U.S. v. Davenport, 73 M.J. 373

First Principles: Jurisdiction: Generally

1. the requirement that a record of trial be complete and substantially verbatim in order to uphold the validity of a verbatim record sentence is one of jurisdictional proportion that cannot be waived

Military Justice Personnel: Convening Authority: Generally

1. when a verbatim transcript cannot be prepared, the plain language of RCM 1103(f) provides that there are only two remedial options available to the convening authority; under that rule, the convening authority may (1) approve only so much of the sentence that could be adjudged by a special court-martial, except that a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for more than six months, or forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for more than six months, may not be approved, or (2) direct a rehearing as to any offense of which the accused was found guilty if the finding is supported by the summary of the evidence contained in the record, provided that the convening authority may not approve any sentence imposed at such a rehearing more severe than or in excess of that adjudged by the earlier court-martial

Trial Stages: Initial Review: Preparation of Record of Trial

1. the requirement that a record of trial be complete and substantially verbatim in order to uphold the validity of a verbatim record sentence is one of jurisdictional proportion that cannot be waived
2. a nonverbatim transcript and an incomplete record are separate and distinct errors under the RCM
3. a verbatim transcript includes all proceedings including sidebar conferences, arguments of counsel, and rulings and instructions by the military judge; and a verbatim transcript of all sessions is required when (i) any part of the sentence adjudged exceeds six months confinement, forfeiture of pay greater than two-thirds pay per month, or any forfeiture of pay for more than six months or other punishments that may be adjudged by a special court-martial, or (ii) a bad-conduct discharge has been adjudged
4. a verbatim transcript was required in this case because the military judge sentenced appellant to two years of confinement and a bad-conduct discharge
5. by definition, if there is not a verbatim transcript, there is also no complete record; however, while in the case of most incomplete records, prophylactic measures are not prescribed, and the missing material or remedy for same are tested for prejudice, where the record is incomplete because the transcript is not verbatim, the procedures set forth in RCM 1103(f) control
6. in assessing either whether a record is complete or whether a transcript is verbatim, the threshold question is whether the omitted material was substantial, either qualitatively or quantitatively
7. despite the dictionary definition of the term verbatim, transcripts need not be word for word, but must be substantially verbatim; a transcript may be deemed substantially verbatim though it has certain omissions; omissions are qualitatively substantial if the substance of the omitted material related directly to the sufficiency of the government’s evidence on the merits, and the testimony could not ordinarily have been recalled with any degree of fidelity; omissions are quantitatively substantial unless the totality of omissions becomes so unimportant and so uninfluential when viewed in the light of the whole record, that it approaches nothingness
8. in this case, the complete omission of testimony of a government witness on the merits from the trial transcript was a substantial omission that rendered the transcript nonverbatim, where the content of the testimony was equivocal even after attempts to reconstruct it at a DuBay hearing; the omission was substantial both quantitatively, because the entire testimony was omitted, and qualitatively, because the substance of the omitted testimony presumably related directly to the government’s evidence on the merits and could not be recalled with fidelity
9. when a verbatim transcript cannot be prepared, the plain language of RCM 1103(f) provides that there are only two remedial options available to the convening authority; under that rule, the convening authority may (1) approve only so much of the sentence that could be adjudged by a special court-martial, except that a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for more than six months, or forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for more than six months, may not be approved, or (2) direct a rehearing as to any offense of which the accused was found guilty if the finding is supported by the summary of the evidence contained in the record, provided that the convening authority may not approve any sentence imposed at such a rehearing more severe than or in excess of that adjudged by the earlier court-martial
10. where a record of trial is nonverbatim, the convening authority is limited to the remedies listed in RCM 1103(f); no authority exists for applying the remedy for an incomplete record to a nonverbatim transcript; accordingly, in this case, where the transcript remained nonverbatim after the DuBay hearing, RCM 1103(f) limits the remedies available to a rehearing or a modified sentence

Trial Stages: Appeals: Remedies › Generally

1. by definition, if there is not a verbatim transcript, there is also no complete record; however, while in the case of most incomplete records, prophylactic measures are not prescribed, and the missing material or remedy for same are tested for prejudice, where the record is incomplete because the transcript is not verbatim, the procedures set forth in RCM 1103(f) control
2. when a verbatim transcript cannot be prepared, the plain language of RCM 1103(f) provides that there are only two remedial options available to the convening authority; under that rule, the convening authority may (1) approve only so much of the sentence that could be adjudged by a special court-martial, except that a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for more than six months, or forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for more than six months, may not be approved, or (2) direct a rehearing as to any offense of which the accused was found guilty if the finding is supported by the summary of the evidence contained in the record, provided that the convening authority may not approve any sentence imposed at such a rehearing more severe than or in excess of that adjudged by the earlier court-martial
3. where a record of trial is nonverbatim, the convening authority is limited to the remedies listed in RCM 1103(f); no authority exists for applying the remedy for an incomplete record to a nonverbatim transcript; accordingly, in this case, where the transcript remained nonverbatim after the DuBay hearing, RCM 1103(f) limits the remedies available to a rehearing or a modified sentence

Trial Stages: Appeals: Standards of Review, Burdens, etc.

1. whether a record is complete and a transcript is verbatim are questions of law that an appellate court reviews de novo

Trial Stages: Appeals: Waiver

1. the requirement that a record of trial be complete and substantially verbatim in order to uphold the validity of a verbatim record sentence is one of jurisdictional proportion that cannot be waived