court-martial sentenced him to a dishonorable discharge, confinement for 1 year, and reduction to E-l. The convening authority approved the sentence as adjudged.

In an issue of first impression for this Court, the appellant challenges his release from confinement under the Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR) program. He challenges both the legality of MSR and its application in his ease. Finding no error, we affirm the findings and sentence.

Background

The appellant’s minimum release date from confinement was 22 June 2003. His maximum release was 2 September 2003. On 21 February 2003, the Air Force Clemency and Parole Board (AFC & PB) notified the appellant he had been denied clemency and parole, but advised him that the AFC & PB was directing MSR upon his minimum release date. The term of mandatory supervision was to run from 22 June 2003 to 2 September 2003. The appellant was released from confinement on 22 June 2003.

The appellant filed a writ of mandamus with this Court on 14 July 2003, asking for his release from the MSR program and an adjustment to the effective date of his placement on appellate leave. The Writ raised four issues, in substance the same issues raised now on appeal under Article 66, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 866.1 Citing Clinton v. [778]*778Goldsmith, 526 U.S. 529, 119 S.Ct. 1538, 143 L. Ed.2d 720 (1999), on 14 August 2003 we held that this Court did not have jurisdiction to grant the requested relief. United States v. Pena, ACM 35397, Misc. Dkt. No. 2003-04 (14 Aug 2003) (unpub. op.). On 9 September 2003, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces denied the appellant’s writ-appeal petition. United States v. Pena, 59 M.J. 135 (C.A.A.F.2003).

Jurisdiction to Consider MSR

The threshold issue is whether we have jurisdiction on questions concerning MSR, or whether the program is an administrative consequence beyond the scope of our Article 66(c), 10 U.S.C. § 866(c), review authority. We possess “no ... authority over actions administering sentences of military prisoners.” United States v. Towns, 52 M.J. 830, 833 (A.F.Ct.Crim.App.2000), aff'd, 55 M. J. 361 (C.A.A.F.2001). Further, “[a]s an Article I Court, and thus a creature of Congress, we cannot be certain that we were intended to oversee the conduct of prison affairs at any institution wherein a post-conviction military prisoner is housed, and nothing in our search of our statutory charter or precedent suggests that we were.” United States v. Haymaker, 46 M.J. 757, 760 (A.F.Ct.Crim.App.1997), aff'd, 50 M.J. 127 (C.A.A.F.1998).

Mindful of our precedent and limited authority, we do not reject the appellant’s challenge simply because his complaint implicates the administration of his sentence. Under Article 66(c), UCMJ, we have the duty and authority to review sentence appropriateness and determine whether the sentence is correct “in law.” United States v. Erby, 54 M.J. 476, 478 (C.A.A.F.2001). Therefore, we have the authority to assess the nature and general application of MSR to satisfy ourselves “that the severity of the adjudged and approved sentence has not been unlawfully increased by prison officials, and to ensure that the sentence is executed in a manner consistent with Article 55[, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 855,] and the Constitution.” United States v. White, 54 M.J. 469, 472 (C.A.A.F.2001). See also Erby, 54 M.J. at 478.

MSR Program

1. The Federal System

MSR is a relatively recent form of conditional release for Department of Defense (DOD) prisoners, but supervised release has existed far longer in the federal civilian system. “In the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, § 212(a)(2), 98 Stat. 1999, Congress eliminated most forms of parole in favor of supervised release, a form of postconfinement monitoring overseen by the sentencing court, rather than the Parole Commission.” Johnson v. United States, 529 U.S. 694, 696-97, 120 S.Ct. 1795, 146 L.Ed.2d 727 (2000).

Supervised release in the federal civilian system is part of the sentence adjudged. 18 U.S.C. § 3583.2 MSR functions as:

a form of government supervision after a term of imprisonment. Unlike parole, which has the effect of reducing the stated term of imprisonment, supervised release is a term of supervision in addition to, and following, a term of imprisonment imposed by a court. Supervised release is similar to probation, with the exception that supervised release follows a term of imprisonment whereas probation cannot be ordered if a term of imprisonment is imposed for the same or a different offense.

[779]*779Honorable Harold Baer Jr., The Alpha & Omega of Supervised Release, 60 Alb. L.Rev. 267, 269 (1996) (citations omitted).

2. The DOD

The DOD MSR program bears little resemblance to the federal system’s scheme of supervised release, primarily because supervised release in the military is not imposed as part of an accused’s sentence.

DOD’s version of supervised release must be considered with parole, given the interrelationship between the two forms of release. Parole is defined as a form of “Conditional release from confinement under the guidance and supervision of a U.S. [United States] probation officer.” DOD Directive (DODD) 1325.4, Confinement of Military Prisoners and Administration of Military Correctional Programs and Facilities, E2.1.6 (17 Aug 2001). “Parole may be granted until the expiration of a prisoner’s full sentence regardless of good conduct time or other sentence reductions.” DOD Instruction (DODI) 1325.7, Administration of Military Correctional Facilities and Clemency and Parole Authority, 116.17.9.4 (17 Jul 2001). Parole is voluntary, in that an inmate must apply and be approved for participation. Before being released on parole, the inmate must have an approved parole supervision plan (projecting expected living arrangements and employment situation) and agree in writing to abide by the plan and the conditions of supervision. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 31-205, The Air Force Corrections System, H 10.15 (9 Apr 2001).

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Bluebook (online)
61 M.J. 776, 2005 CCA LEXIS 313, 2005 WL 2622796, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-pena-afcca-2005.