Article 128 at Pensacola, Florida Before and After 2019
Every one of the 18 Article 128 (assault) courts-martial at Pensacola, Florida in 2019–2023 also charged another article, and 13 charged Article 120 (sexual assault).
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Short answer: Every one of the 18 Article 128 (assault) courts-martial at Pensacola, Florida in 2019–2023 also charged another article, and 13 charged Article 120 (sexual assault). The contested share was 72%, compared with 40% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases, and 12 of 13 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal (92%).
Assault Charged Next to Sexual Assault
None of the 18 cases charged Article 128 by itself (0 of 18). Across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases in 2019–2023, 194 of 574 did. At Pensacola, Article 120 (sexual assault) was charged in 13 cases. Article 134 (general article) and Article 120b (child sexual abuse) were each charged in 2, and Article 86 (AWOL) and Article 112a (drug) in 1 each.
An assault count filed with a sexual assault count can describe part of the same incident.
Contested Cases and Full Acquittals
Of 18 cases with a plea recorded, 13 had a not-guilty or mixed plea and 5 had a guilty plea. A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The contested share was 72%, compared with 40% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases. In 2013–2018, it was 51% at Pensacola.
Full acquittals followed 12 of the 13 contested cases that reached a verdict (92%). A full acquittal means not guilty of every charge. In all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases, the rate was 49%. At Pensacola in 2013–2018, it was 6 of 18. The records do not describe the evidence and cannot show why these cases ended as they did.
More General Courts-Martial
General courts-martial heard 14 cases and special courts-martial heard 4. The general share, 78%, was higher than the 52% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases, and higher than the 55% at Pensacola in 2013–2018. A general court-martial can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year.
How 2019–2023 Differs From 2013–2018
The 2013–2018 records show 38 cases over 6 years, about 6 a year. Since 2019 there have been about 4 a year. By year, there were 6 cases in 2019, 1 in 2020, 6 in 2021, 3 in 2022, and 2 in 2023. These 18 cases were 43% of the 42 courts-martial at Pensacola in 2019–2023.
The median confinement was 5 months in both periods. In 2019–2023, all 6 convictions included confinement. A punitive discharge followed 63% of enlisted convictions before 2019 and 4 of 6 after. These counts are small, so the comparison shows a direction only.
| 2013–2018 | 2019–2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 38 | 18 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 51% | 72% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 6 of 18 | 12 of 13 |
| Convictions with confinement | 84% | 6 of 6 |
| Median confinement | 5 months | 5 months |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 63% | 4 of 6 |
| General courts-martial | 55% | 78% |
Who Was Charged
By rank, 9 accused were junior enlisted members, 8 were NCOs, and 1 was an officer. This group was more senior than the accused in Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases overall.
Limits of the Data
The records show charges, pleas, findings, and sentences. They do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or conduct handled by nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit the plea, so plea counts use only the records that list one.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 128 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Pensacola, Florida that charged Article 128 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2013–2018 (38) and 2019–2023 (18). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 128 in 2019–2023.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Pensacola, Florida: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 128 (Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Pensacola, Florida, 2013–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 74 Cases (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Pensacola, Florida, 2019–2023? 42 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Pensacola, Florida, 2024–2026: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 15 Cases (the whole docket)
- Article 128 at Camp Pendleton, California Before and After 2019 (same offense, another installation)
- Did Assault Cases at Norfolk, Virginia Change After 2019? (same offense, another installation)
- Navy-Marine Corps Article 128 Cases by the Numbers, 2017–2025
- Article 128 explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 128 Cases at Pensacola, Florida, 2019–2023
Names and links only. Each judge's record of pleas, findings, and sentences is on their Know Your Judge page, part of the Court-Martial Characters membership.
Compare: federal court. Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Article 128 Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.