United States v. Rodriguez

31 M.J. 150, 1990 CMA LEXIS 1092, 1990 WL 182439
CourtUnited States Court of Military Appeals
DecidedSeptember 25, 1990
DocketNo. 63,122; ACM 27072
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 31 M.J. 150 (United States v. Rodriguez) 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. Rodriguez, 31 M.J. 150, 1990 CMA LEXIS 1092, 1990 WL 182439 (cma 1990).

Opinion

Opinion of the Court

COX, Judge:

Appellant was tried by a general court-martial before members. Contrary to his pleas, he was found guilty of committing indecent assault upon five different women, in violation of Article 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 934.1 He was sentenced to confinement for 10 years, total forfeitures, and dismissal. The convening authority dismissed one of the assault specifications and approved the sentence except for confinement exceeding 9 years. The Court of Military Review approved the findings, but further reduced the confinement to 4 years, while approving the remainder of the sentence. 28 MJ 1016 (1989).

This Court granted review of the following issues:

I
WHETHER THE MILITARY JUDGE ERRED BY ALLOWING EVIDENCE OF UNCHARGED MISCONDUCT.
II
WHETHER THE MILITARY JUDGE ERRED BY GIVING AN INSTRUCTION ON THE DEFENSE OF ACCI[152]*152DENT WHICH REQUIRED THE COURT MEMBERS TO CONVICT APPELLANT FOR AN ACCIDENTAL BUT NEGLIGENT TOUCHING IN CONFLICT WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO FIND A SPECIFIC INTENT.

In addition, this Court ordered briefs and argument on the issue specified as follows:

WHETHER APPELLANT WAS PREJUDICED BY IMPROPER REFERRAL OF THE ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR TRIAL.

I

A

Appellant was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base Hospital in July 1985 as an Internal Medicine Specialist. The charges against him arose out of his treatment of five female patients, all military dependents whom he had examined at the hospital. The five women provided the following testimony.

“Sharon” testified that she was seen by appellant in May 1986 due to a “mitr[al] valve prolapse” and “some circulatory problems.” During the examination, appellant placed his hands under her skirt, putting his fingers just inside her underwear. Appellant did not ask if she had any pain in that area. The witness became flustered, lowered her skirt, and said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong there.” Appellant did not say anything. Sharon testified that she previously had another examination for the same problem with a female doctor who simply listened to her heart, palpated her mid-section, and asked, her if she experienced any pain.

“Candice” testified that she also was examined by appellant in May 1986 for a possible kidney disorder due to anorexia. The witness stated that, during the examination, she was lying on a table with appellant probing her abdomen. At one point, she felt appellant rubbing his groin along her thigh and felt his penis become erect. The witness sat up away from appellant and could see that his penis was erect. She got off the table and left the examination room, saying nothing to appellant. She told a nurse what had happened, but the nurse responded that it was probably her imagination.

“Diana” testified that she was seen by appellant in June 1987 for recurrent gall bladder pain. During the examination, appellant had her lie on a table while he probed her abdomen. At one point, appellant slid his hand under her pants and into her groin area, on her pubic hair. She testified that appellant did not, however, place his fingers into her vagina. According to the witness, appellant then began rubbing his groin against her, so much so that she noticed his penis was erect. She became very uncomfortable and raised her arm above her head. Appellant took her arm, placed it back down at her side, and again rubbed his groin area against her arm. The witness reported the incident to an enlisted member who worked in the Internal Medicine Department; the service-member said she would speak to appellant.

“Teresa” testified that she was seen by appellant in June 1987 for diabetes and back pain near her shoulders. She testified that appellant had her lie on her stomach so he could examine her back. According to the witness, appellant ran his hands down her back and began “massaging” her buttocks, “playing with it, grabbing handfuls of it.” Appellant then moved his hand inside her shorts and inserted his finger “[bjarely inside” her vagina. The witness became very nervous, but said nothing. After the examination, she also spoke to an enlisted member in the department, but to her knowledge, nothing was said to appellant about the incident.

A few days later, she returned to the hospital, where appellant told her he wanted to examine her back again. She said it was fine, fearing another incident. Apparently appellant pressed the issue, and she allowed him to examine her again. As she lay on her stomach, appellant again placed one of his fingers in her vagina. She “started to say ‘Excuse me, but that's not my back,’ ” but only “got as far as excuse me.” Appellant apologized and withdrew [153]*153his hand; but shortly thereafter, he replaced his finger in her vagina and began massaging her clitoris. She testified that the motion of appellant’s finger against her clitoris felt like “[f]oreplay.” The witness left the examination room very upset and spoke with someone in the department about the incident. Later that same day, appellant approached her and said he needed to speak with her about her blood sugar level. The witness asked him to let her get a nurse to be with her, but appellant insisted it would “only take a minute.” They went into an examination room where appellant said he wanted to check her lower spine. She asked appellant to leave the door open, but appellant closed the door. Appellant then had her bend over at the waist. As appellant stood behind her, he pulled her by the hips into his groin area. Earlier, appellant told her that he found her very attractive and that he would like to go out with her sometime.

Finally, “Erin” testified that she was seen by appellant in July 1987 in order to get a prescription refill for asthma medicine. She related that appellant examined her before authorizing the refill. Appellant had her lie on her back as he listened to her breathing. He noted that she was wheezing and recommended a shot of epinephrine. After he gave her the shot, they spoke for a few minutes, waiting for the medication to take effect. The witness mentioned that her knee had been bothering her, and appellant said he would take a look at it. According to the witness, appellant moved her leg back and forth, but “[t]he next thing I know, he’s come under my shorts and under the underwear I was wearing and put his finger in me.” Appellant then said he wanted to check her other knee, to which she responded, “No, there’s no problems with my other knee,” but appellant insisted. Appellant again moved her leg up and down, and eventually moved his hand to her upper thigh and put his finger inside her vagina. Appellant then said he “wanted to check” her back. She responded that her “back was fine,” but appellant again insisted. Appellant had her stand with her back to him and then bend over at the waist. He then moved his hand up and down her back, and pulled her hips toward him. She tried to pull away, but he repeated this. She testified that she left the examining room “stunned” and felt she had been molested.

The Government called Colonel (Dr.) Jeffrey Bower, of Lackland AFB, as an expert in internal medicine. Dr. Bower was informed that, during the examinations of all of the women, no chaperon was present. Dr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 M.J. 150, 1990 CMA LEXIS 1092, 1990 WL 182439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-rodriguez-cma-1990.