Case Name: UNITED STATES, Appellee v. RONNIE C. GOAD, Airman Apprentice, U. S. Navy, Appellant
Court: United States Court of Military Appeals
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1969-05-23
Citations: 18 C.M.A. 371
Docket Number: No. 21,923
Parties: UNITED STATES, Appellee v RONNIE C. GOAD, Airman Apprentice, U. S. Navy, Appellant
Judges: Chief Judge Quinn concurs.
Reporter: Decisions of the United States Court of Military Appeals
Volume: 18
Pages: 371–372

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES, Appellee v RONNIE C. GOAD, Airman Apprentice, U. S. Navy, Appellant
18 USCMA 371, 40 CMR 83
No. 21,923
May 23, 1969
Captain Jeffery W. Maurer, USMCR, was on the pleadings for Appellant, Accused.
Colonel C. R. Larouche, USMC, was on the pleadings for Appellee, United States.

Opinion:
Opinion of the Court
DARDEN, Judge:
Following a guilty plea, the accused was convicted by a special court-martial at the U. S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, of absence without leave, in violation of Article 86, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 886. He was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement at hard labor for three months, and forfeiture of $106.00 per month for three months. Both the finding and sentence have been approved at each intermediate level of appellate review.
We initially granted review of this case to consider:
Whether the president's instruction that the previous convictions "logically indicate that a more severe sentence should be adjudged," prejudiced the accused.
This same instruction — also containing advice on the matter that "logically indicate that a more lenient sentence should be adjudged" — was the subject of our deliberations in United States v Wright, 18 USCMA 348, 350, 40 CMR 60. In that case, a majority of the Court deemed the instruction correct and proper. Cf. United States v Wheeler, 17 USCMA 274, 38 CMR 72. For the reasons there stated, the same result obtains here.
The decision of the board of review is affirmed.
Chief Judge Quinn concurs.