United States v. Walls

The majority opinion reaffirms the longstanding principle of military law that a substantial misapprehension of the maximum punishment can vitiate the providency of a plea of guilty.1 This principle of law I support. I also recognize the body of military law which holds that a guilty plea so obtained need not be vacated where the record of trial shows that the military accused intelligently acknowledged a potential sentence difference but wished to plead guilty anyway.2 This principle of law I also support. Finally, where the variation in sentence advice is insubstantial, I believe that the…