United States v. Wooten

34 M.J. 141, 1992 CMA LEXIS 57, 1992 WL 43790
CourtUnited States Court of Military Appeals
DecidedMarch 11, 1992
DocketNo. 66,108; CM 8902072
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 34 M.J. 141 (United States v. Wooten) 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. Wooten, 34 M.J. 141, 1992 CMA LEXIS 57, 1992 WL 43790 (cma 1992).

Opinions

Opinion

SULLIVAN, Chief Judge:

On June 26, 1989, appellant was tried by a military judge sitting as a general court-martial at Garlstedt, Federal Republic of Germany. Contrary to his pleas, he was convicted of fourteen specifications of making worthless checks with intent to defraud, in violation of Article 123a, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 923a. The military judge sentenced appellant to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for 2 years, total forfeitures, and reduction to Private El. The convening authority approved the sentence but suspended for 1 year, with provision for automatic remission, confinement in excess of 12 [142]*142months. Later, part of the forfeitures was suspended. The Court of Military Review affirmed the findings of guilty and the sentence in a short-form decision (December 4, 1990).

We granted review on the following issue:

WHETHER THE MILITARY JUDGE ERRED IN ADMITTING, OVER DEFENSE OBJECTION, APPELLANT’S BANK RECORDS OBTAINED IN VIOLATION OF APPELLANT’S RIGHTS.

We hold that the prosecution’s acquisition of appellant’s bank records and their introduction at his overseas court-martial did not violate his Fourth Amendment rights. United States v. Miller, 425 U.S. 435, 96 S.Ct. 1619, 48 L.Ed.2d 71 (1976). We also hold that trial counsel’s alleged violations of Federal law in issuing and serving the subpoenas duces tecum in this case would not warrant exclusion of the challenged evidence as an exercise of our military justice supervisory authority. See United States v. Payner, 447 U.S. 727, 100 S.Ct. 2439, 65 L.Ed.2d 468 (1980). See generally United States v. Sturman, 951 F.2d 1466 (6th Cir.1991).

At trial, defense counsel moved to suppress government evidence of “certain bank records pertaining to Specialist Wooten.” He stated:

The defense hereby notifies the Government that the defense intends to move for a preliminary ruling on the admissibility of records pertaining to SPC Wooten. The defense position is that such records are inadmissible because they were obtained in violation of the Right to Financial Privacy Act, 12 USC § 3)01 et seq., and AR 190-6, Obtaining Information from Financial Institutions (15 Jan 82). The records the defense maintains are inadmissible are the checks drawn on American State Bank and cashed at Pentagon Federal Credit Union (which form the basis for specifications 7 through 18) and all of SPC Wooten’s bank records at Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Garlstedt, and American State Bank, Killeen, Texas (account number 21-2407-6).

(Emphasis added.)

The military judge conducted a hearing on this motion. The following comments were made, inter alia:

MJ: I take it, government, you did not go through—you did not use the Right To Financial Privacy Act to obtain this information?
TC: We used an exception to the Right To Financial Privacy Act, Your Honor.
MJ: Let me see the Act.
TC: If I may step into the—
MJ: You don’t have it in court?
TC: I have it.
MJ: What exception?
TC: 341[3](e), Your Honor.
MJ: 341[3](e). [Examines the Act.]
What do you have to say about that, Captain Masterton?
DC: Could I see the Act, Your Honor? MJ: I’m sorry, I thought you—
DC: I have not been notified of this particular ground. [Approaches the bench and examines the Act.]

Subsequently, trial counsel, after asking permission to leave the courtroom to obtain his file, asserted that he had subpoenaed these records.

MJ: No. Trial counsel, give me an offer of proof here. I take it all these checks were coming back and they were bouncing, is that right?
TC: That’s correct, Your Honor.
MJ: Both at the Pentagon and—at what—AAFES [Army & Air Force Exchange Service] Car Rental?
TC: AAFES, Your Honor, as well as 59th Finance.
MJ: 59th?
TC: F and AO, U.S. Army, 59th Finance.
MJ: So, did the CID [Criminal Investigation Command] take over this case?
TC: [Pause.]
MJ: Well, did somebody start investigating?
TC: Yes, Your Honor.
[143]*143MJ: And, how did you get the accused’s bank records?
TC: I subpoenaed them, Your Honor.
MJ: You subpoenaed them?
TC: Yes, Your Honor.
MJ: Oh, after the case was referred?
TC: Yes, Your Honor.
MJ: When was it referred?
TC: [Examines the charge sheet.]
MJ: 17 May?
TC: 17 May. Yes. Your Honor.
MJ: All right, are you satisfied that he subpoenaed the records?
DC: I have never seen the subpoenas, Your Honor, and as a matter of fact, there are some arguments that I have concerning the subpoenas as well. Basically, the defense position is that, with regard to at least certain of these records, there is no proper subpoena that they could serve. For example, on the records from the American State Bank, those records are in the United States and the defense position is that there is no subpoena which can be issued in the Federal Republic of Germany that would have any authority or power in the United States.
MJ: Why haven’t you shown him the subpoenas?
TC: [No response.]
MJ: Have you—
DC: I was not aware that there were subpoenas issued, Your Honor.

(Emphasis added.) Trial counsel later explained that two civilian witnesses who had been served with a subpoena duces tecum were bringing the records from different banks in the United States.

Later in the discussion, defense counsel clarified his position concerning these subpoenas:

DC: Your Honor, the Manual For Courts [sic] of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 46, indicates that trial counsel will have the authority to obtain witnesses, the authority similar to that which is granted to prosecutors in the Federal courts. Generally, those powers apply only to subpoenaing peopie within the United States and its territories to appear within the United States and its territories.
MJ: You’re saying that they don’t have the authority and it violates what?

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Bluebook (online)
34 M.J. 141, 1992 CMA LEXIS 57, 1992 WL 43790, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-wooten-cma-1992.