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On 13 April 1961 -- 51 years ago -- Private John Bennett was hung by the neck until dead. PVT Bennett was the last service member to be executed for a death sentence imposed by court-martial. There are currently 6 people on the military's 'death row.' The military -- like civilian courts -- has a long history with capital (death penalty) litigation, and it seems that recent history is giving us ample opportunity to continue this piece of our criminal practice....read more
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If you're like me, you probably don't realize you're getting older. Despite all the signs -- regrettably thinning hair, a few more pounds on my used-to-be lithe frame, two kids at home -- I just don't picture myself much older than the young, stupid kid who can do anything and is always right (even though I know and can acknowledge I'm sometimes -- sometimes -- wrong). But a couple weeks ago, a conversation at the office hit home and made me realize how old...read more
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Austin was great! This was my first trip and let me put all the Texas-phobes (like me) at ease, it was nothing like the Texas I feared it might be. Austinites are an eclectic bunch, and the addition of thousands tech conference goers just added to the mixed bag of folks we got to rub elbows with. The town's motto is "Keep Austin Weird," and weird it was, in the best way. Great food, great people (of all stripes) and some welcome sunshine for my rain-weary...read more
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It feels like I've been working at full speed for weeks. Part of that is self-imposed stress -- like most Soldiers, I try to hold myself to high standards -- and part of it is that the business of justice rarely takes a holiday. But this week I have a pretty rare opportunity to step back and spend some time doing something completely different. If you follow me on Twitter (@MAJGrimes) you know that I'm in Austin this week for SXSW. I can't tell you how...read more
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This is a little late in coming, but an article I read earlier this month in Harvard Business Review caught my attention and got me thinking again about how leadership is evolving in the civilian world and what - if anything - that means to us in the Army. "Is Command and Collaborate the New Leadership Model" offers some interesting thoughts on how the democratization of business and information is changing subordinate expectations and leadership methods....read more
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Last week the Fort Lewis (JBLM) Trial Defense Service office took another trip to the indoor marksmanship range. Though the light wasn't the best for shooting pictures with my phone, it was sufficient for all of us to qualify on both the 9mm pistol and the M-4 assault rifle. I managed to shoot 30 for 30 with the pistol and 38 for 40 on the rifle -- not bad for a lawyer! Here are a few pics of the team in action. These are the folks you want defending you - in court...read more
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This week saw a pair of headlines -- one on Sunday and one this morning -- that had me thinking about more than just what the news is, but also how it's reported. Our local paper, the Tacoma News Tribune, led with these front page headlines headlines: "With more soldiers comes more crime" (29 Jan 12) and "'Kill team' saga ends as charges dropped" (4 Feb 12) -- attention-grabbing to say the least. The first story was about how the rate of crime has...read more
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I spent most of the day returning from a short - but needed, and appreciated - family vacation. We didn't go far, but we did enjoy spending some quiet time together hiking, reading, and enjoying some beautiful views (and the season's first snowfall). On the way home, while listening to NPR, I caught the replay Dr. King's 'I Have a Dream' speech from 1963. I'm a bit ashamed to admit I'd never heard the whole thing, but I listened today and it got me...read more
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Christmas and the Northwest's almost never-ending rain have collided to bring me back to a minor hobby I had in college. Though it pains me to think about how long ago it was, I have to admit it's been nearly 17 years since I did any rock climbing. I was never great, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I picked it up while spending a semester at the Coast Guard Academy (a story for another day) and found it really suited me at the time. I took a class and then stuck...read more
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In the midst of a crazy time of new babies, courts-martial, and assorted office fires to put out, I found out last week what my next assignment will be. I'll be headed back to the JAG School to teach criminal law! This is a GREAT job, and one that I honestly didn't expect to get. Not only am I looking forward to getting back east and back to a place I know (instead of starting from scratch again), I'm also looking forward to getting back into an assignment that...read more
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Profile
Benjamin Grimes
| Affiliation: | Active Duty |
|---|---|
| Rank: | Major |
| Branch: | Judge Advocate General |
| MOS/AOC: | JAG Corps Attorney/27A |
| Location: | Tacoma, WA |
| Hometown: | York |
About Me:
MAJ Grimes has been in the Army since graduating from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1996, spending his first 4 years in service as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot before being selected to attend law school under the Funded Legal Education Program.
Since graduating from New York University School of Law, MAJ Grimes has served as an Administrative Law Attorney, Trial Counsel (Prosecutor) and Senior Trial Counsel, Brigade Legal Adviser, Trial Defense Counsel, and Judge Advocate Recruiting Officer. After earning his LL.M. from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center & School, he was assigned as the Senior Defense Counsel for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington state.
His previous assignments include Fort Rucker (Alabama), South Korea, Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Germany, Fort Myer (Virginia) and Washington, D.C., and deployment to Iraq as the Senior Trial Counsel for Multi-National Corps -- Iraq. MAJ Grimes is married and has two children.
Since graduating from New York University School of Law, MAJ Grimes has served as an Administrative Law Attorney, Trial Counsel (Prosecutor) and Senior Trial Counsel, Brigade Legal Adviser, Trial Defense Counsel, and Judge Advocate Recruiting Officer. After earning his LL.M. from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center & School, he was assigned as the Senior Defense Counsel for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington state.
His previous assignments include Fort Rucker (Alabama), South Korea, Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Germany, Fort Myer (Virginia) and Washington, D.C., and deployment to Iraq as the Senior Trial Counsel for Multi-National Corps -- Iraq. MAJ Grimes is married and has two children.
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