Petition for Writ of Certiorari — Garcia v. United States

Supreme Court brief1988

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

eee

ay , Supreme Gourt, U.S,

619 | FILED

987

¥Jn the Supreme Court of the GnjtedsMtatess:o. ue.

CLERK

OCTOBER TERM, 1987

JORGE A. GARCIA

STAFF SERGEANT, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE,

PETITIONER,

¥.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, RESPONDENT

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE

UNITED STATES COURT OF MILITARY APPEALS

LEO L. SERGI

Colonel, Office of the Judge

Advocate General (OTJAG)

United Siates Air Force

HQ USAF/JAJD

Bldg 5683

Bolling AFB, DC 20332-6128

(202) 767-1562

Counsel of Record

and

CHARLES E. AMBROSE, JR.

Major, USAFR

Office of the Judge

Advocate General

United States Air Force

QUESTIONS PRESENTED

1. WHETHER THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY PER-

MITTING AN EXPERT WITNESS TO TESTIFY IN

THE PROSECUTION’S CASE-IN-CHIEF THAT PETI-

TIONER FIT A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE COM-

MON TO THAT OF CHILD MOLESTERS, WHERE

SUCH EVIDENCE WAS NOT OFFERED TO REBUT

ANY ISSUE PREVIOUSLY RAISED BY THE

DEFENSE?

2. WHETHER ADMISSIONS OF PERJURY BY THE

ALLEGED VICTIM, DISCOVERED AFTER PETI-

TIONER’S TRIAL, REQUIRE THAT THE FINDINGS

AND SENTENCE BE SET ASIDE AND A NEW TRIAL

ORDERED?

3. WHETHER PETITIONER WAS DENIED THE EF-

FECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL?

(i)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Eg a re er ee i

rr ca hve eae koe eae Ee il

NS ae ee rr re re re il

err nr err rr eee ery l

EEO Ore ny eee oe

es Or NG © os od Ss ok ee a Cee 2

Reasons for Granting the Writ 7

|’ Peer eee rere TC eOrer yee ere 8

Question 2 ........ So Wh ahs Ste ek Oe wee 19

SOE Dg sx cas casdou de anabnns sears 20

NE oe ak kc cs Ae eee 21

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

Federal Cases

Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284,

. Dr PTE 6 ie kee eweny ce be eeteees 19

Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 66

S.Ct.- 1239, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946) . 6s. ass. 18

Michelson vy. United States, 335 U.S. 469, 69

S.Ct. 213, 93 L.Ed. 168 (1948) ........... 15

Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104

S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984) ...... 7, 20, 21

United States v. Frady, 456 U.S. 152 (1982) .. 19

United States v. Young, 470 U.S. 1, 105 S.Ct.

1056, B41, Tid. 20.1 CPGGS) wo cv ns dicn: 8

Frase v. Henry, 444 F.2d 1228, 1231 (10th

ONT a ees Ys eas eee 10

Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir.

ee ae kak ae eee 11

United States v. Awkward, 597 F.2d 667, 671

(9th Cir. 1979) cert. denied, 444 U.S. 885,

100 S.Ct. 179, 62 L.Ed.2d 116(1979)...... 11

(ii)

iasebatiel day daar o

SORES SF AEE ONAL IES I PY DOTTIE LIE PML TO Ret

Page

Federal Cases — Continued

United States v. Barnard, 490 F.2d 909,

912-914 (9th Cir. 1974) cert. denied, 416

U.S. 959, 94 S.Ct. 1976, 40 L.Ed.2d 310

ee ok ne ka oe wie 8s 10

United States v. Binder, 789 F.2d 595, 601

EE 10, 18

United States v. Brown, 540 F.2d 1048, 1054

(10th Cir. 1976) cert. denied, 429 U.S. 1100,

97 S.Ct. 1122, 51 L.Ed.2d 549 (1976) ...... 10

United States v. Jensen, 608 F.2d 1349, 1356

I 10

United States v. Marabelles, 724 F.2d 1374,

| 18

United States v. Samara, 643 F.2d 701, 705

(10th Cir. 1981) cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1094,

102 S.Ct. 1122, 70 L.Ed.2d (1981) ........ 10

United States v. Valle-Valdez, 554 F.2d 911,

Es gy 18

United States v. Ward, 169 F.2d 460, 462 (3rd

ee ae beccece 10

United States v. August, 21 M.J. 363 (C.M.A.

en caw ebeseesec 7,8

United States v. Bothwell, 17 M.J. 684, 686

SN nasa cccecscccccvcs 11

United States v. DuBay, 17 U.S. C.M.A. 147,

ee 6

United States v. Fisher, 21 M.J. 327, 328

el cag ss cn bo cess os ae 8

United States v. Garcia, 23 M.J. 405 (C.M.A.

GE 8, App A

United States v. Garcia, 22 M.J. 192 (C.M.A.

i ee ch alae 7

iV

Page

Federal Cases — Continued

United States v. Garcia, 21 M.j. 153 (C.M.A.

DR ro Gas ca ee ee Re ce ee 6

United States v. Garcia, ACM 24238, 5 June

SUM is ova cudausenanuties 45 cheers oes App C

United States v. Garcia, 18 M.J. 716 (1986) .. :P

App B

United States v. Helton, 10 M.J. 820, 824 n.16

eel TS cat 2 Re, | eer 12

United States v. Moore, 15 M.J. 354(C.M.A.

SUS yc lacys cc daa ees us Gas sp aan ae om 11

United States v. Snipes, 18 M.J. 172 (C.M.A.

SP er ry re rere rere 7, 12

United States v. Tomlinson, 20 M.J. 897, 902 -

fen | oe | Pee ere ererer 13

United States v. Wright, 37 C.M.R. 835, n.2

at 840 (A.F.B.R. 1966); affirmed, 17

U.S.C.M.A. 183, 37 C.M.R. 447 (1967) ... 10

State Cases

Duley v. States, 467 A.2d 776 (MD App

RED fa neue onload Chee te eae 16

Sanders v. States, 303 S.E.2d 13 (GA 1983) .. 16

States v. Durfee, 322 M.W.2d 778 (Minn

DD odds eee cdos sO ee eee ee 15

State v. Loebach, 310 N.W.2d 58 (Minn

| Se ee er ie Er on ee 14

State v. Spreigl, 272 Minn. 488, 139 N.W.2d

SN os cee bee eiauan as Ge ueres i5

States v. Taylor, 663 S.W.2d at 241 ......... 13

Constitution and Statutes

United States Const. Amend.6............. 20

28 U.S.C. 1259 (3) (Supp. III, 1985) ......... |

Uniform Code of Military Justice Artice 66,

10 U.S.C. 866 (Supp. III, 1985) .......... 7

Page

Miscellaneous

a Re | ee 19

Manual for Courts-Martial, 1984

Pe OUD 5 oo cn duccusccacces 19

Ok Re 9, 13

as 7, 13, 14

CE 9

Perr 20

eR ee 20

MMII, FOUN nnn kc nu ineavaaeswvace vy)

er )

Fe ae 9, 13

Mil.R.Evid. 801 (d)(1)(A) ............. 20

§Jn the Supreme Court of the Anited States

OCTOBER TERM, 1987

No.

JORGE A. GARCIA

STAFF SERGEANT, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE,

PETITIONER,

Vv.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, RESPONDENT

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE

UNITED STATES COURT OF MILITARY APPEALS

The petitioner, Jorge A. Garcia, respectfully prays that

a writ of certiorari issue to review the decision of the

United States Court of Military Appeals entered in this

proceeding on August 18, 1987.

OPINIONS BELOW

The opinion of the United States Court of Military Ap-

peals is reported at M.J. ____ (C.M.A. 1986) (Ap-

pendix A). The original decision of the United States Air

Force Court of Military Review is published at 18 M.J.

716 (A.F.C.M.R. 1984) (Appendix B). A subsequent, un-

published slip opinion of the Air Force Court of Review

(upon remand) is appended to this petition (United States”

v. Garcia, ACM 24238, 5 June 1986— Appendix C).

JURISDICTION

The decision of the United States Court of Military Ap-

peals was rendered on August 18, 1987. The jurisdiction of

this Court is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1259.

(1)

‘STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The alleged victim, Jennifer Arlen, age 11, at the time of

trial testified that on 18 February 1983, she and her

younger brother, accompanied by their mother, visited the

Dental Clinic at the USAF Regional Hospital, Eglin AFB,

Florida, for routine dental treatment. (R. 40). At approx-

imately 1400 hours, she was taken to a room at the clinic

to have her teeth cleaned by the petitioner, SSgt Garcia.

When she entered the room, Jennifer testified that peti-

tioner gave her a wicked laugh and stared at her. (R. 41

and 53). He then had her lie on a dental couch and ad-

justed it so that her feet were higher than her head. (R.

42.) Petitioner then began cleaning her teeth. At one point

during the cleaning, she heard a zipper being unzipped and

then observed petitioner place a small towel over his lap.

