United States v. Lawson

Opinion of the Court

Quinn, Chief Judge:

A general court-martial, convened in the Dominican Republic, convicted the accused of causing the death, by culpable negligence, of an eleven-year-old boy, in violation of Article 119, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 919. On this appeal, the accused contends he was prejudiced by gross inadequacies in the pretrial advice of the staff judge advocate.

A charge of homicide by culpable negligence was placed against the accused on May 28, 1965. It resulted from the accused’s demonstration, to the victim’s brother and others, of the *262breakdown of his…