United States v. Mitchell

DECISION

McLAUTHLIN, Judge:

After serving just six days on active duty, Airman Basic Robert S. Mitchell obtained the keys to another military member’s car and left Lackland Air Force Base. He now stands convicted of a 15 day unauthorized absence and theft of the $10,000 vehicle. Facing an approved sentence of a bad conduct discharge, confinement for three years, and total forfeitures, Mitchell asserts four errors on appeal. We find some merit in two.

I

First, he cites as error the military judge’s denial of his challenge of three court-martial panel members for cause. During initial voir dire,…