United States v. Banks

DeCICCO, Judge:

The main issue in this case is whether the military judge erred in accepting appellant’s guilty pleas. We conclude that he did not.

Appellant was convicted, following his pleas of guilty, by a special court-martial of violations of Articles 108 and 128, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), 10 U.S.C. §§ 908 and 928. These charges alleged that he negligently damaged his apartment in Navy housing by fire and, through culpable negligence, unlawfully injured a child under the age of sixteen by causing a fire that resulted in the child suffering smoke inhalation. After the…