United States v. Wright

I dissent.

As the case reaches this Court, the accused, after two trials, stands convicted of a three-day absence without leave, in violation of Article 86, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 886. He has been sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement at hard labor for three months, and forfeitures of $86.00 per month for a like period. Since I disagree with my brothers’ affirmance of this conviction, I believe a more detailed exposition of the facts is in order.

Defended by nonlawyer counsel, the accused originally entered a plea of guilty to being absent without leave for five…