(R. 42.) Jennifer said that petitioner seemed to be nervous,

and that he kept shaking. (R. 43.) Towards the end of the

cleaning session, while her mouth was full of dental equip-

ment, (R. 51), petitioner moved Jennifer’s head towards

his lap. Jennifer pulled away and Garcia moved her head

back. Petitioner then told her to close her eyes tight, but

before she did so, she saw petitioner’s penis close to her

face moving towards her mouth. Petitioner then “drew

back and starting messing in the corner again.” When

finished, Garcia resumed working on her. During the inci-

dent, Jennifer testified, she was scared and unable to

move. (R. 43.) When she was called back as a defense

witness, Jennifer stated she was sure that she saw peti-

tioner’s penis and not his finger. (R. 100.) She knew what a

penis looked like because she had seen her nine year old

brother’s. Petitioner’s penis looked like her brother’s penis

only larger; it was a little lighter than the color of skin. (R.

98.) On cross-examination by the prosecution, Jennifer

added that when she saw petitioner’s penis, his hand was

3

not near it. Rather, the penis she saw was protruding from

petitioner’s fly at the time when his hands were behind her

head. (R. 100.)

As a prosecution witness, Jennifer testified petitioner’s

fingers were not near his pants, and that she was sure he

was not wearing a glove or anything on his finger except a

ring. (R. 52.)

When she was preparing to leave, petitioner standing,

handed her an appointment slip. While she was pretending

to read the appointment slip she saw petitioner’s pants

were unzipped. She stared at the zipper for a few seconds

to make sure that she had not imagined the incident. (R.

43.)

After leaving petitioner’s room, Jennifer went to her

mother. A family friend, another dental technician,

Sergeant Kay R. Kauffman, was standing with Jennifer’s

mother. Sergeant Kauffman testified that at about 1430

hours she saw Jennifer approach looking confused and

befuddled. (R. 56, 57.) Jennifer looked back at petitioner’s

room, then looked at her mother and broke into tears. (R.

57.) Sergeant Kauffman stated she had heard Jennifer

mumble to her mother “he kept forcing my head to the

right —his zipper was down.” (R. 58.)

The prosecution’s next witness was a psychologist, Cap-

tain Bruce E. Ebert, assigned to the USAF Regional

Hospital, Eglin AFB. The court accepted Captain Ebert as

an expert witness, qualified in clinical psychology. (R. 59,

60.) During his qualifying examination, Dr. Ebert testified

that he had “had extensive additional post-graduute train-

ing in the area of sex, sex offenders and rape, and in hyp-

nosis and clinical assessment of sex offenders.” (R. 59.)

Captain Ebert testified, without objection by defense

counsel, that he had given Sergeant Garcia a battery of

psychological tests and had conducted several lengthy

diagnostic interviews. Based upon these tests and inter-

views, Dr. Ebert testified that he was able “to put together

4

a rather valid and reliable composite of an individual’s

personality.” (R. 60-61), and that petitioner fit the

psychological profile of a child molester. (R. 65.)

In discussing the tests which he had given petitioner, Dr.

Ebert testifed that petitioner had lied on eleven of thirteen

test items, that petitioner had poor impulse control, and

that the accused was an individual who was trying to pre-

sent himself in a favorable light or hide something. He

also testified that petitioner had a test score consistent

with the type of personality of a person who would use

repression and denial as defense mechanisms, that is, who

would suppress conscious awareness of unacceptable im-

pulses. (R. 63.)

On cross-examination by the defense, Captain Ebert

testified that, while the tests show a capacity to behave ina

certain way (R. 66), they do not predict behavior. (R. 65.)

He further stated that having the psychological profile of a

sex offender does not mean that one will commit a sex of-

fense. (R. 66.) On one occasion, he had tested a self-

confessed child molester who showed a _ normal

psychological profile. (R. 67.)

On redirect, however, Dr. Ebert testified that, given his

Own investigation into the thought processes of the ac-

cused, he (Ebert) could not rule out that petitioner had

committed the offense charged. (R. 66.)

The defense called several witnesses on behalf of peti-

tioner. The theory of the defense was that Jennifer Arlen

was mistaken as to what she saw.

Consistent with this theory, the defense called Sergeant

Kauffman and the NCOIC of the dental clinic, MSgt

Larry Reid. Both testified that the positioning of Jennifer

on the dental couch, SSgt Garcia’s movement of Jennifer’s

head, his use of a lap towel, and his asking his patient to

close her eyes tight, were all normal occurrences during a

dental cleaning. (R. 75, 76, 92.)

ace a aI a aml! CNIS tt te fi CN ae ON a AO

5

MSgt Reid stated that it was dental clinic policy to keep

the door open when working on a patient. (R. 90.) Sgt

Kauffman and, through a stipulation of expected

testimony, another dental technician, TSgt Jeannette M.

Turnage, testified that they had walked by SSgt Garcia’s

room several times during Jennifer’s appointment, had

seen petitioner working on Jennifer’s teeth, and had not

seen anything unusual. (R. 73, 88.)

SrA Lavawne Dehart, who worked for SSgt Garcia,

testified that at the time petitioner was working on

Jennifer’s teeth, she had gone into his room to deliver

some paperwork. She saw SSgt Garcia working on a

young girl who fit Jennifer’s description, and she too had

not seen anything unusual. (R. 85.)

The co-workers also testifed there was a lot of traffic in

the hallway outside petitioner’s room. However, on cross-

examination, the prosecution brought out that during the

time of Jennifer’s appointment, the traffic was lighter than

it was earlier in the day (R. 93), and that because of the lap

towel and the positioning of the dental couch, people

walking by the room probably could not have seen peti-

tioner’s lap as he was sitting down. (R. 78.)

Staff Sergeant Garcia testified in his own defense. He

denied molesting Jennifer. (R. 108.) He said he did posi-

tion her on the dental couch, moved her head, used a lap

towel and asked her to close her eyes tight as she had

described, but these were all normal procedures he used

when cleaning teeth. (R. 102, 103.)

During Jennifer’s appointment, petitioner said he used a

kot, similar to the one pictured in Defense Exhibits E and

F, to protect his right index finger. (R. 103; Appendix D to

this Petition.) (The inference here being that a finger

covered by a kot because of the color and texture could be

mistaken for a penis). He admitted it was also true his

pants were unzipped (R. 104), but he explained he had

gone to the bathroom just before Jennifer’s appointment,

|

'

6

and had apparently forgotten to zip up his pants. He did

not discover that his pants were unzipped until after he

finished cleaning Jennifer’s teeth when he stood up and

removed the towel from his lap. (R. 110.)

Petitioner was convicted by a court-martial composed

of officers (members), and was sentenced to be

dishonorably discharged from the service, to be reduced to

the grade of airman basic, and to be confined for six years.

The Air Force Court of Military Review affirmed peti-

tioner’s conviction and sentence on July 13, 1984.

Appellate counsel for petitioner then filed with the

Court of Military Appeals a Report of Investigation

prepared by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation

(AFOSI), which contained an affidavit (Appendix E) from

an acquaintenance of the victim, and which indicated that

_ the victim had committed perjury at trial, and had

fabricated her allegations against petitioner. The Court of

Military Appeals then granted review in petitioner’s case

on the following issues:

I. Whether the apellant was denied effective

assistance of counsel.

II. Whether the allegation of improper contacts

with the court members by the mother of the

alleged victim,' and the allegation of perjury by

the alleged victim, require that the findings and

sentence be set aside, or that a hearing pursuant

to the United States v. DuBay, 17 U.S.C.M.A.

147, 37 C.M.R. 411 (1967) be ordered.

In addition, the Court of Military — specified the

following issue for review:

Whether the military judge erred by permitting an ex-

pert witness to testify that appellant fit a

psychological profile common to child molesters.

United States v. Garcia, 21 M.J. 153 (C.M.A. 1985)

(Order Granting Petition for Review). Thereafter, on

“3: Aika isi wit eal t Neate Or NTS

' We do not raise this issue for purposes of this petition.

7

April 10, 1986, the Court of Military Appeals issued the

following order in petitioner’s case:

On further consideration of the granted issues (21

M.J. 153) it appears that issue II raised bv appellate

defense counsel has not been considered by the

United States Air Force Court of Military Review. It

further appears that that court should consider the

specified issue in light of United States v. August, 21

M.J. 363 (C.M.A. 1986), and United States v. Snipes,

18 M.J. 172 (C.M.A. 1984), and its impact, if any, on

granted issue I. See Strickland v. Washington, 466

U.S. 668, 104S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). Ac-

cordingly, it is ordered that the decision of the United

States Air Force Court of Military Review (18 M.J.

716) is set aside; and that the record of trial is re-

turned to the Judge Advocate General of the Air

Force for resubmission to that court for further con-

sideration under Article 66, Uniform Code of

Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 866.

United States v. Garcia, 22 M.J. 192 (C.M.A. 1986).

On June 5, 1986, the Air Force Court of Review again

affirmed petitioner’s conviction, holding that the “hearsay

nature” of the perjury allegations against Jennifer Arlen

compelled the conclusion that the second issue granted for

review by the Court of Military Appeals was essentially

unsupported by any evidence (Appendix 3, slip opinion at

4). The Court of Review concluded that admission of the

expert testimony as to petitioner’s psychological profile

had been erroneous, and that “the only purpose of the

testimony was to provide evidence that appellant was more

likely than not to have sexually abused the victim,” in con-

travention of Military Rule of Evidence 404(a).2 The

Court then proceeded to hold, however, that:

2 Mil. R. Evid. 404(a) is virtually identical to Federal Rule of

Evidence 404(a).

