Information on capital cases regarding jurisdiction over the offense:
1. Loving v. United States, 116 S.Ct. 1737 (1996). Justice Stevens (concurring) raised the question of whether a “service connection” requirement applies to capital cases. See also United States v. Simoy, 46 M.J. 601 (A.F. Ct. Crim. App. 1996) (a capital murder case in which the court made a specific finding that the felony murder was “service-connected”).
2.United States v. Gray, 51 M.J. 1 (1999). The CAAF gives credence to Justice Stevens’ concurring opinion in Loving. The CAAF makes a specific finding that there are sufficient facts present in Gray, a capital case, to establish a service connection to warrant trial by court-martial, but does not answer the question of whether a “service connection” requirement applies to capital cases.