United States v. Bowser

CCA 2014-08. On consideration of the certificate for review (74 M.J. 211 (C.A.A.F. 2015)), and the briefs of the parties and amicus curiae, we conclude that the military judge did not abuse his discretion in dismissing all charges and specifications with prejudice following the Government’s refusal to comply with the military judge’s order to produce trial counsel’s witness interview notes for an in camera inspection. “[A] judge is ultimately responsible for the control of his or her court and the trial proceedings,” and “[p]roper case management during a trial, necessary for the protection of an accused’s due process rights and the effective administration of justice, is encompassed within that responsibility.” United States v. Vargas, 74 M.J. 1, 8 (C.A.A.F. 2014). Because a judge has broad discretion and a range of choices in crafting a remedy to cure discovery violations and ensure a fair trial, this Court will not reverse so long as his or her decision remains within that range. See United States v. Douglas, 68 M.J. 349, 354 (C.A.A.F. 2010); United States v. Gore, 60 M.J. 178, 187 (C.A.A.F. 2004). In this case, the military judge’s decision, as affirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeals, was within that range. Accordingly, it is ordered that the certified questions are answered in the negative, and the decision of the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals is affirmed.