true crime – Page 5 – Conduct Unbecoming

042 US v. Wilkerson

Any time I’ve walked into a barracks building, I’m immediately transported back to freshman year at the college dorms. There’s a lot of growing up that happens in both spaces for a similarly aged group. It can be a really joyful and festive atmosphere, and I often think of how simple and easy it was to just leave the deadbolt out on your door so you friends could come and go while you got ready to attend an event together. No transit time, no concerns about someone riding solo in a sketchy cab. Your friends were there and always accessible. But for Shannon Wilkerson, life in the barracks made everyone a little too available. He could flit from a party in one room to his wife’s room down the hall, then over to an affair partner’s room next door. In the fall of 2001, his easy access to people in the barracks proved fatal.

I referenced the Eleventh Circuit appellate opinion.

I relied on information from the New York Times (1)(2), the Department of Justice (1)(2), Naval Institute of Military Justice, Andalusia Star News, CBS News, KBTX, Kentucky New Era, Military Times, Task and Purpose, WKMS, Times News, Clarksville Online, and Arkansas Leader.

This episode discussed the most severe form of intimate partner violence. For more information on intimate partner violence, I urge you to explore Alliance For Hope and their Family Justice Center Alliance. If you need help finding shelter in your area, please visit DomesticShelters.org. Last, but not least, many law schools and courthouses offer free legal assistance for people seeking protective restraining orders.

Although I didn’t reference it in the episode, I’ll take these show notes as an opportunity to remind you, Legal Beagles, that homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum people.

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Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you listen to podcasts. I’m happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming!

Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it’s obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I’m a practicing attorney, I don’t do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.

041 FL v. Williams

Petty Officer Williams woke to the sound of her alarm in the morning of November 6th. Williams, the mother to a five-year-old, should have woken to the soft noises of her child stirring in the next room. Perhaps she would have normally tripped over errant clothing even a dreaded Lego piece as she began to don her uniform and prepare for work. Instead of a debate over breakfast choices, Williams stepped into her boots and adjusted her cover in silence. She prepared like it was any other day, then staged a phone call to the police to report her child missing.

The appellate opinion was not, objectively, helpful. Nevertheless, it can be found here.

I relied on information from Jacksonville.com (1)(2), People, Yahoo, News 4 Jax (1)(2), Law and Crime, the Florida Courts website, TikTok, First Coast News (1)(2)(3)(4). Though it isn’t directly relevant to this case, I’m also linking to the portion of the California Constitution that requires appellate opinions to include their reasoning.

This episode involves discussion of two difficult topics: child abuse and neglect, and suicide. If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Separately, if you are experience thoughts of self-harm, I urgent you to contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. Help is also available via chat on their website.

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040 US v. Abdullah

A move to a new duty station is a bit of a fresh start – that’s my preferred framework for thinking about the move. Afterall, it can smart a bit to think about the family and friends we had to say goodbye to, so focusing on the “opportunity” of it all is a little easier. This approach only works when it’s not your nuclear family you’re saying goodbye to. When Sergeant Abdullah’s wife decided she couldn’t or wouldn’t move to Colorado, he fell into a very obvious spiral.

I relied on the ACCA appellate opinion.

I referenced additional information from Stripes, Mountain Jackpot, NBC, Army MOS descriptions, and Colorado DUI laws.

This episode discussed substance and problematic alcohol use. If you, or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or substance misuse, the SAMHSA National Helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP and their treatment locator is available online.

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039 US v. Maebane

When we hear information repeated to us, we’re hardwired to begin to believe it. The positive effect we feel when we hear the information or story repeated is called the illusory truth effect. We have a pretty good example of the illusory truth effect in my family – I remember the story of why we adopted two cats very differently than everyone else. I am stuck on believing that we went to the animal shelter to meet a big white fluffy dog to potentially make our own. The rest of my family maintains the plan was always to adopt a cat. They tell me that perhaps I did meet a big white fluffy dog that day, but that we weren’t there to meet him. I know the numbers are against me, but I’ve repeated to myself, for more than 20 years now, that we went to meet a dog. I’ve rationalized it, too – most of us are allergic to cats and I can tell myself over and over that we wouldn’t go to meet a cat that most of us were allergic to. But the more I tell myself that story, the deeper it imprints into my memory. A false memory, by all other accounts.

Following the death of Michael DeLeon, Hospital Corpsman Second Class Maebane very nearly benefited from a much darker example of the illusory truth effect.

I relied on the NMCCA appellate opinion.

If you’re delving into the opinion, this pseudonym legend may serve you well:

MD: Michael DeLeon (victim) – Hospitalman Corpsman Third Class Petty Officer Delta
RD: Ryan Dini – Hospital Corpsman First Class Petty Officer Davis
MW: Mason Williams – Hospital Corpsman Second Class Petty Officer Wilson
SW: Sterling Wold – Hospital Corpsman Third Class Petty Officer Whiskey
JH: Jesse Humes – Hospital Corpsman Second Class Petty Officer Hotel

I referenced additional information from 10 News, the website DeLeon’s family maintains, Stripes, and a Daily Journal article about the residual hearsay exception.

This witnesses to DeLeon’s death initially maintained that DeLeon died by suicide. While this was a cover story, the topic of suicide comes up and I’d like to remind you that if you are experience thoughts of self-harm, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available free-of-cost by dialing 988. Help is also available via chat on their website.

