Appeals court upholds CG cadet conviction

[unhappycamper]

Appeals court upholds CG cadet conviction
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 14, 2008 6:04:11 EDT

NEW LONDON, Conn. — A Coast Guard appeals court has upheld the conviction and sentence of former cadet Webster Smith, the first student court-martialed in Coast Guard Academy history.

Smith, of Houston, was convicted in June 2006 of extortion, sodomy and indecent assault in connection with incidents involving female cadets. He served five months in a military prison.

He offered several reasons why the verdict and sentence should be overturned. Among them, he argued the government violated his right to confront his accuser failed to prove he extorted the alleged victim for sexual favors.

But in a decision released Wednesday by the U.S. Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals in Arlington, Va., the court determined the findings and sentence were correct in law and fact.


Article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_webstersmith_041108/