Court Opinion

ID: 9905028
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-28 18:02:45.674073+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:17.418679
License: Public Domain

This opinion is subject to administrative correction before final disposition.

                                    Before
                        HACKEL, GROSS, and BLOSSER
                           Appellate Military Judges

                            _________________________

                              UNITED STATES
                                  Appellee

                                        v.

                           JOEL L. DERUE
                  Lance Corporal (E-3), U.S. Marine Corps
                                Appellant

                                 No. 202300111

                            _________________________

                            Decided: 28 November 2023

      Appeal from the United States Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary

                                Military Judge:
                         Andrea C. Goode (arraignment)
                              Eric A. Catto (Trial)

Sentence adjudged 22 December 2022 by a general court-martial convened
at Marine Corps Base Hawaii consisting of a military judge sitting alone.
Sentence in the Entry of Judgment: reduction to E-1, total forfeitures, con-
finement for 19 months, and a bad-conduct discharge. 1

                                 For Appellant:
                         Major Brian L. Farrell, USMCR

   1 The accused was credited with 30 days of confinement pursuant to United States

v. Pierce, 27 M.J. 367 (C.M.A. 1989).
                United States v. Derue, NMCCA No. 202300004
                             Opinion of the Court

                           _________________________

       This opinion does not serve as binding precedent under
             NMCCA Rule of Appellate Procedure 30.2(a).

                           _________________________

PER CURIAM:
    After careful consideration of the record, submitted without assignment of
error, and Appellant having not challenged the factual sufficiency of this case,
we have determined that the findings are correct in law, the sentence is correct
in law and fact, and that no error materially prejudicial to Appellant’s substan-
tial rights occurred. 2
    However, we note that the Entry of Judgment does not accurately reflect
the disposition of the charges, as the date the court-martial adjourned is incor-
rectly listed as 22 January 2023. Furthermore, we note that neither the State-
ment of Trial Results nor the Convening Authority’s Action reflect any of the
companion cases as required by §§ 0150a(3) and 0153a(5) of the Dep’t of the
Navy, Judge Advocate General Instr. 5800.7G, Manual of the Judge Advocate
General, (CH-1, Feb. 14, 2022). Although we find no prejudice, Appellant is
entitled to have court-martial records that correctly reflect the content of his
proceeding. 3 In accordance with Rule for Courts-Martial 1111(c)(2), we modify
the Entry of Judgment and direct that it be included in the record.
   The findings and sentence are AFFIRMED.

                                  FOR THE COURT:

                                  MARK K. JAMISON
                                  Clerk of Court

   2 Articles 59 & 66, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. §§ 859, 866.

   3 United States v. Crumpley, 49 M.J. 538, 539 (N-M. Ct. Crim. App. 1998).

                                         2
UNITED STATES                                            NMCCA NO. 202300111

       v.                                                        ENTRY
                                                                  OF
Joel L. DERUE                                                  JUDGMENT
Lance Corporal (E-3)
U.S. Marine Corps                                        As Modified on Appeal
                     Accused
                                                              28 November 2023

   On 28 October 2022 and 22 December 2022, the Accused was tried at Marine Corps Base
Hawaii, by a general court-martial, consisting of a military judge sitting alone. Military
Judges Andrea Goode and Eric Catto, presided.

                                       FINDINGS

    The following are the Accused’s pleas and the Court’s findings to all offenses the conven-
ing authority referred to trial:

Charge I:     Violation of Article 81, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C.
              § 881.
               Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
               Finding: Guilty.

   Specification 1: Conspire to wrongfully distribute cocaine between 1 October
                    2021 and 11 January 2022.
                       Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
                       Finding: Guilty, except for the words “1 October 2021 and on or
                       about 11 January 2022,” substituting the words “6 September 2021
                       and on or about 10 October 2021,” and except for the words “e)
                       request Provost Marshall Office security information from Pvt
                       Jones.”

Charge II:    Violation of Article 112a, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C.
              § 912a.
              Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
              Finding: Guilty.
                    United States v. DeRue, NMCCA No. 202300111
                             Modified Entry of Judgment

   Specification 1: Wrongfully distribute cocaine between 1 October 2021 and 25
                    July 2022.
                    Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
                    Finding: Guilty, except for the words “1 October 2021 and on or
                    about 25 July 2022” substituting the words “15 August 2021 and on
                    or about 30 October 2021.”

   Specification 2: Wrongfully distribute 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
                    and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide between 1 October 2021 and
                    25 July 2022.
                    Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
                    Finding: Guilty, except for the words “1 October 2021 and on or
                    about 25 July 2022” substituting the words “15 August 2021 and on
                    or about 30 October 2021.”

   Specification 3: Wrongfully use 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and
                    Lysergic Acid Diethylamide between 1 October 2021 and 25
                    July 2022.
                    Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
                    Finding: Guilty, except for the words “1 October 2021 and on or
                    about 25 July 2022” substituting the words “15 July 2021 and on or
                    about7 November 2021.”

   Specification 4: Wrongfully use cocaine between 1 October 2021 and 25 July
                    2022.
                    Plea: Guilty by exceptions and substitutions.
                    Finding: Guilty, except for the words “1 October 2021 and on or
                    about 25 July 2022” substituting the words “1 August 2021 and on or
                    about 20 November 2021.”

Charge III: Violation of Article 115, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C.
            § 115.
            Plea: Not Guilty.
            Finding: Withdrawn and Dismissed.

   Specification:   Wrongfully communicate a threat to physically injure
                    Private Cody Jones, U.S. Marine Corps, on 26 September
                    2021.
                    Plea: Not Guilty.
                    Finding: Withdrawn and dismissed.

Charge IV: Violation of Article 128, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C.
           § 928.

                                         2
                     United States v. DeRue, NMCCA No. 202300111
                              Modified Entry of Judgment

             Plea: Not Guilty.
             Finding: Withdrawn and dismissed.

   Specification:     Wrongfully commit an assault upon Private Cody Jones, U.S.
                      Marine Corps, by pushing him against a wall and pressing a
                      knife to his chest on 26 September 2021.
                      Plea: Not Guilty.
                      Finding: Withdrawn and dismissed.

                                      SENTENCE

    On 22 December 2022, a military judge sentenced the Accused to the following:
      Reduction to pay grade E-1.
      Confinement
          For the Specification of Charge I:
             confinement for 19 months.
          For Specification 1 of Charge II:
             confinement for 19 months.
          For Specification 2 of Charge II:
             confinement for 16 months.
          For Specification 3 of Charge II:
             confinement for 12 months.
          For Specification 4 of Charge II:
             confinement for 12 months.
          The terms of confinement will run concurrently.
      Confinement for a total of 19 months.
      Forfeiture of all pay and allowances.
      A bad-conduct discharge.
    The Accused shall be credited with 30 days of confinement pursuant to United States v.
Pierce, 27 M.J. 367 (C.M.A. 1989).

                               FOR THE COURT:

                               MARK K. JAMISON
                               Clerk of Court
                                               3