(Cite as: 1958 WL 3177 (CMA), 25 C.M.R. 383, 9 USCMA 121) <KeyCite Citations> United States, Appellant v. Lewis A. Bridges, Jr., Seaman, U. S. Navy, Appellee. No. 10,927. Court of Military Appeals. Decided April 4, 1958. On certification from The Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy. WC NCM 57-01630, not reported below. Affirmed. Missing movement § 3; Sentence and punishment § 9 --
absence without leave as lesser included offense of missing movement through
design -- multiplicity for punishment purposes.
122 Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Beale, Jr., USMC, argued the cause for Appellant, United States. Captain Frederick D. Clements, USMC, argued the cause for Appellee, Accused. Opinion of the Court HOMER FERGUSON, Judge: The Judge Advocate General of the Navy, pursuant
to Article 67(b) (2), Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 867,
has certified the following issue to this Court for its consideration:
On or about 7:15 a.m. on the morning of June 24, 1957, the accused absented himself without authority from his ship, the U.S.S. ALGOL which was located at San Diego, California, and remained absent until approximately 12:45 p.m., June 27, 1957, a period in excess of three days. As a result of this absence, he missed the movement of his ship, which occurred on or about 10:30 a.m. on the morning of June 24, 1957. A special court-martial subsequently convened on board the U.S.S. ALGOL found the accused guilty in conformity with his plea of being absent without leave and missing movement through design, in violation of Articles 86 and 87, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC §§ 886 and 887, respectively. He was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement at hard labor for three months, and partial forfeiture of pay for a like period. The convening authority approved the sentence, but suspended the execution of the punitive discharge until the accused's release from confinement or until completion of appellate review, whichever occurred later. Placing great reliance upon our decision in United States v Posnick, 8 USCMA 201, 24 CMR 11, the board held that since the offense of missing movement occurred during the period of unauthorized absence, the offenses were multiplicious for the purpose of sentence. Accordingly, it concluded that it was error for the president to fail to instruct on the effect of multiplicity on the court-martial's consideration of the sentence. The board thereupon independently reassessed the sentence. We believe that the action of the board of review was correct in all respects. We are met at the outset by the argument that
our holding in Posnick, supra, was predicated solely upon the factual setting
which existed in that case. There, the accused was charged with absence
without leave and missing **385 ***123 movement through neglect, whereas
in the case at bar, the accused was charged with unauthorized absence and
missing movement through design. From this circumstance, it is contended
that a different result is required. A board of review was not impressed
by this argument and neither are we. As the Government correctly points
out, the offense of missing movement was newly created by the Code, supra.
The reason for its inclusion among the punitive articles may best be understood
by reference to the following testimony of Mr. Felix Larkin, given before
the House Committee on Armed Services which considered the Code:
It seems clear from this testimony that the offense of missing movement was considered primarily an aggravated form of absence without leave which warranted the imposition of a greater punishment than other varieties of unauthorized absence. [FN1] Furthermore, Congress divided this offense into two degrees dependent upon whether the movement was missed through neglect or design. Article 87, Uniform Code of Military Justice, supra. United States v Thompson, 2 USCMA 460, 9 CMR 90. The President in prescribing the Table of Maximum Punishments gave effect to these different degrees by providing that missing movement through neglect could be punished by an authorized maximum sentence of bad-conduct discharge, total forfeitures, and confinement at hard labor for six months, whereas the commission of the offense of missing movement through design could result in a punishment which included dishonorable discharge, total forfeitures, and confinement at hard labor for one year. In either degree of the offense, however, the length of absence is immaterial. [FN2] FN1 See also the statement of Professor Morgan before the Senate Committee on Armed Services, 81st Congress, 1st Session, on S. 857 and H.R. 4080, page 37. FN2 Cf. Table of Maximum Punishments for the maximum sentences imposable for the offense of absence without leave depending upon the duration of the absence. In Posnick, supra, we were only presented with
the factual situation where an accused was charged with absence without
leave and missing movement through neglect. In holding that these offenses
were multiplicious for the purpose of sentence, we said:
FN3 The Government in its brief takes issue with the broad generalization
found in Posnick, supra, that every missing movement offense "logically"
includes an unauthorized absence. In support of its position, it offers
the following hypothetical situation: "Suppose Bridges, knowing that the
USS ALGOL was going to sail from San Diego, California, at 10:30 a.m. on
24 June, had taken 10 days leave to expire at 10:00 a.m. on 24 June. Bridges
plans, and reveals his plans to several shipmates, to turn in at the U.
S. Naval Receiving Station, Brooklyn, New York, to avoid the sailing of
his ship. At 9:55 a.m., on 24 June, just prior to the expiration of his
leave, Bridges executes his plan, and the Naval Receiving Station at Brooklyn
accepts him. As a result of his action, the USS ALGOL sails at 10:30 a.m.
without Bridges." The Government's argument then proceeds with the assertion
that the offense of missing movement through design would be complete under
the above illustration although the accused would not be an unauthorized
absentee, notwithstanding the fact that he could not possibly have reached
his ship in San Diego before his leave expired. Therefore, the argument
continues, every missing movement does not "logically or necessarily" include
an unauthorized absence.
In arriving at our holding in that case, it was unnecessary to decide whether the same result would have obtained had the offense of missing movement through design been alleged. In the case at bar, however, we are squarely faced with that question and we conclude that the same result must follow. The basis of the offenses alleged is the same absence and the unauthorized absence offense therefore is lesser included in the missing movement offense charged. The fact that a movement has been missed as a result of a deliberate conscious design rather than through mere neglect or inadvertence is an aggravating circumstance which may properly be considered by a court-martial in arriving at an appropriate sentence. The certified issue is answered in the affirmative and the decision of the board of review is affirmed. Chief Judge QUINN concurs. Judge LATIMER dissents. END OF DOCUMENT
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