The Jerry Whitworth Espionage Case: The Walker Ring’s Fourth Spy
Jerry Alfred Whitworth, a retired Navy radioman, was arrested on June 3, 1985. The Ninth Circuit called him "the fourth and final member of the 'Walker…
Notable courts-martial · Case studies
Court Martial
The archive
49 entriesCivilian Court Martial Attorneys: Who Defends Service Members Facing Military Charges
A service member facing a general or special court-martial, or an Article 32 preliminary hearing, can be defended by three kinds of lawyer under Article 38(b)…
The Jeremy Morlock Court-Martial: Cooperation and a Capped Sentence in the Kill Team Case
Army Specialist Jeremy Morlock was the first of five 5th Stryker Brigade soldiers to be court-martialed over the 2010 killings of three Afghan civilians in Kandahar…
The Michael Walker Espionage Case: A Sailor Recruited by His Father
Michael Lance Walker was a Navy seaman whose father, John Walker, brought him into a Soviet spy ring in 1983. Classified Navy documents Michael had stolen…
The Charles Graner Court-Martial: The Abu Ghraib Ringleader and the “Orders” Defense
Army Specialist Charles A. Graner Jr., the military police guard described in news coverage as the leader of the abuse at Abu Ghraib, was convicted by…
What Happens If You Lie on Enlistment Papers in the Military
Lying on enlistment papers can be charged as fraudulent enlistment under Article 104a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The government must prove four things:…
The Billy Mitchell Court-Martial: Insubordination and the Birth of Air Power
Colonel William "Billy" Mitchell was court-martialed in 1925 for what he said to the press, not for what he did in the air. After the Navy…
The Ivan Frederick Court-Martial: The Senior NCO at Abu Ghraib
Staff Sergeant Ivan "Chip" Frederick was, as the Associated Press described him in 2007, the highest-ranking U.S. soldier convicted of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib. On…
The Michael Behenna Court-Martial: Self-Defense, Murder, and a Pardon
Army First Lieutenant Michael Behenna shot and killed an Iraqi detainee, Ali Mansur, in a desert culvert near Bayji on May 16, 2008. He had been…
What Happens If You Miss Movement in the Military
Missing movement is a specific offense under Article 87 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It applies when a service member who is required in…
Jesse Spielman and the Mahmudiyah Murders: How a Lookout Drew 110 Years
Private First Class Jesse Spielman received 110 years in prison, the longest military sentence in the Mahmudiyah case, even though prosecutors did not allege that he…
What Happens If You Lose Your Weapon in the Military
Losing an issued weapon can be charged under Article 108 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The charge depends on whether the loss was willful…
The Sanick Dela Cruz Case: Immunity and Testimony at Haditha
Marine Sergeant Sanick P. Dela Cruz was charged in December 2006 with unpremeditated murder in the deaths of five Iraqi civilians at Haditha, and with making…
The Bowe Bergdahl Court-Martial: Desertion, Captivity, and a Contested Sentence
Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, in June 2009 and was captured by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network. He was held for…
What Happens If You Make a False Official Statement in the Military
A false official statement is a separate offense under Article 107 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It carries a maximum of a dishonorable discharge,…
The Paul Cortez Court-Martial: Mahmudiyah and Felony Murder
Army Sergeant Paul E. Cortez did not fire the shots that killed a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family near Mahmudiyah in March 2006. He still…
The Chelsea Manning Court-Martial: The Largest Leak in U.S. History
Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, then known as Bradley Manning, gave WikiLeaks more than 700,000 battlefield reports and State Department cables in 2010 while serving in…
The James Barker Court-Martial: A Guilty Plea, Mitigation at Sentencing, and 90 Years
Army Specialist James Barker was the first of the Mahmudiyah defendants to plead guilty. In November 2006 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, he admitted taking part in…
What Happens If You Go AWOL or Desert in the Military
Going AWOL, or absence without leave, is an offense under Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It is complete the moment a service…
The Calvin Gibbs Court-Martial: Leader of the Maywand District “Kill Team”
Army Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, a squad leader in the 5th Stryker Brigade, was the highest-ranking of the five soldiers charged in the killings of three…
The William Calley Court-Martial: My Lai and the Limits of “Just Following Orders”
Army First Lieutenant William L. Calley Jr. led the first platoon of Charlie Company into the hamlet of My Lai, South Vietnam, on March 16, 1968.…
What Happens If You Steal Military Property
Stealing military property is charged as larceny under Article 121 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The charge requires proof of an intent to deprive…
What Happens If You Commit Adultery or Fraternize in the Military
Adultery and fraternization are two different military offenses, and neither is automatically a crime. What used to be called adultery is now charged as "extramarital sexual…
What Happens If You Refuse or Disobey an Order in the Military
Refusing a lawful order is a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the article charged depends mainly on who gave the order. Willfully…
The Eddie Gallagher Court-Martial: Acquittal, a Photograph, and a Presidential Reversal
Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward "Eddie" Gallagher was tried in 2019 on seven charges arising from his 2017 deployment to Mosul, Iraq. The most serious…