United States v. Riley

52 M.J. 825, 2000 CCA LEXIS 83, 2000 WL 365259
CourtUnited States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
DecidedMarch 15, 2000
DocketACM 32183 (f rev)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 52 M.J. 825 (United States v. Riley) 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. Riley, 52 M.J. 825, 2000 CCA LEXIS 83, 2000 WL 365259 (afcca 2000).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT UPON FURTHER REVIEW

YOUNG, Senior Judge:

Court members convicted the appellant of the premeditated murder of an infant, to which she had just given birth in the restroom of the Dyess Air Force Base Emergency Room. Article 118(1), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 918(1). During sentencing argument, the trial defense counsel advised the court members that, by finding the accused guilty of premeditated murder, the decision on how long to confine the appellant had been taken out of their hands — -premeditated murder carries a mandatory period of confinement for life. Article 118, UCMJ. The trial defense counsel then reminded the court members of the military judge’s erroneous instruction permitting reconsideration of the findings. The members reconsidered, returned a finding of guilty of unpremeditated murder, and sentenced the appellant to a dishonorable discharge, confinement for 25 years, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and reduction to E-l. Article 118(2), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 918(2).

This Court found her conviction for murder factually insufficient, but approved findings of guilty of the lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter through culpable negligence (Article 119(b)(1), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 919(b)(1)), and a sentence to a dishonorable discharge, confinement for 10 years, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and reduction to E-l. United States v. Riley, 47 M.J. 603 (A.F.Ct.Crim.App.1997). We held as follows:

We are not convinced, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Airman Riley fractured her daughter’s skull with the intent to kill or inflict great bodily ham. We are convinced, however, that Airman Riley’s disregard for the foreseeable consequences of refusing and impeding assistance in the delivery and care of her child constituted culpable negligence and was the proximate cause of her child’s'death.

Id. at 608;' Article 119(b)(1), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 919(b)(1). We recognized

that trial defense counsel persuaded the military judge not to instruct the members on failure to seek medical care as a basis for finding Airman Riley guilty of any offenses. However, Airman Riley did not merely fail to seek medical care — she obstructed it with a culpable disregard for the foreseeable consequences to her newborn daughter. ■

Riley, 47 M.J. at 608.

The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) rejected this Court’s holding. [827]*827United, States v. Riley, 50 M.J. 410 (1999). Writing for the majority, Judge Gierke noted that the prosecution had expressly disclaimed the theory that the appellant failed to summon medical assistance, and the theory that the appellant intentionally prevented medical intervention was neither asserted by the prosecution nor submitted to the trier of fact. Id. at 416. As the appellant was not given an opportunity to defend against the latter theory, the Court held her conviction for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence violated due process. Id. (citing Dunn v. United States, 442 U.S. 100, 99 S.Ct. 2190, 60 L.Ed.2d 743 (1979)). The Court reversed and remanded.

I. Scope of the Remand and Review

Before we analyze the facts of this case, it is important that we describe with some specificity the limits of our authority to revisit our previous findings. The Government claims this Court is “empowered to revisit its determination regarding factual sufficiency” and should find the appellant’s conviction for unpremeditated murder legally and factually sufficient. Predictably, the appellant disagrees.

We would welcome an opportunity to revisit this Court’s previous conclusion that the appellant’s conviction for unpremeditated murder was factually insufficient; however, we can find no basis that would permit us to do so. We recognize that decisions of this Court are not self-executing. Cases must be returned to the parties who can implement the Court’s decision. United States v. Miller, 47 M.J. 352, 361 (1997) (citing United States v. Kraffa, 11 M.J. 453, 455 (C.M.A. 1981)). Within 30 days of the service of the decision on the appellate counsel, the Court may, on its own motion or motion of one of the parties, reconsider the original decision, so long as neither party has applied to the CAAF for further consideration of the case. Courts of Criminal Appeals Rules of Practice and Procedure 19, 44 M.J. LXIII (May 1, 1996).

Thus, the release of our previous opinion did not, by itself, acquit the appellant of unpremeditated murder. Normally, when one of the parties applies in a timely manner to the CAAF for review, as was done in this ease, the decision of this Court is inchoate— not final. However, as the CAAF cannot review questions of factual sufficiency, the acquittal became final on 14 December 1997, 30 days after the parties received our decision, and no request for reconsideration was made.

Furthermore, we are not unmindful that our authority on remands is limited. We “can only take action that conforms to the limitations and conditions prescribed by the remand.” United States v. Montesinos, 28 M.J. 38, 44 (C.M.A.1989). . The CAAF’s remand in this case provides as follows:

It is clear from the opinion of the court below that it found the evidence factually insufficient to support a conviction of unpremeditated murder. 47 M.J. at 608. It is not clear, however, whether that court also found the evidence factually insufficient to support a conviction of a lesser-included offense premised on negligent infliction of the fatal injuries on the baby. Accordingly, we will remand the case to the court below for clarification of its decision and reconsideration under correct legal principles. Reconsideration must be consistent with our holding that culpability based on the withholding of medical care, either intentionally or negligently, was never submitted to the trier of fact and thus is precluded as a basis for affirmance, as a matter of due process.

Id. at 416.

The remand does not suggest that we may reconsider the offense of unpremeditated murder.

The appellant and appellee also split on whether this Court can reconsider factual findings we made in our previous opinion that could affect our decision on remand. The appellant argues that we are restricted to our previous findings, while the Government contends the remand gave us carte blanche to reconsider each of the findings of fact. We take the middle road. We believe, at a minimum, we are not bound by findings of fact that are clearly erroneous.

[828]*828II. Analysis

Under the terms of the remand, we believe we have the authority to determine whether the evidence is factually sufficient for the offenses of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. Article 119(b), UCMJ, provides that an accused who unlawfully kills a human being by either culpable negligence or while perpetrating an offense against a person may be convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

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Related

United States v. Sergeant ERIC F. KELLY
Army Court of Criminal Appeals, 2018
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56 M.J. 551 (Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, 2001)

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Bluebook (online)
52 M.J. 825, 2000 CCA LEXIS 83, 2000 WL 365259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-riley-afcca-2000.