United States v. Mucthison

Appellant was tried in absentia by a general court-martial composed of officer and enlisted members. After convicting appellant of stealing $2,674.00 total from the U.S. Government in four separate incidents,1 they sentenced him to a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for 2 years, reduction to pay grade E-l, a fine of $4,000.00 and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. The convening authority approved the sentence as adjudged.

The question presented on appeal is whether the trial judge erred when he ruled that appellant had received a speedy trial.

Prior to ruling against appellant’s speedy…