Lejuene Marine faces court-martial for fatal accident

By Eric Steinkopff
Jacksonville Daily News Staff

The Highway Patrol arrested Thompson in late July and charged him with involuntary manslaughter and driving while impaired, but [they later] released the accused to military authorities for prosecution on similar charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

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(JAG Hunter note: Mr. Thomas W. Thompson, who just so happens to be a Marine Lance Corporal, committed these civilian crimes off-base and off-duty (as first charged they are state crimes). Original jurisdiction to prosecute these allegations resides with civilian law enforcement authorities in North Carolina. Mr. Thompson was arrested by the NC Highway Patrol. However, Mr. Thompson has been subsequently denied substantial constitutional protections now that his case is relinquished to military authority. Congressional courts -- that is, military courts-martial, apply "military due process." Handing jurisdiction off to the military effaces "civilian due process" protections enjoyed under state, and local county civilian courts)