Murder

A Fort Hood soldier recently killed three people, including his 28-year-old wife.  He then turned the gun on himself.  Thus making this the third murder-suicide involving troops stationed at Fort Hood in less than a year. In recent years, Fort Hood has been the center of several gruesome incidents.  The mass shootings resulted in a total of 64 injured or killed soldiers and civilians.  Suspected service members involved in the shootings were subject to court-martial. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the foundation of military law in the United States.  It applies to members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and more. Additionally, the UCMJ applies to retired members of the Armed Forces.

MURDER UNDER ARTICLE 118 OF THE UCMJ

Any member of the uniformed services unlawfully kills another human being when:

• It was premeditated.

• They intended to kill another or inflict great bodily harm.

• They engaged in an act that is inherently dangerous to others and displays a wanton disregard for human life or

• The killing occurs while the offender attempts or engages in the act of burglary, sodomy, rape, robbery, or aggravated arson.

When a service member commits any of the above offenses, they are guilty of murder.  The service member is subject to a court-martial. Suppose the offender is found guilty of premeditation or committed murder while committing one of the offenses listed. In that case, they shall be punished with life imprisonment or death as directed by the court-martial.

WHEN PTSD PLAYS A ROLE

According to the Society for Military Psychology, some psychologists have described the number of veterans in the criminal justice system as a national crisis. Studies found Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms linked with veterans in the criminal justice system. Specifically, as PTSD relates to hyper-aggression.While PTSD can be associated with a traumatic event, studies revealed that hostility, as it relates to PTSD, is more common in soldiers with combat experience vs. soldiers who experienced traumatic events. According to the Society, 40% of veterans who have PTSD have committed a violent crime since they completed their military service. This staggering statistic cannot be ignored in the field of military defense. If you are an Armed Forces member facing criminal charges for a violent crime, contact Crisp & Associates, LLC immediately to schedule a free consultation. We provide nationwide representation.