CORE CRIMINAL LAW SUBJECTS: Crimes: Article 134 -- Indecent Acts with Another


2008 (September Term)


United States v. Miller, 67 M.J. 87 (indecent acts with another is a lesser included offense to indecent liberties with a child, and contains neither a “physical presence” nor a “presence” requirement; the offense does require that the acts be done in conjunction or participating with another person; there must be some affirmative interaction between the accused and the victim to satisfy the “with another person” element; this interaction need not take place between two individuals who are located in the same physical space; but the victim must be more than an inadvertent or passive observer).


2006

United States v. Cohen, 63 M.J. 45 (under military case law, photographing or filming sexual acts is an offense punishable under Article 134 of the UCMJ).

 

2002

United States v. Sims, 57 MJ 419 ("indecent" signifies that form of immorality relating to sexual impurity which is not only grossly vulgar, obscene, and repugnant to common propriety, but tends to excite lust and deprave the morals with respect to sexual relations; an otherwise lawful sexual act may violate Article 134, UCMJ, if it is committed "openly and notoriously"; an act is "open and notorious" when the participants know that a third person is present).

(where a sexual touching was committed in a private bedroom, with the door closed but unlocked, and where neither party had disrobed, appellant’s conclusory stipulation was inadequate to establish a factual predicate for "open and notorious" sexual conduct; there was a substantial basis for rejecting the plea as improvident, because appellant’s responses and the stipulation of fact state only the conclusion that it was reasonably likely under these circumstances that appellant’s act of touching would have been seen by others, but they do not provide the factual basis for that conclusion).

2000

United States v. Tollinchi, 54 MJ 80 (evidence that appellant had sexual intercourse with a woman in the presence of that woman’s boyfriend is sufficient to establish an indecent act).

1999

United States v. Izquierdo, 51 MJ 421(fornication, committed openly and notoriously, is an aggravating circumstance sufficient to state an offense under Article 134, UCMJ).

(as an indecent act under Article 134, UCMJ, fornication is open and notorious, flagrant, and discrediting to the military service if committed in the actual presence of others, when the participants know that a third person is present, or under circumstances where it is reasonable likely that others will view the act).

(evidence was legally sufficient to show that fornication was open and notorious where, although appellant hung a sheet between beds, two of appellant’s roommates were present during the fornication and both were suspicious of the activity behind the sheet).

(evidence was not legally sufficient to show that fornication was open and notorious where intercourse took place behind closed barracks room door and nobody else was present in the room).



Home Page |  Opinions & Digest  |  Daily Journal  |  Scheduled Hearings  |  Search Site