8

.. . Because there was no objection interposed by

trial defense counsel to any of the testimony in ques-

tion no error may be predicted upon the ruling by the

military judge admitting the evidence.

Ibid, slip opinion at 5. The Court of Review then

reiterated its earlier holding that trial defense counsel’s

failure to object to the expert’s testimony did not deny

petitioner the effective assistance of counsel. /d., slip

opinion at 6.

On January 28, 1987, the Court of Military Appeals

issued a second grant of review in petitioner’s case upon

the issue of the admission of the testimony as to

petitioner’s psychological profile. United States v. Garcia,

23 M.J. 405 (C.M.A. 1987). Thereafter, on August 18,

1987, the Court of Military Appeals issued the following

order:

On further consideration of the granted issue (23

M.J. 405), we hold that admission of testimony that

appellant’s psychological profile was consistent with

that of persons who sexually abuse children was er-

ror. See United States v. August, 21 M.J. 363, 365

(C.M.A. 1986). However, appellant did not object to

that action, and we find that action was not plain er-

ror. United States v. Young, 470 U.S. 1, 105 S.Ct.

1038, 84 L.Ed.2d 1 (1985); United States v. Fisher, 21

M.J. 327, 328 (C.M.A. 1986). Accordingly, it is by

the Court, this 18th day of August, 1987,

ORDERED:

That the decision of the United States Air Force

Court of Military of Review is affirmed.

REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT

QUESTION ONE

As noted above, during the prosecution’s case-in-chief,

Captain Ebert, an Air Force clinical psychologist, ac-

cepted as an expert witness, testified without objection by

9

defense counsel that the petitioner had the psychological

profile of a child molester, that this profile was consistent

with an individual who in his experience had molested

children, and that Garcia was therefore capable of com-

mitting the alleged offenses. (R. 65.) This was coupled

with Ebert’s testimony that Garcia had poor impulse con-

trol, and that, in his opinion, Garcia had lied about 11 out

of a possible 13 test items Ebert had given him. (R.63.)

Presumably, this testimony was offered under Military

Rules of Evidence 701, 702, and 704, which allow expert

witnesses to express opinion or to draw inferences, if such

testimony is otherwise admissible, even if the testimony

embraces an ultimate issue to be decided by the trier of

fact. Mil. R. Evid. 704. The purpose of the abrogation of

the common-law “ultimate issue” rule by the drafters of

Rule 704, however, was not to grant carte blanche to pros-

ecutors in the elicitation of expert witness testimony upon

all issues.

Military Rule of Evidence 704 was taken verbatim from

Federal Rule of Evidence 704. The drafters of the federal

rule were careful to specify that:

The abolition of the ultimate issue rule does not lower

the bars so as to admit all opinions. Under Rules 701

and 702, opinions must be helpful to the trier of fact,

and Rule 403 provides for exclusion of evidence

which wastes time. These provisions afford ample

assurance against the admission of opinions which

would merely tell the jury what result to reach .. .

Federal Rule of Evidence 704, Advisory Committee’s

Note, 51 F.R.D. 405 (1971) (emphasis added).

Similarly, the analysis to Military Rule of Evidence 704

provides that the rule “does not permit the witness to

testify as to his or her opinion as to the guilt or innocence

of the accused, or to state legal opinions.” M.C.M., 1984,

Appendix 22 at A22-41.

10

These qualifications on the rule merely reflect a long-

standing body of case-law, in effect before the enactment

of the Federal Rules of Evidence,? but with continued

vitality since those rules went into effect. The main thrust

of these decisions is that expert testimony should not be

permitted if it invades the province of the jury in

evaluating the credibility of evidence, whether the effect of

such opinions is to bolster or discount other testimony or

evidence. United States v. Binder, 789 F.2d 595, 602 (9th

cir. 1985).4

This improper result was accomplished both directly by

Dr. Ebert’s statements that petitioner had lied on his tests,

was acting defensively and was using denial mechanisms

(R. 63), and by inference, when Dr. Ebert testified that

petitioner fit the profile of a child molester (this indirectly

inferred that petitioner was lying when he denied having

committed the offenses charged, it also directly inferred

that petitioner -was the child abuser, and therefore, was

guilty as charged). The military judge erred in permitting

this testimony to go before the members of the court.°

3 See, e.g., United States v. Ward, 169 F.2d 460, 462 (3rd Cir. 1948)

(an expert may not usurp the exclusive function of the jury in weighing

evidence and determining credibility); United States v. Wright, 37

C.M.R. 835, n.2 at 840 (A.F.B.R. 1966); affirmed, 17 U.S.C.M.A.

183, 37 C.M.R. 447 (1967).

4 Accord: Frase v. Henry, 444 F.2d 1228, 1231 (10th Cir. 1971);

United States v. Jensen, 608 F.2d 1349, 1356 (10th Cir. 1979); United

States v. Samara, 643 F.2d 701, 705 (10th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 454

U.S. 1094, 102 S.Ct. 1122, 70 L.Ed.2d (1981); United States vy.

Brown, 540 F.2d 1048, 1054 (10th Cir. 1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S.

1100, 97 S.Ct. 1122, 51 L.Ed.2d 549 (1976); Wigmore on Evidence,

Third Ed., Vol. VII, § 1920, 1921; 31 Am. Jr. 2d, Expert and Opinion

Evidence, § 22.

5 See e.g., United States v. Barnard, 490 F.2d 907, 912-914 (9th Cir.

1974) cert. denied, 416 U.S. 959, 94S.Ct. 1976, 40 L.Ed.2d 310 (1974)

(trial court properly refused to allow defense to elicit psychiatric

11

The presumption that members of a jury (or members

of the court in a court-martial) are best equipped to deter-

mine the ultimate issues of credibility and guilt, without

assistance from so-called “experts” in these fields, is based

at least in part on the proper reluctance of courts of law to

blindly accept the notion that any field of expertise is more

capable than a jury in deciding contested issues of fact. In

short, lie detectors, either human or mechanical, have not

yet been “generally accepted” in the scientific community

to the extent that they meet the standard announced in

Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir. 1923). Since

the relevance of expert testimony is, in part, a function of

the underlying scientific principles upon which that exper-

tise rests, if an expert is not truly an expert, his opinion has

no legally recognized probative value. United States v.

Bothwell, 17 M.J. 684, 686 (A.C.M.R. 1983); see also;

United States v. Moore, 15 M.J. 354 (C.M.A. 1983) at

367-376 (Everett, C.J., dissenting).

In addition to the doubtful validity from a scientific

standpoint of lie detector evidence, the inherent prejudice

and legal dangers of such evidence have led courts to reject

it:

In determining the ultimate issue of guilt or in-

nocence, it is the function of the fact-finder to hear

and assess the witnesses; to weigh that testimony

against all other evidence in the case; and to assess its

truthfulness in light of human experience and

knowledge of the ways of the world . . . presented

with conflicting and unreconcilable evidence, the

temptation would be great for the courts to defer to

testimony as to the credibility of prosecution witness); accord: United

States v. Awkward, 597 F.2d 667, 671 (9th Cir. 1979), cert. denied,

444 U.S. 885, 100 S.Ct. 179, 62 L.Ed.2d 116 (1979).

12

the opinion of the polygraph examiners, and abrogate

its factfinding responsibility.

United States v. Helton, 10 M.J. 820, 824 n.16 at 824

(A.F.C.M.R. 1981). This sentiment was echoed by Chief

Judge Everett of the Court of Military Appeals in his con-

curring opinion in United States v. Snipes, 18 M.J. 172,

180 (C.M.A. 1984):

In evaluating someone’s credibility, “scientific,

technical or otherwise specialized knowledge” is of

limited assistance to the triers of fact [citation

omitted]. Indeed, hearing a purported expert give his

opinion about the credibility of a witness may hinder

the factfinder by distracting him from using his own

experience and common sense, which provide the best

means for him to determine the truthfulness of

testimony he had heard. Moreover, an anomaly will

exist if we continue to exclude the opinions of

polygraph operators—who are specially trained and

equipped to detect deception — but receive in evidence

the opinions of various other “experts” about whether

a victim or other witness has been telling the truth.

Similarly, in rejecting expert evidence as to rape trauma

syndrome in a closely-contested case, the Army Court of

Military Review has held:

Both the government and the accused are entitled to

have issues of fact and credibility decided by court

members. To allow an “expert” to offer his opinion

on the resolution of a credibility dispute goes too far,

and it makes no difference whether the opinion is ex-

pressed or follows inferentially from the expert’s

diagnosis of a psychological condition suffered by the

witness whose credibility is at issue. The court

members must decide whether a witness is telling the

truth. Expert insights into human nature are permissi-

ble, but lie detector evidence—whether human or

13

mechanical —is not. Otherwise, trial could degenerate

into a battle of experts expressing opinions on the

veracity of various witnesses. See States v. Taylor,

663 S.W.2d at 241.

United States V. Tomlinson, 20 M.J. 897, 902 (A.C.M.R.

1985) (emphasis added). In short, to the extent that such

evidence has any probative value, it is nevertheless

outweighed by the dangers of prejudice to the fact-finding

duties of the court, and to an accused. Mil. R. Evid. 403.

