United States v. Hamill

Opinion of the Court

GEORGE W. LatimeR, Judge:

Upon his arraignment before a general court-martial, the accused pleaded guilty to the crime of larceny, in violation of Article 121, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 921. Before accepting the plea, the law officer held an out-of-court conference to make sure that the plea was being entered voluntarily and intelligently. To that end he asked the accused to state in his own words why he was pleading guilty. The accused replied generally that he had committed the crime; that his own pretrial confession would serve to convict him; and that…