United States v. Sager

30 M.J. 777, 1990 CMR LEXIS 282, 1990 WL 38695
CourtU.S. Army Court of Military Review
DecidedMarch 30, 1990
DocketACMR 8801566
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 30 M.J. 777 (United States v. Sager) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Army Court of Military Review primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Sager, 30 M.J. 777, 1990 CMR LEXIS 282, 1990 WL 38695 (usarmymilrev 1990).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

VARO, Judge:

Contrary to his pleas, the appellant was convicted by a general court-martial consisting of officers and enlisted members of rape and four specifications of indecent acts in violation of Articles 120 and 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. §§ 920, 934 (1982) [hereinafter UCMJ]. His approved sentence provides for a dishonorable discharge, confinement for twenty-five years, total forfeitures, and reduction to Private El.

Statement of Facts

On 1 August and 17 August 1987, the appellant was interviewed by the Riley County, Kansas, Police Department regarding allegations that on 1 August 1987 he had taken indecent liberties with neighborhood children, Theresa and Amber (both age six) in Manhattan, Kansas. These interviews occurred after the appellant had been advised of and waived his rights. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). On 25 August 1987, again after receiving his Miranda rights, the appellant was given a polygraph examination by Riley County personnel regarding the 1 August allegations. The appellant continued to assert his innocence despite the polygraph examiner’s indication to him that his answers appeared to be deceptive.

The next day, 26 August 1987, the appellant sought assistance from the Army Trial Defense Service (TDS) at Fort Riley, Kansas. Appellant was told that he could not have the assistance of a military attorney because the investigation in Riley County involved only potential civilian criminal charges.

[779]*779On 4 September 1987, the appellant was again interviewed by the Riley County Police Department regarding the 1 August allegations as well as new allegations of sexual improprieties between the appellant and his own daughters (ages five and seven). The appellant agreed to this interview after being read his Miranda rights once again. The appellant denied all allegations and the interview terminated when he advised the interviewing detective that he had nothing further to say. The same day, the appellant’s company commander directed him to move from his Government quarters to the barracks and ordered the appellant not to visit his wife or children without an escort in the rank of Sergeant First Class or higher. The company commander's actions resulted from a telephone call he received from the Riley County Police Department during which the commander was advised that civilian charges against the appellant could be expected on 7 September 1987.

On 8 September 1987, the appellant’s mother retained Mr. David Rapp, a civilian attorney from Wichita, Kansas, to represent the appellant. Mr. Rapp contacted the Riley County Police and the Assistant County Attorney to determine the status of the case. Mr. Rapp met personally with the appellant in Wichita .on 10 September 1987.

On 24 September, the company commander rescinded his order of 4 September, based on further information from Riley County authorities that the investigation was “not going anywhere.” In an action unrelated to the investigation, the appellant was transferred to a different unit at Fort Riley on 19 October 1987. After his transfer, the appellant advised his new commander and first sergeant about the Riley County allegations and the fact that he was being represented by Mr. Rapp.

On 8 November 1987, military criminal investigators began investigating new allegations that the appellant had sexually assaulted two other children, Rebecca and Amanda (sisters, ages seven and five) while baby-sitting for them at his quarters on 7 November 1987. Following interviews with the children, their parents and an attending physician at Irwin Army Community Hospital, Special Agent (SA) Hayes, of the Criminal Investigation Command (CID) contacted the Fort Riley staff judge advocate’s duty officer to determine whether there was sufficient probable cause to apprehend the appellant. When the duty officer advised SA Hayes that he could not give him authority to make the apprehension1, SA Hayes called the appellant’s acting company commander and received authority from him to apprehend the appellant at the appellant’s government quarters located on Fort Riley.

Between 2300 and 2330 hours on the night of 8 November, SA Hayes was met at the appellant’s quarters by two uniformed and armed military police who had been dispatched to provide “backup” for the apprehension. They approached the appellant’s quarters and knocked. Mrs. Sager answered the door and told SA Hayes that her husband was in bed. She then called her husband to the door, and she invited SA Hayes and the military police into the house. The appellant appeared in his shorts and was asked by SA Hayes if he would come to Hayes’ office immediately to discuss something. The appellant asked if the matter concerned the incident in Manhattan and was told it was a new subject that needed to be cleared up. The appellant agreed to go with SA Hayes. He went upstairs to dress and was followed by one of the military police “under Hayes’ instructions, just to make sure that (he) probably didn’t grab a weapon.” The appellant was never advised that he was under apprehension because he told SA Hayes he would go with him. The appellant asked to drive his own car but was told to ride in the back of the military police vehicle.

On arrival at the CID office, SA Hayes first took general administrative data from the appellant. The appellant was not ad[780]*780vised of his rights under Article 31, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 831 (1982), at the outset. During this preliminary screening, the appellant told SA Hayes that he had had some problems in Manhattan, Kansas, and that he had an attorney helping him on the case. SA Hayes told the appellant that the Manhattan incidents were out of his jurisdiction and that he was concerned solely with different allegations against the appellant. Just after midnight, at 0002, 9 November 1987, the appellant was advised of his rights by SA Hayes. Appellant completed a rights waiver form and provided SA Hayes with a statement that while baby-sitting for Rebecca and Amanda, he mistakenly had lain on top of Rebecca. Appellant stated that he did not remember doing anything improper. The appellant also noted that at times he had trouble remembering things. Appellant’s statement of 8-9 November also provided some details about the allegations against him in Manhattan. At the conclusion of the interview, SA Hayes asked the appellant if he would be willing to undergo a polygraph examination on the matters discussed. The appellant said he would like to do so and SA Hayes told him he would contact him when he had the examination scheduled. The appellant’s statement was completed at 0242, 9 November 1987. However, the appellant was not returned to his quarters. SA Hayes instructed the military police to transport the appellant to the military police station where the appellant was to be held until someone from his unit came to get him.

The appellant remained at the military police station until 0400 when his supervising noncommissioned officer arrived. Appellant was escorted back to his unit, not to his quarters, and was required to remain in the unit dayroom until 1600, 9 November 1987, when he was taken by his company commander to meet with his battalion commander.

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Related

United States v. Sager
36 M.J. 137 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1992)
United States v. Grooters
35 M.J. 659 (U.S. Army Court of Military Review, 1992)
United States v. Sager
32 M.J. 968 (U.S. Army Court of Military Review, 1991)

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Bluebook (online)
30 M.J. 777, 1990 CMR LEXIS 282, 1990 WL 38695, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-sager-usarmymilrev-1990.