Case Name: James Lee BOULER, Specialist Six, U. S. Army, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES, Respondent
Court: United States Court of Military Appeals
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1976-02-27
Citations: 1 M.J. 299
Docket Number: Miscellaneous Docket No. 75-66
Parties: James Lee BOULER, Specialist Six, U. S. Army, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES, Respondent.
Judges: Senior Judge FERGUSON concurs.
Reporter: West's Military Justice Reporter
Volume: 1
Pages: 299–300

Head Matter:
James Lee BOULER, Specialist Six, U. S. Army, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES, Respondent.
Miscellaneous Docket No. 75-66.
U. S. Court of Military Appeals.
Feb. 27, 1976.
Captain John R. Osgood argued the cause for Petitioner. With him on the brief were Colonel Alton H. Harvey and Lieutenant Colonel James Kucera.
Captain Gary F. Thorne argued the cause for Respondent. With him on the brief were Lieutenant Colonel Donald W. Hansen and Major John T. Sherwood, Jr.

Opinion:
OPINION OF THE COURT
COOK, Judge:
This petitioner was convicted on July 14, 1975, of three marihuana offenses for which he was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, 18 months' confinement, and reduction in grade. Aware that he was disqualified to act on the results of trial due to a grant of immunity, the convening authority forwarded the record to an equivalent authority at Ft. Carson, Colorado, for reviewing action, which was accomplished on October 20, 1975. During the elapsed period of 98 days, the petitioner was continuously in confinement and, thus, after the 90th day there arose "a presumption of a denial of speedy disposition of the case" which placed upon the Government " 'a heavy burden . to show diligence.' "
On the basis of this time period, the petitioner filed a petition for extraordinary relief. Although afforded the opportunity to rebut the presumption, the Government presented no evidence to show the requisite diligence. The presumption, therefore, has not been overcome. Accordingly, the findings and sentence are set aside, and we direct that the charges be dismissed.
Senior Judge FERGUSON concurs.
. Dunlap v. Convening Authority, 23 U.S.C.M.A. 135, 138, 48 C.M.R. 751, 754 (1974); see United States v. Slama, 23 U.S.C.M.A. 560, 50 C.M.R. 779, 1 M.J. 167 (1975).