United States v. Velis

Pursuant to his pleas, appellant stands convicted of unauthorized absences of approximately 6 months and 10 months. The sentence approved on review below provides for a bad-conduct discharge, confinement at hard labor for 2 months, and reduction to pay grade E-1.

Appellant was subjected to an en masse arraignment, along with 16 other defendants whose charged offenses apparently were unrelated to those against appellant. This practice has been condemned in the past by the Court of Military Appeals, see e. g., United States v. Pratt, 17 U.S.C.M.A. 464, 38 C.M.R. 262 (1968), and United States v.…