United States v. Norwood

Opinion of the Court

Quinn, Chief Judge:

Before a special court-martial convened aboard the U.S.S. ESSEX, the accused pleaded guilty to a number of offenses in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. His appeal challenges the validity of the sentence, which extends to a bad-conduct discharge and confinement at hard labor for four months.

At trial, defense counsel submitted a written request for instructions as to the sentence. The president of the court-martial directed that the writing be appended as an appellate exhibit, but it nowhere appears in the record and has not otherwise…