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038 US v. Brinkman-Coronel

A half hour up the road from resort-lined beaches is an Army base nestled in the interior of Oahu. Though the on-base housing might not be beach front, they’ve got ready access to everything the island has to offer. Maybe living in paradise was too much pressure, but a series of decisions First Lieutenant Brinkman-Coronel may have made while wasted in Waikiki prompted the Army to prepare to administratively separate him over substance use and ended with him serving a nine year stint in the Brig.

I relied on the ACCA appellate briefing and opinion.

I referenced additional information about Operate Keiki Shield from the week of Brinkman-Coronel’s arrest.

This episode discussed substance use. If you, or someone you know is struggling with substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP and their treatment locator is available online.

This episode also contains a discussion of attempted suicide. If you are experience thoughts of self-harm, I urge you to contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. Help is also available via chat on their website.

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037 US v. DeDolph

Stop me If you’ve seen A Few Good Men. A group of servicemembers sneak into a soldier’s bedroom in the middle of the night to do a bit of corrective action. When day breaks miles away from American shores, a mysterious death nearly gets papered over, ignored, or under investigated. But four servicemembers serving in Africa failed to learn any lessons from Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Kevin Bacon. When they perceived social slights and felt ignored by their buddy, they took it upon themselves to correct him.

In the process of teaching Army Staff Sergeant Logan Melgar a lesson on social graces, his friends killed him.

I relied on the NMCCA opinion and a redacted portion of the record.

I referenced information from DeDolph’s charge sheet, Matthews’ charge sheet, a court martial report regarding a resentencing, and an article from Stripes. There are a lot of salacious articles out there, so I kept it to sources I trust.

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036 US v. Walters

I’ve left mission-driven non-profit jobs twice. It was really emotionally taxing to leave jobs that I really believed in once upon a time–I was so committed to the mission in both instances, and had been so full of hope that I would make a difference when I started. My experiences, naturally, shaped my beliefs around mission-driven work, and I’ve concluded that people don’t leave mission-driven work because they no longer believe in the mission. People leave mission-driven work because they no longer believe in the organization.

But I’ve left these jobs voluntarily and haven’t experienced being removed from mission-driven work against my will. For Brandon Walters, being forced out of his mission-driven work following a psychiatric disorder diagnosis was simply untenable. So, he hatched a plan to try and make his Air Force colleagues regret letting him go.

I relied on the Fifth Circuit opinions. (2003, 2007, 2009)

I referenced information from My Plain View (1)(2), Wikipedia, UPI.com, War on the Rocks, and The Free Library. More information about the hand transplant is available. (1)(2)(3)(4)

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035 NC v. Laurean

If you are old enough to remember the foibles of a certain President around the turn of the millennia, you’re likely familiar with the phrase, “it’s not the crime, it’s the cover up.” For Corporal Laurean, stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, this was undoubtedly true. Laurean likely committed either sexual assault or adultery… but his coverup made him a murderer.

I relied on the North Carolina appellate opinion.

I referenced information from the Supreme Court of North Carolina, Murderpedia, WRAL (1)(2), ABC, CBS, YouTube (1)(2), Leatherneck.com, CNN, and Modbee.com.

This episode involved discussion of sexual assault. There are a number of resources available for survivors and victim of sexual assault, including the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). They offer a free, confidential national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-HOPE as well as an online chat option.

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034 US v. Baba

I don’t think anyone would accuse me of having good luck when it comes to my checked luggage making it with me on trips. I’ve had a number of suitcases driven up days after my arrival. Most recently, our luggage on our move from Japan went to Washington DC while we… went to Austin, Texas. It all worked out, mostly because of incredible people that love us and intervened to take care of us, our sweet pup, and our baggage. When I travel, I have two very big competing instincts. I am, in the depths of my soul, a human who wants to bring ALL OF THE THINGS to all of the places. But, my luck necessitates I travel exclusively with a carry on.

When Lt. Col. Baba received orders overseas to continue his work as a pharmacist, he definitely erred on the side of taking more than he needed and tossed in some expired prescription medicine. After arriving, though, he found his personal pharmaceutical stash was insufficient and decided to just… take what he thought he needed.

I relied on the ACCA opinion.

I referenced information about the Department of Defense COVID policies, hydroxychloroquine, Camp Arifjan, drug schedules, officer dismissals, Kuwaiti travel, and proper disposal of prescription drugs.

This episode discussed prescription drug misuse. If you, or someone you know, struggle with substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP, and their treatment locator is available online.

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033 US v. Brown

Captain Brown arrived at Minot Air Force Base some time before June 2012 and although Air Force duty station assignments are short, he was determined to make the most of his stint in North Dakota. Even in places where the cost of living might be less, it can be helpful to pick up a second stream of income and Brown wasn’t going to be left behind. He had his choice of side hustles – he could join the underemployed military spouses and shill wax melts, essential oils or supplements. But Captain Brown wasn’t interested in your average multilevel marketing opportunities. He wanted to sell something that appealed to him, that might appeal to other men. And he settled on selling people for sex.

I relied on the AFCCA opinions (2017)(2018)(2023), the Ninth Circuit opinion and oral argument..

I referenced information from the Air Force Times, USA Today, Providence Journal, Minot Times, a directory of Ward County high schools. More information on habeas corpus petitions is available on the ACLU’s website.

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