The military judge’s lack of sua sponte action to exclude

such evidence was erroneous, for yet another reason, in

that such testimony was not “otherwise admissible”

(M.R.E. 704) because it violated the provisions of Military

Rule of Evidence 404(a). That rule provides in pertinent

part:

(a) Character evidence generally. Evidence of a per-

son’s character or a trait of a person’s character is not

admissible for the purpose of proving that the person

acted in conformity therewith on a particular occa-

sion except:

(1) Character of the accused. Evidence of a perti-

nent trait of the character of the accused offered by

an accused, or by the prosecution to rebut the same.

The testimony of Dr. Ebert was offered by the prosecu-

tion during its case-in-chief, not in rebuttal to evidence

presented by the defense. It is therefore readily apparent

that the character of the accused, either for truthfulness or

as a child molester in general, was not in issue at the time

Dr. Ebert took the stand. The error in allowing this

testimony was recognized by the staff judge advocate to

the convening authority below, who advised the convening

authority:

“Under MRE 404, evidence of an accused [sic]

character trait (child molester) offered to prove that

accused acted in conformity therewith (molested a.

14

child) is inadmissible unless offered by the defense or

by the prosecution to rebut such defense evidence. . .

the testimony of a psychologist was offered by the

prosecution on direct, [case-in-chief] not in rebuttal

. . SO, it is clear that the admission of the evidence

was error.”

SJA’s Recommendation, paragraph 49 at page 16.

In State v. Loebach, 310 N.W.2d 58 (Minn. 1981),

Loebach was convicted of third-degree murder of his

three-month-old son. The state called an expert on child

abuse during their case-in-chief to testify on the “battered

child syndrome.” He concluded Loebach’s case fit this

model almost perfectly. Over defense objection, the expert

was permitted to testify that battering parents tend to have

similar personality traits and personal histories. The state

also called over defense objection two witnesses from

Leobach’s past in an attempt to prove he fit the pattern of

a “battering parent.” Loebach took the stand and denied

abusing his son. He did not put his character in evidence.

The Minnesota Supreme Court in construing Minnesota

Rule of Evidence 404(a), which is identical to M.R.E.

404(a), found that the evidence presented by the expert on

the “battering parent profile” and the testimony of the two

witnesses from the appellant’s past, should not have been

admitted by the trial judge. The court found there were

three basic reasons for the exclusion of character evidence

to prove that a criminal defendant had acted in conformity

with such character:

First, there is the possibility that the jury will convict

a defendant in order to penalize him for his past

misdeeds or simply because he is an undesirable per-

son. Second, there is the danger that a jury will over-

value the character evidence in assessing the guilt for

the crime charged. Finally, it is unfair to require an

accused to be prepared not only to defend against im-

mediate charges, but also disprove or explain his per-

15

sonality or prior actions. State v. Spreigl, 272 Minn.

488, 139 N.W.2d 167 (1965); 2 Louisell & Mueller,

Federal Evidence §§ 1136 (1978); I.J. Wigmore,

Evidence §§ 193-94 (3d. 1940). Justice Jackson, in

Michelson v. United States, 335 U.S. 469, 69 S.Ct.

213, 93 L.Ed. 168 (1948), recognized the nature and

extent of the potential evidence. In a widely cited

opinion he stated the reasons for exclusion of

character evidence as follows:

Courts that follow the common-law tradition almost

unanimously have come to disallow resort by the

prosecution to any kind of evidence of a defendant’s

evil character to establish a probability of his guilt.

Not that the law invests the defendant with a

presumption of good character, ... but it simply

closes the whole matter of character, disposition and

reputation on the prosecution’s case-in-chief. The

State may not show defendant’s prior trouble with the

law, specific criminal acts, or ill name among his

neighbors, even though such facts might logically be

persuasive that he is by propensity a probable

perpetrator of the crime. The inquiry is not rejected

because character is irrelevant: on the contrary, it is

said to weigh too much with the jury and to so over

persuade them as to prejudge one with a bad general

-record and deny him a fair opportunity to defend

against a particular charge. The overriding policy of

excluding such evidence, despite its admitted pro-

bative value, is the practical experience and its

disallowance tends to prevent confusion of issues, un-

fair surprise and undue prejudice. /d. at 475-76, 69

S.Ct. at 218-19 (citation and footnotes omitted.)

Loebach, supra, at 63 and 64. -

The rationale of the Minnesota Supreme Court has been

followed in a series of other cases dealing with the same

kind of expert testimony. See: States v. Durfee, 322

16

M.W.2d 778 (Minn. 1982); Sanders v. State, 303 S.E.2d 13

(Ga. 1983); Duley v. States, 467 A.2d 776 (Md. App.

1983).

Although none of these convictions were reversed, in all

of them the evidence of the appellant’s guilt was over-

whelming. Unlike the cited cases, the evidence presented in

the instant case was hotly contested and was anything but

overwhelming for the prosecution. The only witnesses to

the alleged incident were Sergeant Garcia and the alleged

victim. The prosecution’s theory was that the discrepancy

was the result of a deliberate lie on the part of Garcia. The

defense’s position was the discrepancy was the result of an

innocent mistake by Jennifer Arlen.

Both witnesses were supported by extrinsic evidence.

For the prosecution, this evidence included Jennifer

Arlen’s emotional, spontaneous reaction, witnessed by her

mother and a dental technician, after she left Garcia’s den-

tal examination room; Garcia’s admission that his zipper

was down during the time he worked on Jennifer’s teeth;

and Garcia’s failure to offer a satisfactory explanation

when confronted by Jennifer’s mother.

For the defense, the supporting extrinsic evidence was

that much of what Jennifer testified to (positioning of the

dental chair, moving the patient’s head towards the techni-

cian’s lap, telling a patient to close her eyes, and the use of

a lap towel), is normal procedure for a dental cleaning. In

addition, Sergeant Kauffman testified that Garcia ap-

peared “taken aback” and confused when confronted by

Jennifer’s mother. This would explain his failure to pro-

vide an explanation to Jennifer’s mother when confronted

by her.

There was also testimony by two lab technicians who

walked by Garcia’s room on several occasions; One went

into the room on one occasion, and neither saw anything

17

unusual. This supports petitioner’s version of what hap-

pened. In order for Garcia to have accomplished this of-

fense, he would have had to assume a semi-standing or

squatting position. In sucha position, he would have been

fully exposing himself towards the open door of the ex-

amination room. Therefore, given the heavy hall traffic,

the open door, and the possibility that co-workers would

either look in or enter during a cleaning, it certainly seems

unlikely that Garcia would have taken the risk of exposing

himself to Jennifer.

With the evidence in this posture it becomes readily ap-

parent that the crucial evidence in this case was that

presented by Captain Ebert. The prosecutor at one point

in his argument even classified Ebert’s testimony as

“critical”:

Remember what he said about the accused in his test

results? The accused has very poor impulse control.

Lewd and lascivious acts on little girls, we submit, are

not crimes that are carefully calculated out, planned

by the child molester who comes up with the design to

prey on a particular time. These offenses are impulse

type offenses. There is nothing wrong with the ac-

cused’s mental condition, except that he can’t control

his impulses and it is that —the fact that he gives into

his impulses—makes him consistent with a person

who would do this even though the normal person

would not perhaps take a risk that someone would see

what he is doing. Doctor Ebert’s testimony, we sub-

mit, is very helpful in evaluating the accused and the

conditions that occurred in the Dental Clinic at that

time. You should consider that .. . Let’s talk for a

moment about Doctor Ebert’s testimony. His—he

told you a great deal about the mental traits —per-

sonality traits of the accused. His testimony is critical

18

because he gave you a preview of exactly how the ac-

cused was going to perform on the stand. He knew ex-

actly what the accused would be doing in this case

with respect to his testimony. The accused is

manipulative. The accused wants to present himself in

the best light possible. Indeed he’s certainly trying to

fix the tests that he took. He tried to answer the ques-

tions—fabricate answers to the questions on the

testing —tests that were given to him. We submit to

you that the testimony of Doctor Ebert gave you a

preview of the mental makeup of the accused. And

the reasons he’s got to testify and testify falsely.

Evaluate his testimony with regard to what Doctor

Ebert said.

(R. 129, 155, emphasis added.)

Although cross-examination attempted to minimize the

damaging effects of Captain Ebert’s testimony, the at-

tempt was largely unsuccessful. The impact of direct ex-

amination was great and was emphasized in argument by

the prosecution. The court members were told by an ex-

pert witness with extensive credentials, that Sergeant Gar-

cia was a liar who could not control his impulses and,

therefore, molested children.

A trial court’s decision as to the admissibility of expert

testimony is reversible only where there is manifest error

or abuse of discretion. United States v. Binder, 769 F.2d

595, 601 (9th Cir. 1985); United States v. Marabelles, 724

F.2d 1374, 1381 (9th Cir. 1984). Erroneous admissions of

such testimony are reversible, however, if the evidence

“more probably than not materially affected the verdict.”

Binder, supra, at 601-602; Uniied States v. Valle-Valdez,

554 F.2d 911, 916 (9th Cir. 1977). Where there remains

grave doubt as to the effect of the error upon the verdict,

the conviction cannot stand. Kotteakos v. United States,

328 U.S. 750, 66 S.Ct. 1239, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946). The

Court of Military Appeals’ findings below that appellant

seieneiarenaiaitiietaiaiiaiaiiiaaeaiiaiimmiiae

19

was not prejudiced by these errors is untenable and unsup-

ported by the evidence at trial.

