United States v. Plante

13 C.M.A. 266, 13 USCMA 266, 32 C.M.R. 266, 1962 CMA LEXIS 190, 1962 WL 4488
CourtUnited States Court of Military Appeals
DecidedAugust 24, 1962
DocketNo. 15,876
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 13 C.M.A. 266 (United States v. Plante) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Military 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. Plante, 13 C.M.A. 266, 13 USCMA 266, 32 C.M.R. 266, 1962 CMA LEXIS 190, 1962 WL 4488 (cma 1962).

Opinion

Opinion of the Court

Kilday, Judge:

The accused Plante was tried by a general court-martial convened in France. Contrary to his plea of not guilty, he was convicted of larceny of six carbines, a number of bed sheets, and several cases of “C” rations, in violation of Article 121, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 921. The court sentenced accused to be dishonorably discharged, to forfeit all pay and allowances, and to be confined at hard labor for seven years.

Upon the recommendation of his staff judge advocate, the convening authority set aside the findings as to the [268]*268sheets. However, he approved the other findings and so much of the sentence as provides for dishonorable discharge, total forfeitures, and confinement for five years. A board of review in the office of The Judge Advocate General of the Army affirmed such findings and sentence and, thereafter, accused petitioned this Court for grant of review pursuant to Article 67 (b) (3), Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 867. We allowed his appeal in order to consider arguments on three issues.

I

In the first assignment of error, appellate defense counsel assert that:

The pretrial statement of the accused, prosecution exhibit 9, was involuntary and inadmissible.

To place this issue in perspective, a recital of pertinent facts is required.

The record reflects that accused, a sergeant first class with some thirteen years of military service, was supply sergeant of his company. In that capacity, he prepared a “DA Form 1546, Request for Issue or Turn-in” — in essence, a requisition — for six carbines. Accused took such request for issue of firearms to the ordnance source of supply of his organization, and received the six carbines which were identified on the requisition by serial number. The original of this requisition was returned to him for his voucher file. He took the six carbines to the arms room of his organization. However, accused did not at any time place the original DA Form 1546 in his unit supply voucher file, nor did he ever add the six weapons to the total of carbines on hand in the unit property book, as would have been the usual and proper procedure.

Accused had also secured six cases of “C” rations from the mess sergeant of another organization, on the pretext that the same would be used to exchange with still another supply sergeant for items which accused represented he was short.

On different occasions, accused sold the six carbines and six cases of “C” rations to. a French national he knew to be engaged in black-market operations.

On the evening of May 9, 1961— the day after accused turned the weapons over to the black marketeer — Chief Warrant Officer William A. Wright, a military police criminal investigator, was detailed to accompany him to French police headquarters. The French police then had in their custody the French national to whom accused had sold the carbines and “C” rations. They were investigating the possession of carbines and the rations by said French national.

Mr. Wright accordingly located Plan-te on the post and directed that he accompany him to the French police headquarters for questioning by the French. It is undisputed that prior to his interrogation by the French police, accused was not warned of his rights under Article 31, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 831, by either Wright or the French authorities. It is also undisputed that agent Wright, at the time he accompanied Plante to the French police, suspected him of the offenses herein involved.

Accused testified with regard to his interrogation by the French, that he had inquired of Mr. Wright whether he was compelled to make any statement whatsoever, and the warrant officer informed him that he was. On the other hand, agent Wright averred that he could not specifically recall whether Plante had asked him if he had to answer questions put to him by the French police.

Upon inquiry by the defense, Wright denied he was then engaged in any investigation. He explained his involvement in appellant Plante’s interrogation by the French as follows:

“I informed him that the police desired to question him or talk to him concerning an offense under their investigation. It was not my investigation. My sole purpose in being there was twofold: one, to represent the Command; and, two, to obtain immediate firsthand information for the command of an investigation of US personnel being conducted by French authorities; secondly, to as[269]*269sure that he was not mistreated. I was not his counsel. I was simply there as a representative of the command and I was not conducting an investigation until such time if it should happen that jurisdiction might be released to the US authorities.”

And, in response to another question by defense counsel, Warrant Officer Wright stated that on a prior occasion, involving another suspect in a different matter, he had advised such individual of his rights under Article 31, before interrogation by the French. He added:

“It created a very serious situation between me and the French police because I did so. They are not persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and they so pointed this fact out to me.
“Q. So in that case it resulted, shall we say, in something which caused the French police to become angry at you?
“A. In effect, yes, sir.”

Neither Wright nor another military agent who was present took any part in the questioning by French authorities, and it is denied that the French were used as a conduit through which to pose questions they suggested. The record discloses, however, that in their presence Plante made a statement to the French. It was incriminatory in nature and in substance the same as the confession which, as will be related, was later made to Wright and admitted in evidence against accused at his trial.

The French authorities kept Plante in jail over night, but the next evening, May 10th, released him. Upon his release accused was fully advised by Wright of his rights under Article 31 of the Uniform Code, supra. He at that time informed the warrant officer he was tired, and desired to bathe, rest, and “think it over,” before proceeding with an interview. He was released and permitted to do so. ' As the next day was a holiday, Wright did not again see him until May 12th, when accused voluntarily returned to the agent as instructed. On that day he was again warned of his rights under Article 31, and in fact told he might “get up and walk out of the room at any time” he desired. During this interview our appellant executed the written pretrial statement introduced at trial as prosecution exhibit 9.

Testifying as to the admissibility of said statement, accused claimed he was unaware _of his rights against self-incrimination at the time he talked with the French authorities. And, as has been noted, it is admitted no one advised him pursuant to Article 31 at that time. It was also asserted by appellant that, during the subsequent interrogation on May 12th, agent Wright said to him, in effect, “You have already made a statement to the French police; there is no sense in trying to deny it. I can always refer to the statement you made to the French police.” Plante further testified he would not have made a statement to the military investigator but for the fact he had previously given a statement to the French in Mr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
13 C.M.A. 266, 13 USCMA 266, 32 C.M.R. 266, 1962 CMA LEXIS 190, 1962 WL 4488, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-plante-cma-1962.