Court Opinion

ID: 9836867
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-02 03:15:16.783301+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:45:19.101725
License: Public Domain

SULLIVAN, Judge
(dissenting):
I fail to understand why the majority is departing from United States v. Roland, 50 MJ 66 (1999), which was decided only a year ago. I concurred in the result of that case which affirmed the decision of the court below that the military judge did not err in failing to find that the jury had been improperly selected. I stated:
The staff judge advocate (SJA)’s letter sought court nominations from every grade from E-5 to 0-6 to be included in the recommended jury pool. The implicit exclusion of certain ranks (E — i and below) in appellant’s case troubles me. However, the SJA’s letter, on its face, was designated as mere guidance, and the convening authority was informed of his opportunity to select anyone from his command. Moreover, the military judge found that no bad intent to influence the court-martial and no deliberate stacking of the pool existed, as in United States v. Hilow, 32 MJ 439 (CMA 1991). I would hold there was no violation of Articles 25 and 37, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC §§ 825 and 837, in these circumstances. Perhaps, if a random jury selection system now being studied by the Department of Defense is adopted, challenges like the one in this case will occur less. See United States v. Upshaw, 49 MJ 111, 114 (1998)(Sullivan, J., concurring).
50 MJ at 70.
I am troubled by the implicit exclusion of certain ranks in appellant’s case as well, but I reach the same conclusion here as I did in my separate opinion in Roland. The majority places too much emphasis on the “form” of the chart attached to the letter asking for court-martial member nominees in the instant case. As in Roland, the instant record shows no policy to exclude portions of the enlisted ranks. Specifically, the form of the chart demonstrates nothing but a mistake of the legal office and the command in putting together the composition of this court-martial. The majority truly elevates “form” over substance to reverse a case without adequate legal reason. I would affirm this felony drug conviction and the approved sentence.