As made clear by Military Rule of Evidence 103(d), the

absence of an objection does not render moot the review

of an error which materially prejudices the substantial

rights of the accused. The admission of testimony which

was tantamount to a directed finding of guilt based upon

the diagnosis of the accused as a guilty, deceptive child

molester, proffered by a purported expert in the field,

easily fits the definition of plain error as contemplated by

the Rule.!

QUESTION TWO -

Petitioner is entitled to a new trial in which he could

confront his alleged victim with her admissions of perjury

to Pamela Seiler. The summary dismissal of this issue by

the Air Force Court of Review, affirmed without com-

ment by the Court of Military Appeals, has perpetuated

the denial to petitioner of a fair trial. It is insufficient sup-

port for these decisions to merely cast aside the matter as

one of weightless hearsay, as such a ruling, had it been

employed at trial would have, in effect, denied petitioner

“the right to a fair opportunity to defend against the

{[Government’s] accusations”, since “the rights to confront

and cross-examine witnesses” are “essential to due

process.” Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 294-295

(1972). Petitioner would have been entitled, had he known

of Arlen’s admissions at the time of trial, to confront her

' Contrary to the holding of the Air Force Court of Review that “no

error may be predicated” in the absence of an objection, it is well-

established that even absent objection, those errors which seriously at-

fect the fairness of a trial may mandate reversal under the plain error

standard of review. United States v. Young, 470 U.S. 1 (1985); United

States v. Frady, 456 U.S. 152 (1982). See also; Fed. R. Crim. P. 52(b).

20

with these prior inconsistent statements, and even to pro-

duce extrinsic proof of these admissions. Military Rules of

Evidence 608, 613. The egregious nature of the Air Force

Court’s dismissal of this issue upon grounds of hearsay is

illustrated by the fact that, under substantive military and

federal evidentiary law, prior inconsistent statements of a

witness are not hearsay. Mil. R. Evid. 801(d)(1)(A); Fed.

R. Evid. 801(d)(1)(A).

QUESTION THREE

In Strickland v. Washington, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (1984), this

Honorable Court set forth the standards which must be

met before an appellant can prevail on a claim of counsel

ineffectiveness:

First, the defendant must show that counsel’s per-

formance was deficient . . . that counsel made errors

sO serious that [she] was not functioning as the

“counsel” guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth

Amendment. Second, the defendant must show that

the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. . .

that counsel’s errors were so serious as to deprive the

defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is

reliable. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it

cannot be said that the conviction. . . resulted froma

breakdown in the adversary process that renders the

result unreliable.

Ibid,. 104 S.Ct. at 2064.

Petitioner has satisfied both of these requirements.

There can be little doubt that trial defense counsel’s failure

to object to the testimony of Dr. Ebert —testimony which

amounted to an expert’s finding of guilt arrived at through

psychological diagnosis—was error, and the product of

that counsel’s rank inexperience. Trial defense counsel

even admitted such was the case in her post-trial affidavit

filed with the lower courts (Appendix F).

‘ieee seen

21

There can also be no genuine dispute as to the preju-

dicial impact of this error upon petitioner’s trial. The lay

members (jurors) of petitioner’s court-martial were told by

an expert witness with extensive credentials that petitioner

was a liar who could not control his impulses and molested

children. This “evidence”, in an otherwise close and hotly-

contested trial, was characterized as critical by the prose-

cutor in argument. The erroneous admission, without ob-

jection, of this testimony “had a pervasive effect on the in-

ferences to be drawn from the evidence, altering the entire

evidentiary picture.” Strickland v. Washington, supra, 104

S.Ct at 2069. Having had his trial fatally infected by this

diagnosis of guilt, petitioner received a conviction that re-

mains unreliable, especially when considered alongside his

>.99

“victim’s” admissions of perjury.

CONCLUSION

Petitioner submits that his petition for a writ of cer-

tiorari should be granted.

Respectfully Submitted.

LEO L. SERGI

Colonel, Office of the Judge

Advocate General (OTJAG)

United States Air Force

HQ USAF/JAJD

Bldg 5683

Bolling AFB, DC 20332-6128

(202) 767-1562

Counsel of Record

and

CHARLES E. AMBROSE, JR.

Major, USAFR -

Office of the Judge

Advocate General

United States Air Force

APPENDIX A

UNITED STATES COURT OF MILITARY APPEALS

USCMA Dkt. No. 50869/AF

CMR Dkt. No. 24238

UNITED STATES, APPELLEE

v.

JORGE A. GARCIA, (463-02-9196), APPELLANT

ORDER

On further consideration of the granted issue (23 M.J.

405), we hold that testimony that appellant’s psychological

profile was consistent with that of persons who sexually

abuse children was error. See United States v. August, 21

M.J. 363, 365 (C.M.A. 1986). However, appellant did not

object to that evidence nor do we find the admission of

this testimony was plain error. United States v. Young,

470 U.S. 1, 105 S.Ct. 1038, 84 L.Ed.2d 1 (1985); United

States v. Fisher, 21 M.J. 327, 328 (C.M.A. 1986). Accord-

ingly, it is, by the Court, this 18th day of August, 1987,

ORDERED: .

That the decision of the United States Air Force Court

of Military Review is affirmed.

For the Court,

/s/ JOHN A. CurTTs, Ill

Deputy Clerk of the Court

cc: The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force

Appellate Defense Counsel (AMBROSE)

Appellate Government Counsel (GIOVAGNONI])

(la)

2a

APPENDIX B

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE COURT OF

MILITARY REVIEW

ACM 24238.

UNITED STATES

V.

STAFF SERGEANT JORGE A. GARCIA,

FR 463-02-9196, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

Decided 13 July, 1984.

Accused, a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force,

was convicted by general court-martial, Barton L.

Spillman, J., of committing lewd and lascivious acts with

another, and he appealed. The United States Air Force

Court of Military Review, Foray, Senior Judge, held that:

(1) accused was not denied effective assistance of counsel,

and (2) specifications of two offenses of committing lewd

and lascivious acts, alleged to have occurred at the same

time and place and with the same victim, were

multiplicious for findings purposes.

Affirmed.

1. Military Justice No. 1242 -

Accused is entitled to reasonably competent counsel

who exercises that competence throughout trial in

accused’s behalf. UCMJ, Art. 27(a, b), 10 U.S.C.A.

§ 827(a, b).

lates

3a -

2. Military Justice No. 1242

In determining whether accused was denied effective

assistance of counsel, task of Court of Military Review is

to determine whether counsel’s assistance was so defective

that it deprived accused of fair trial, trial whose result is

reliable. UCMJ, Art. 27(a, b), 10 U.S.C.A. § 827(a, b).

3. Military Justice No. 1242

Accused’s trial counsel was not ineffective in failing to

object to testimony of clinical psychologist during findings

portion of trial where any damaging aspects of his

testimony given under direct examination had been effec-

tively neutralized by testimony elicited from him upon

cross-examination and where court members determined

guilt by resolving conflicting evidence between victim and

accused without resort to psychologist’s testimony.

4. Military Justice No. 1242

Accused’s trial counsel was not ineffective in failing to

object to cross-examination of accused when questioning

allegedly improperly brought before the court evidence of

accused’s right to remain silent where aim of the cross-

examination was directed toward showing that accused’s

story was of recent fabrication.

5. Military Justice No. 1242

Accused was not denied effective assistance of counsel

by counsel’s failure to object to psychologist’s testimony

during sentencing regarding recidivism rate where the

testimony and prosecution’s comments thereon during

sentencing argument tended toward influencing court

members to adjudge sentence that would act as deterrent

with respect to future similar conduct.

4a

6. Military Justice No. 959

- Two charges of committing lewd and lascivious act

upon another alleged to have occurred at same time and

place and with same victim were multiplicious for findings

purposes.

—

Appellate Counsel for the Accused: Colonel Leo L.

Sergi and Captain Bruce T. Brown.

Appellate Counsel for the United States: Colonel Ken-

neth R. Rengert and Major Robert E. Ferencik, Jr.

Before FORAY, SNYDER and O’HAIR, Appellate

Military Judges.

DECISION

FORAY, Senior Judge:

Appellant was convicted by a general court-martial of

two offenses of committing lewd and lascivious acts with

the same female who was under the age of 16 years. The

approved sentence extends to dishonorable discharge, con-

finement at hard labor for six years, and reduction to the

grade of airman basic.

Appellant makes claim that two errors were committed

during his trial which require remedial action by the

Court.

The first of the two claims we shall review is:

THE APPELLANT WAS DENIED THE EFFEC-

TIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.

This assignment of error has multiple aspects which will

be discussed seriatim.

Sa

A

THE TESTIMONY BY CAPTAIN EBERT DUR-

ING FINDINGS, VIOLATED MILITARY RULE

OF EVIDENCE 404(a) AND ITS ADMISSION WAS

PLAIN ERROR.

