Weaver v. United States

46 Fed. Cl. 69, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 20, 2000 WL 190372
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedFebruary 7, 2000
DocketNo. 99-179 C
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 46 Fed. Cl. 69 (Weaver v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Weaver v. United States, 46 Fed. Cl. 69, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 20, 2000 WL 190372 (uscfc 2000).

Opinion

ORDER

MOODY R. TIDWELL, III, Senior Judge.

Plaintiff Darin R. Weaver was administratively discharged from the United States Navy for sexually abusing his two step-children. After seeking relief at the Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR), plaintiff filed a complaint in this court seeking reinstatement with full pay and benefits or, in the alternative, an honorable discharge. The case is now before the court on cross-motions for judgment on the administrative record, pursuant to RCFC 56.1.

BACKGROUND

1. Facts

Plaintiff Daren Russell Weaver enlisted in the United States Naval reserve on September 24,1981 under the Delayed Entry/Enlistment Program. On July 29, 1982, plaintiff was discharged from the Reserve Component while simultaneously enlisting in the Regular Component of the United States Navy (USN) with the pay grade of E-1. During his thirteen-plus-year career, Mr. Weaver was assigned to various duty stations while serving in the Navy.

Plaintiff and Hospital Corpsman First Class Guyla Marie Weaver were married in January of 1991. Mrs. Weaver had two children, daughter 1, born on June 24, 1981, and daughter 2, born on January 11,1984, from a previous marriage. At the time of the Weavers’ marriage, Mrs. Weaver’s ex-husband, Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (HMCS) Kevin Pearce, USN, shared joint custody of the two girls where they lived in California with their natural father and his second wife, Marquay.

During the summer of 1992, the two daughters visited their mother and petitioner, at their home in Groton, Connecticut. At this time, Mrs. Weaver became aware that Daughter 2 had been physically and psychologically abused by her father, HMCS Pearce. The psychologist overseeing this incident, Dr. G., interviewed both girls in August 1992 and recommended that Daughter 2 be returned to her mother.

Early in 1993, the Weavers moved to West Pittsburg, California, after being reassigned duty stations. Their reassignment to the west coast moved them closer to Mrs. Weaver’s daughters, who resided with their natural father. On April 7,1993, Dr. T., a clinical psychologist in California, evaluated Daughter 2. This doctor determined that Daughter 2' displayed “significant behavior problems” and suffered from “moderate to severe” emotional disturbance. Dr. T. further concluded that these problems “appear[ed] more than [a] situational reaction” to the divorce of her [71]*71parents. Both girls began seeing separate therapists. The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) investigation, completed through the Social Work Department at the Naval Hospital in Groton, Connecticut, substantiated the report that, on one occasion, Mr. Pearce had grabbed daughter 2 by the throat and slammed her against the wall.

On September 9, 1993, Daughter 1 and Daughter 2 told HMCS Pearce that Mr. Weaver molested them. Daughter 2 reported that plaintiff had molested her at his California residence on or about August 22, 1993. Daughter 1 reported that plaintiff had molested her the previous year at the Connecticut address during August 1992. After hearing this information from his daughters, Mr. Pearce notified Mrs. Weaver. That evening, she went to the Pearce’s home, and after interviewing both of the girls, came to the conclusion that they were lying. Mar-quay Pearce scheduled an appointment with the children's psychologists for the following day.

On September 10, 1992, Dr. Witte met with Daughter 1 who related three sexual incidences between her and Mr. Weaver, all occurring over a three-day weekend during a visit to the Weaver’s home in Connecticut. First, Daughter 1 told the doctor that on one occasion plaintiff picked her up while she was sleeping and carried Daughter 1 to his bedroom where he placed her face down on his bed. Mr. Weaver then removed her panties and placed his penis between her legs. Secondly, Daughter 1 told Dr. Witte that one time Mr. Weaver woke her up and placed her hand on his penis. Finally, Daughter 1 informed the doctor that one time she found plaintiff watching her take a shower. Daughter 2 met with Dr. Puryear on the same day. Daughter 2 told the doctor that on one occasion, at the Weaver’s home in California, plaintiff walked into her bedroom and placed her hand on his erect penis.

Upon the recommendation by Dr. Witte, Mr. Pearce reported the incidences to Child Protective Services (CPS), in San Francisco, California, on September 10, 1993. CPS then reported the incidence to the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office (CCCSO). Both girls told the CCCSO detective investigating the matter that they had not told anyone about these incidences before this point in time, including their mother, because they were scared and did not think their mother would have believed them. The CCCSO then referred the matter to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) because only one incidence occurred in Contra County.

On September 15, 1993, the Family Advocacy Representative (FAR) at the Naval Medical Center Oakland (NMCO), California, notified the FAR at Mare Island because Mr. Weaver was in the Mare Island “catchment area.” On the same date, the case was reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS). A few weeks later, on October 6, 1993, the Case Review Subcommittee (CRS) at Mare Island substantiated the allegations made by the two girls. In making its determination, the CRS relied on the statements made by Daughter 1 and Daughter 2 and the fact that both girls “had become ‘resistant to week-end visits with their mother and step-father.’ ”

On November 4, 1993, the FAR referred Mr. Weaver for psychosexua! evaluation, which was refused by plaintiff. The case was then returned to the FAP at NMCO. On December 15, 1993, upon advice of counsel, Mr. Weaver declined to answer any questions concerning the allegations against him. On that same day, the NCIS forwarded its report,‘along with the interview report, the CCCSO report, and two FAC memoranda regarding the incidences, to Mr. Weaver’s command at the NMCO. On March 31, 1994, the staff judge advocate, NMCO, assigned to plaintiffs case notified the FAR that there existed insufficient evidence to justify a trial by court-martial. On April 5, 1994, the FAR informed the BUPERS (PERS) 661-D case manager that the legal case against Mr. Weaver was closed and that the command would forward the related documents to PERS 661-D for farther disposition of the case. On October 12, 1994, the Head, Social Work Department, NMCO, submitted a case summary report to the Commander at the NMCO.

A few days later, on October 18, 1994, the Commander, NMCO, forwarded the Family [72]*72Advocacy Case Summary to the Family Advocacy Branch of the BUPERS. In his summary, the Commander reported that plaintiffs performance had been “consistently outstanding,” and suggested that Mr. Weaver had potential worthwhile service. One month later, on November 17, 1994, BUPERS 661D prepared a briefing summary in which the briefer stated that “[t]he girls were consistent in their reports to their natural father, CPS, therapists and CCSO regarding the alleged sexual abuse.”

On January 10, 1995, the Head, Family Advocacy Program (FAP) Section (Pers-661) sent a memorandum to the Director of the Enlisted Performance Division (Pers-83) articulating the FAPs position with regard to plaintiff. The Head explained that the FAP concurred with the Family Advocacy Review Subcommittee which had previously substantiated the case of sexual abuse against Mr. Weaver. Additionally, the memorandum stated that Mr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
46 Fed. Cl. 69, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 20, 2000 WL 190372, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weaver-v-united-states-uscfc-2000.