Case Name: UNITED STATES, Appellee v. ROBERT L. LAWRENCE, Airman Second Class, U. S. Air Force, Appellant
Court: United States Court of Military Appeals
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1958-02-21
Citations: 8 C.M.A. 732
Docket Number: No. 10,992
Parties: UNITED STATES, Appellee v ROBERT L. LAWRENCE, Airman Second Class, U. S. Air Force, Appellant
Judges: Chief Judge QuiNN concurs.
Reporter: Decisions of the United States Court of Military Appeals
Volume: 8
Pages: 732–733

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES, Appellee v ROBERT L. LAWRENCE, Airman Second Class, U. S. Air Force, Appellant
8 USCMA 732, 25 CMR 236
No. 10,992
Decided February 21, 1958
Lieutenant Colonel Ellis L. Gottlieb and Major Dwight R. Rowland were on the brief for Appellant, Accused.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Michels and Lieutenant Colonel James R. Thorn were on the brief for Appellee, United States.

Opinion:
Opinion of the Court
HOMER FERGUSON, Judge:
An Air Force special court-martial convened at Athens, Greece, found the accused guilty of several offenses under the Code. Included among these offenses was a chai'ge of assaulting a Greek police officer while in the execution of civil law enforcement duties, in violation of Article 134, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 934. The president of the court-martial, in instructing on the elements of this offense, failed to charge the court that it must find that under the circumstances the conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces. This instructional deficiency constitutes prejudicial error and necessitates reversal of the findings of guilt of that offense. United States v Wil liams, 8 USCMA 325, 24 CMR 135; United States v Gittens, 8 USCMA 673, 25 CMR 177.
The decision of the board of review is reversed. The record of trial is returned to The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force for submission to a board of review. The board may, in its discretion, reassess an appropriate sentence on the basis of the remaining approved' findings of guilt or it may order a rehearing as to Charge III.
Chief Judge QuiNN concurs.