Captain Ebert, a clinical psychologist, was called and

established as an expert witness by the prosecution. He

testified that a battery of psychological tests was ad-

ministered to the accused and that several lengthy inter-

views were conducted with him. Captain Ebert opined

that, as a result, the accused fit the psychological profile

of a “child molester” and was capable of committing the

offenses charged. He further opined that one of the validi-

ty scales include within the pyschological tests performed

was very much elevated indicating the accused had a

tendency to “present himself in a way that is far beyond

what would be expected of him even though that is con-

trary to his basic nature.” Captain Ebert testified without

objection from trial defense counsel.

During cross-examination by trial defense counsel,

however, Captain Ebert allowed that the tests conducted

on the accused merely indicated a capacity to act in a cer-

tain way and did not predict his behavior. He stated that a

person having a profile of a “sex offender” does not mean

that the person will commit a sex offense. He further

testified that he had once tested a self-confessed child

molester who showed a “normal psychological profile.”

THE TRIAL COUNSEL VIOLATED M.R.E.

301(f)(3) DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION OF

APPELLANT. |

The victim of the offenses had testified that before the

accused committed the acts alleged she heard the accused’s

6a

pants unzip and then saw him place a towel on his lap. '

She later saw the fly of the accused’s trousers to be, in fact,

unzipped. The accused, testifyimg in his own behalf,

denied unzipping his trousers in the victim’s presence as

stated by her, but admitted that his fly was, indeed, un-

zipped. He stated he first noticed that condition after the

victim had departed his presence at which time he

remedied the situation.

On cross-examination of the accused the trial counsel

sought to show that the accused’s explanation as to the in-

nocent and inadvertent “open zipper” was of recent

fabrication. Trial counsel elicited testimony from the ac-

cused that when confronted with an allegation against him

by the victim’s mother on the day in question he never of-

fered his explanation as to why his fly had been unzipped.

Also elicited from the accused was the testimony now

claimed to be violative of M.R.E. 301(f)(3). That was

testimony of the accused that he never offered any ex-

culpatory version regarding his “open zipper” to his com-

mander or certain superior noncommissioned officers

either. No objection to this line of questioning by trial

counsel was offered by defense counsel.

C

CAPTAIN EBERT’S PRESENTENCING TES-

TIMONY WAS INADMISSIBLE.

Without objection by defense counsel, trial counsel

asked Captain Ebert his opinion regarding the general

recidivism rate for persons who commit sexual offenses on

children. He answered:

Yes. It’s great. It’s better than 80 percent without in-

carceration. It’s slightly a little bit less with incarcera-

! At the time pertinent hereto the victim was undergoing a dental

prophylaxis performed by the accused, a dental technician, in an ex-

amination room of the base dental clinic.

7a

tion without a treatment program. In actual prisons

where there are somewhat non-formalized treatment

programs, it’s slightly less than that and for extensive

programs, of which there are only a few in the coun-

try, it can be very, very low. Essentially what I am

Saying is that without treatment expect recidivism.

D

TRIAL COUNSEL’S SENTENCING ARGUMENT

WAS IMPROPER.

The complained of argument was not met with objec-

tion at trial. It emphasized Captain Ebert’s testimony cited

above regarding recidivism and treatment. Trial counsel

asked the court members to consider the fact that if the ac-

cused is confined for seven years no child would be

molested by him for that period. He also asked the court

members to consider “a 75 percent chance that he’s going

to get out of there very shortly and commit another

criminal offense just like this.” He further argued that a

brief period of confinement would result in subjecting

another young girl to suffer through the indignities and

humiliation the victim-in this case endured if a substantial

perior of confinement was not adjudged.

Appellate defense counsel have submitted a Motion for

Leave To File Affidavit of Trial Defense Counsel, which

we grant. The affiant? unabashedly acknowledges failing

to object to those matters which constitute the gravamen

of this appeal. The reasons advanced for the failure to ob-

ject were counsel’s inexperience and the uncomfortable

feeling caused by it. Appellate defense counsel contend

trial defense counsel’s ineffectiveness during the findings

portion of the trial requires reversal of the

? The convening order shows trial defense counsel was certified in

accordance with U.C.M.J., Article 27(b) and designated by The Judge

Advocate General for detail as an Area Defense Counsel, Head-

quarters, United States Air Force Judiciary.

8a

findings and sentence in the case. Counsel’s ineffectiveness

during the sentencing portion of the trial, they say, would

require a rehearing on the sentence in the case.

[1] The Court of Military Appeals has construed an

accused’s right to be represented by counsel, as provided

for under Article 27(a), U.C.M.J., to mean the right to be

represented by an effective counsel. Also, the accused is

entitled to a reasonably competent counsel who exercises

that competence throughout the trial in the accused’s

behalf. United States v. Jefferson, 13 M.J. 1

(C.M.A.1982); United States v. Rivas, 3 M.J. 282

(C.M.A.1977); United States v. Walker, 21 U.S.C.M.A.

376, 45 C.M.R. 150 (1972). That Court has said, though,

the device for measuring the existence or absence of the re-

quired degree of counsel’s competence in a criminal! trial

has been ambiguously stated. It is clear, however, that

[m]Jere mistakes and errors in judgment of counsel are

insufficient to establish a violation of the defendant’s

constitutional [or statutory] right to effective assist-

ance of counsel. It is only where the mistakes or er-

rors amount to inadequate or ineffective assistance of

counsel that it can be said that the appellant has been

denied his constitutional [or statutory] right of

assistance of reasonable competent counsel and one

rendering reasonably effective assistance.

United States v. Rivas supra; United States v. Hancock; 49

C.M.R. 830 (A.C.M.R.1975).

Recently the United States Supreme Court decided a

case which required it to consider the proper standards for

judging an assertion by a ciminal defendant that the Con-

stitution requires a conviction or death sentence to be set

aside because the ineffective assistance of counsel at the

trial or sentencing. Strickland v. Washington, U.S.

, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). To require a

reversal of a conviction, or death sentence, they said, the

a

9a

defendant must show that counsel’s assistance was defec-

tive in two essentials. These are:

First, the defendant must show that counsel’s per-

formance was deficient. This requires showing that

counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not

~ functioning as the “counsel” guaranteed the defend-

ant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant

must show that the deficient performance prejudiced

the defense. This requires showing that counsel’s er-

rors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a

fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. Unless a

defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said

that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a

breakdown in the adversary process that renders the

result unreliable.

When a conviction is thus challenged, the question is

whether there is a reasonable probability that, without the

errors, the factfinder would have had a reasonable doubt

as to guilt. When the sentence is so challenged, the ques-

tion is whether there is a reasonable probability that,

without the errors, the sentencer would have concluded

the sentence should have been less severe. To make this

determination, the court deciding a claim of ineffec-

tiveness of counsel must consider the totality of the

evidence before the factfinder or sentencer. In this regard

the Court in Strickland said:

Some of the factual findings will have been unaf-

fected by the errors, and factual findings that were af-

fected will have been affected in different ways. Some

errors will have had a pervasive effect on the in-

ferences to be drawn from the evidence, altering the

entire evidentiary picture, and some will have had an

isolate, trivial effect. Moreover, a verdict or conclu-

sion only weakly supported by the record is more like-

ly to have been affected by errors than one with over-

10a

whelming record support. Taking the unaffected

findings as a given, and taking due account of the ef-

fect of the errors on the remaining findings, a court

making the prejudice inquiry must ask if the defend-

ant has met the burden of showing that the decision

reached would reasonably likely have been different

absent the errors.

[2] Our task now will be to determine whether trial

defense counsel’s assistance was so defective that it de-

prived the accused of a fair trial, a trial whose result is

reliable. Since the alleged ineffective assistance of counsel

occurred during both the findings and sentencing portions

of the trial we will separately evaluate counsel’s perform-

ance as to each part. To accomplish our task we will

assume, without deciding that counsel did commit error by

not objecting to those matters pointed out in this appeal.

[3] We do not find that Captain Ebert’s testimony

during the findings portion of the trial had any substantial

impact upon the outcome of that portion. Any damaging

aspects of his testimony given on direct examination had

been effectively neutralized by the testimony elicited from

him upon cross-examination by trial defense counsel. In

Our view the court members determined the accused’s guilt

by resolving the conflicting evidence between the victim

and the accused without resort to Captain Ebert’s

testimony. Our view is supported by the fact that after the

court members were instructed by the military judge

relative to the findings in the case, the president of the

court requested that the members be allowed to review the

complete testimony of the victim and the accused. When

the judge advised the president of the technical difficulties ~

involved in the “playback” of the requested testimony, the

president advanced an alternate method of resolving the

court members’ request. That method was to allow the

members to view the room in the base dental clinic where

lla

the offenses were alleged to have taken place. The request

was granted and the viewing accomplished.

[4] Wedo not find trial counsel’s cross-examination of

the accused to be such as to improperly bring before the

court evidence of the accused’s right to remain silent.

M.R.E. 301(f)(3). The aim of trial counsel’s questioning

was directed toward showing the court members that the

accused’s direct testimony regarding the inadvertant open

position of his “fly” was of recent origin and not toward

showing the accused exercised his constitutional right to

remain silent. The thrust of trial counsel’s findings argu-

ment in this regard supports our conclusion. United States

v. Reiner, 15 M.J. 38 (C.M.A.1983); United States v.

Moore, 1 M.J. 390 (C.M.A.1976).

