Opinion ID: 1970095
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: The record reflects that one day, during Jackson's renewed participation in the on-site-military-style training phase of the boot camp program, he was assigned to work at the boot camp farm. While at the farm, Jackson remarked to his instructor: Sir, it is such a nice day out, it makes me want to go home, it makes me want to escape. Another cadet had, in fact, recently escaped from boot camp. The instructor interpreted Jackson's comment to be a threat of escape. The instructor concluded that Jackson's comment had violated boot camp general order number five which provides: I will speak and act with good purpose. The instructor reported Jackson's comment. As a result, Jackson was removed from the boot camp program. The charging document which caused the hearing be scheduled was a letter from a boot camp counselor to the Superior Court. The letter stated that Cadet Jackson, while outside the secure confines of Sussex boot camp, communicated a threat to attempt to escape. The letter claimed that Jackson had jeopardized the security at boot camp and had disrupted the work crew. The letter alleged that Jackson's continuation in the program posed far too great a security risk and, therefore, he was dismissed from the program. On July 3, 2002, Jackson was tried before the Superior Court for a violation of his boot camp status. According to Jackson, his comments were made in jest and he did not intend them to be taken literally. According to the instructor, Jackson's comment concerning escape was the first thing Jackson said to him that day. The instructor described Jackson's demeanor as sullen and depressed. He could not detect any humor in Jackson's comment. The Superior Court found that Jackson's statement was very much like a bomb threat and was against the rules and in violation of your commitment to boot camp. Jackson was sentenced to five years imprisonment at Level V, suspended after the three minimum mandatory years.