With regard to the findings portion of the trial we con-

clude that the trial defense counsel’s failure to object in

those areas alleged was not so serious an error showing

counsel was not functioning as the “counsel” guaranteed

the accused by the Sixth Amendment. Nor do we find

counsel’s errors sO serious as to deprive the accused of a

fair trial. We are convinced the findings in this case would

reasonably likely have not been different had the errors

not been made. Strickland v. Washington; United States

v. Jefferson; United States v. Rivas; United States vy.

Walker, all supra.

{5} Captain Ebert’s testimony during the sentencing

part of the trial regarding recidivism was based on his ex-

periences and research concerning that subject. United

States v. Snipes, 18 M.J. 172 (C.M.A.1984); M.R.E. 702

and 703. His testimony and trial counsel’s comments

thereon during the sentencing argument tended toward in-

fluencing the court members to adjudge a sentence in the

case that would act as a deterrent to the accused with

respect to future similar misconduct. Deterrence evidence

and argument is generally permissible. United States v.

Thompson, 9 M.J. 166 (C.M.A.1980); United States v.

12a

Lania, 9 M.J. 100 (C.M.A.1980). Likewise, trial counsel’s

argument as to the “indignity, the humiliation” the victim

experienced by having to testify at the trial is generally per-

missible. United States v. Hammond, 17 M.J. 218

(C.M.A.1984); United States v. Marrshall, 14 M.J. 157

(C.M.A.1982). We find defense counsel’s failure to object

in this regard did not amount to such defective perform-

ances denying the accused a fair trial as to sentencing.’

Strickland v. Washington, supra.

Appellant also avers:

THE SPECIFICATIONS ARE MULTIPLICIOUS

FOR FINDINGS PURPOSES

[6] The accused has been charged with the offenses of

committing a lewd and lascivious act upon the victim by

exposing his penis to her, with intent to arouse and gratify

his lust, passions, and sexual desires (Specification 1) and

assault with intent to commit sodomy on the same victim

by placing his penis on her face (Specification 2), in viola-

tion U.C.M.J., Article 134. Both offenses were alleged to

have occurred at the same time and place. He was found

guilty of Specification 1, as charged, and, of Specification

2, by exceptions and substitutions, of committing a lewd

and lascivious act upon the victim by placing his penis on

her face, with intent to gratify his lust, passions and sexual

3 The military judge instructed the court members to consider the

facts and circumstances surrounding the commission of the offenses,

and all matters in extenuation, mitigation, and aggravation, properly

before them in determining an appropriate sentence. One of the mat-

ters in aggravation before the court was an Article 15, U.C.M.J.,

record of punishment imposed on the accused for the offense of inde-

cent assault upon a female under the age of 16 years. The offense was

alleged to have taken place at the base dental clinic while the accused

was in the performance of his duties.

——~

l3a

desires. Appellate Government counsel agree with ap-

pellant’s contention. We, too, agree. By its findings as to

Specification 2 the court found the accused guilty of the

same criminal offense which was alleged in Specification

1. They are duplicative as a matter of law.4 United States

v. Baker, 14 M.J. 361 (C.M.A.1983).

Accordingly, the findings of guilty of Specification 1 of

the Charge are set aside and dismissed and the findings of

guilty of Specification 2 of the Charge and the sentence are

AFFIRMED.

SNYDER and O’HAIR, Judges, concur.

* The military judge treated both specifications as multiplicious for

sentencing; therefore, the accused suffered no prejudice as to the

sentence. United States v. Allen, 16 M.J. 395 (C.M.A.1983). :

l4a

APPENDIX C

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE COURT OF

MILITARY REVIEW

ACM 24238 (f rev)

UNITED STATES

V.

STAFF SERGEANT JORGE A. GARCIA, FR 463-02-9196

UNITED STATES AiR FORCE

5 JUNE 1986

Sentence adjudged 9 June 1983 by GCM convened at

Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Military Judge: Barton L.

Spillman. .

Approved sentence: Dishonorable discharge, confine-

ment for six (6) years and reduction to airman basic.

Appellate Counsel for the Accused: Colonel Leo L.

Sergi and Major Charles E. Ambrose, Jr. Appellate

Counsel for the United States: Colonel Kenneth R.

Rengert and Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Giovagnoni.

Before

FORAY, MURDOCK and O’HAIR

~ Appellate Military Judges

DECISION UPON FURTHER REVIEW

FORAY, Senior Judge:

This case is once again before us for review.

On 13 July, 1984, this-Court affirmed the appellant’s

conviction by a general court-martial of one offense of

lSa

committing lewd and lascivious acts with a female under

the age of sixteen years, in violation of Article 134,

U.C.M.J.'! The Court also affirmed the adjudged and ap-

proved sentence which extends to a _ dishonorable

discharge, confinement at hard labor for six years, and

reduction to the lowest enlisted grade. United States v.

Garcia, 18 M.J. 716 (A.F.C.M.R. 1984).

On 19 September 1984, the appellant petitioned the

Court of Military Appeals for a grant of review of our

decision. That Court granted appellant’s petition on 11

October 1985. United States v. Garcia, 21 M.J. 153

(C.M.A. 1985). Subsequently, on 10 April 1986, that

Court ordered our decision set aside and the record of trial

returned to The Judge Advocate General for resubmission

to this Court for further consideration under Article 66,

U.C.M.J. United States v. Garcia, __ & Seen

(C.M.A. 1986). In its order that Court stated:

On further consideration of the granted issues (21

M.J. 153) it appears that issue II raised by appellate

defense counsel has not been considered by the

United States Air Force Court of Military Review. It

further appears that that court should consider the

specified issue in light of United States v. August, 21

M.J. 363, (C.M.A. 1986) and United States v. Snipes,

18 M.J. 172 (C.M.A. 1984), and its impact, if any, on

granted issue I. See Strickland v. Washington, 466,

U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984).

Issue II raised by appellate defense counsel before the

Court of Military Appeals and not previously considered

by this Court alleges:

THE ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER CON-

TACTS WITH THE COURT MEMBERS BY THE

MOTHER OF THE ALLEGED VICTIM, AND

' We set aside and dismissed another offense as being duplicative as

a matter of law. United States v. Baker, 14 M.J. 361 (C.M.A. 1983).

l6a

THE ALLEGATION OF PERJURY BY THE

ALLEGED VICTIM, REQUIRE THAT THE FIND-

INGS AND SENTENCE BE SET ASIDE, OR

THAT A REHEARING (SIC) PURSUANT TO

UNITED STATES v. DUBAY, 17 U.S.C.M.A. 147,

37 C.M.R. 411 (1967) BE ORDERED.

The specified issue and issue I are, sequentially:

WHETHER THE MILITARY JUDGE ERRED BY

— PERMITTING AN EXPERT WITNESS TO TES-

TIFY THAT APPELLANT FIT A PSYCHOLOGI-

CAL PROFILE COMMON TO THAT OF CHILD

MOLESTERS.

WHETHER THE APPELLANT WAS DENIED

THE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.

One aspect of the allegation in issue II is that the mother

of the victim improperly contacted court members. The

basis for this allegation is a post-trial affidavit of a Mrs. S,

dated 12 June 1984, submitted to the Court of Military

Appeals by appellant to support a Petition For New

Trial.2 The part of the affidavit pertinent to this aspect of

the issue is:

During the trial, SHEILA® said she had the upper

hand because someone she knew from the bowling

alley was on the jury. SHEILA stated that she kept in

contact with this person regularly and knew exactly

what the jury was thinking at all times. Also SHEILA

said that through this person she could maintain the

sympathy of the jury.

With regard to these averments of Mrs. S, appellate

counsel have submitted affidavits of the victim’s mother

2 The Petition For New Trial was denied on 11 October 1985.

United States v. Garcia, 21 M.J. 155 (C.M.A. 1985).

3 Shiela is the mother of the victim.

wey Abas

17a

and a Captain S—the court member alluded to by Mrs. S

to have been improperly contacted. In her affidavit, the

victim’s mother denies having any contact with any of the

court members during the court-martial of appellant. In

his affidavit, Captain S claims he knew the victim and

members of the victim’s family prior to the court-martial,

but contact with them was merely in “passing”.+ Other af-

fidavits and documents submitted with regard to this mat-

ter indicate that nothing improper occurred between any

of the court members and the mother of the victim.

The second aspect of issue II once again has its genesis

in the 12 June 1984, affidavit of Mrs. S. Mrs. S stated

therein that in the spring of 1983, her eleven year old

daughter told her that the victim told her, the daughter,

that what she, the victim, said about the incident in the

hospital was not all true. According to Mrs. S’s daughter,

the victim said she made some of it up so her mother

would be worried and, if worried, would buy the victim

new clothes and she would be allowed to do anything she

wanted. An affidavit from the victim has been submitted

with regard to this aspect of the issue in which she denies

being untruthful at the court-martial. She also claims, “At

no time before, during, or after the Garcia court-martial

did I tell anyone that the things I told about the hospital

were not true. What I said in court was the truth.”

We must now determine whether the issue presented by

appellant in issue II reguires either the findings and

sentence to be set aside or that a hearing be ordered pur-

suant to United States v. DuBay, supra. To begin, we note

* At an Article 39a, U.C.M.J., session held without the other court

members present, Captain S voluntarily revealed his knowledge of the

victim and family. He further stated that this knowledge would not in-

terfere with his ability to perform as a member of the court-martial.

18a :

both aspects of this issue were founded upon hearsay

declarations of Mrs. S and not upon any personal

knowledge on her part. Also, these hearsay declarations

have been contradicted by sworn statements of others who

would have had personal knowledge of either of the

alleged wrongdoing. Significant, we think, in our deter-

mination of what weight, if any, should be given to the

averments of Mrs. S is the fact that her revelations were

made over one year after the appellant had been tried and

convicted even though she stated she was aware of these

supposed acts of misconduct prior to and during his trial.°

Her belated statement, along with its hearsay nature, com-

pel us to conclude it should not be afforded any weight.

Accordingly, we find that issue II is not supported by any

evidence warranting the setting aside of the findings and

sentence in the case or to raise an issue requiring a return

of the record of trial to the convening authority for pur-

poses of a DuBay hearing. United States v. DuBay, supra;

M.R.E. 801. See United States v. Bishop, 11 M.J. 7

(C.M.A. 1981); United States v. Bourchier, 5 U.S.C.M.A.

15, 17 C.M.R. 15 (1954).

At appellant’s trial Captain Bruce W. Ebert testified as

an expert in the field of clinical psychology during the

presentation of the prosecution’s case-in-chief. He testi-

fied that a battery of psychological tests was administered

to the appellant and that several lengthy interviews were

conducted with him. It was Captain Ebert’s opinion, as a

result of the testing and interviews, that appellani fit the

psychological profile of a “child molester” and was

capable of committing the offenses charged.* He also

5 Appellant’s court-martial took place on 7, 8, and 9 June 1983.

6 The testing and interviews conducted of appellant was alleged to

be “relied upon by people in the psychological and psychiatric com-

munity (sic) as indicators of personality traits and that sort of thing.”

19a

testified that one of the validity scales contained within the

psychological test performed was very elevated indicating

the appellant had a tendency to “present himself in a way

that is far beyond what would be expected of him even

though that is contrary to his basic nature.” Neither Cap-

tain Ebert’s qualifications as an expert witness nor any of

his testimony was objected to by trial defense counsel.

Since this testimony was elicited from the expert witness

before the appellant testified, it appears the only purpose

of the testimony was to provide evidence that appellant

was more likely than not to have sexually abused the vic-

tim. The admission of the testimony, then, was counter to

the rule regarding character evidence. According to

M.R.E. 404(a):

Evidence of a person’s character or a trait of a

person’s character is not admissible for the purpose of

proving that the person acted in conformity therewith

on a particular occasion, except:

(1) Character of the accused. Evidence of a pertinent

trait of the character of the accused offered by an ac-

cused, or by the prosecution to rebut the same.

However, because there was no objection interposed by

trial defense counsel to any of the testimony in question no

error may be predicated upon the ruling by the military

judge admitting the evidence. M.R.E. 103(a)(1). See

United States v. August; United States v. Snipes, both

supra.

We must now determine whether trial defense counsel’s

failure to object to the expert’s testimony denied appellant

the effective assistance of counsel. For the reasons stated

in Our Original decision in the case, we find that he was

not. United States v. Garcia, 18 M.J. 716 (A.F.C.M.R.

1984) and cases cited therein. See United States v. DiCupe,

21 M.J. 440 (C.M.A. 1986).

20a

Accordingly, the findings of guilty, as we had pre-

viously modified them, and the sentence are

AFFIRMED

Judge MURDOCK and O’HAIR concur.

OFFICIAL

/s/ FELIX LANDAU

Felix Landau

Captain, USAF

Chief Commissioner

DEFENSE EXHI BIT =

—__ FORD

OFFERED PACE 16

ADMITTED (Reseeted) PAGE =. tee

DEFENSE EXHIBIT a a oe

OFFERED PAGE 10

ADMITTED (Reject) PAGE: _ /D

Ra cane en a A al SOR TY A ace te I CY hie Cota ht tae il EB Li incl ais At thy at A A 4 AA ts

23a

STATEMENT OF WITNESS

AFOSI Det 710, Eglin AFB, FL

(Place)

12 Jun 84

(Date)

t, JOAN C. SEILER » hereby state that

Frances L. Shel! has identified himself ‘to ae

as Special Acent usar.

(Special Agent AFOS!, Secunty Police, Other--Specily)

do hereby voluntarily and of ay own free will sake the following statement without

having been subjected te any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement.

In the spring 1983, prior to the trial date, my daughter, PAM, age 11, told me of a

conversation she had with JENNIFER ARLEN. This conversation took place in school

at PAM's locker. JENNIE told PAM that the things she told about the hospital

incident weren't all true. JENNIE said she made some of it‘ up so her mother would be

worried. According to JENNIE, if her mother was worried she would get new clothes

and be able to do anything she wanted to. This disturbed PAM. She had known JENNIE

to be untruthful before, but she felt this was really serious. At the time, I told

PAM not to worry. I assured her that if JENNIE was lying about something this would

a]l come out during the trial — Good

i so prior to the trial date, sometime in Apr or May 1983 on a Wednesday evening

Mrs SHEILA ARLEN and I were baking cookies with the girl scouts at a regular weekly

meeting. She asked me to step into the other room for apjnute. I did so reluctantly,

I felt very uneasy listening to anything about the whol cident. However, I knew

if I didn't go into the other room, SHEILA would say something in front of the girls

or just call me later. SHEILA then told me that she had just found out that JENNIE

a have to take a polygraph. According to her JENNIE was now off the hook and

d it made

ring the trial, SHEILA said she had the upper hand because someone she knew from

the bowling alley was on the jury. SHEILA stated that she kept in contact with

this person regularly and knew exactly what the jury was thinking at all times. Also

SHEILA said that through this person she could maintain the sympathy of the jury.

rior to and during the trial SHEILA made frequent reference to the fact that she

had friends in “Investigations”, “Social Actions", and “OSI". She said she had free

access to all information about ihe sergeant involved. This included a folder of

unfavorable information made available to her by a working with the OSI.

SHEILA claimed she read this folder cover to cover Gaul

Kf nce I worked with SHEILA ARLEN as a co-leader for a gir! scout troop last year, I

had frequent conversations with her. It is difficult to remember exactly what was

said n since this all occurred a year ago. The statements I've made in the above

paragraphs are things I remember being said during these specific conversations. At

other times I was told of the defendant's Article 15, that the commander of the

Dental Clinic was trying to cover it up, and that FOL WYCOFF gave SHEILA his full

Support so they could “nail this individual. 57

AF fm 1169 ~ U8 GOVEReRNT PRertes OFMCE Vem. °'¢.9/9/3803 Page 1 of “ Pages

24a

CONTINUATION SHEET FOR AF FORM 1168 and 1169

THIS PAGE FOR SIGNATURE ONLY

fC

1 fecther stete thet I heve reed

stetement, eng that it is correct and true 6s written.

M- ld) PX. by lew te odminister cathe, this

aS. ie

thie entice statement, initicied ell pages and corrections, and signed thie

fooled

Subseribed ond seore to belere ae, & person wow lis

1 24

(SO. ne

(Bs qnetere) t 710

( 4060000)

F

nt

(Tree Mame. Geode & Tithe of Person Adninieateriang Geeh )

Sede Tei. UE SB acedl. bee sb Oks pte

AF fem 1170

<2 3,9°=

25a

AFFADAVIT

COMES WOW THE AFFIANT, AND SAYETH:

I, Petricia L. Larson, swear and affirm thet;

I wae sesigned as the Area Defense Counsel at Hurlburt Field, Florids

in March of 1983. In such capacity, I represented SSgt Jorge Garcia in

his Court-Martial on charges of committing a lewd and lascivious act and

aseault with intent to commit sodomy.

During the course of the above mentioned courts-martial, I failed ‘to

object to the following testimony and argument;

A) Testimony by Cape (Dr.) Bruce Ebert on findings,

B) Testimony by Cape (Dr.) Bruce Ebert on sentencing regarding recid-

iviem rate of child molesters,

C) Argument by trial counsel concerning the necessity of the victia

testifying at the trial and the resultant emotional impact on the victia,

D) Argument by trial counsel concerning rehabilitation of SSgt

Garcia.

I did not object to the above matters because I did not recognize or

realize that such matters were inadmissable.

At the time I represented SSgt Garcia, I hed been certified as « Trial

Counsel for approximately three months. I had acted as counsel in

approximately six to seven court-martials. One or two of those trials had

been litigated.

Recognising wy inexperience and feeling uncomfortable with it, I had

requested Circuit Defenee assistance in representing SSgt Garcia. I was

informed by che Chief Circuit Defense Counsel that no one was available to

aseist me, as all the Circuit Defense Counselse were unavailable during the

time period in question. Thus, I proceeded alone.

I believe chat SSgt Garcie had a right to be represented by competent,

experienced counsel. Unfortunately for all, I did not provide such repre-

sentation.

“Kh L. We 3

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 2f ay of Merch, 1984 at Aviano

Ayt) Base, Italy.

RICHARD Hitl/DINSON, Cept, USAF

\ | | Asoslcteni Ciaif Jucg2 Advocate

‘ . 308-64-1355

& U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 19867— 194-245/62002

ry

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.