Capital court martial

[biggolf]

Hi guys, I'm reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and came across this term "capital court martial" and wondering what it means.

Here's the context. [ "I'll have you before a capital court martial. I'll have your name disgraced throughout the world if you're wrong." ]

This is a conversation between a colonel and military police. I know what court martial is but didn't find a clear cut answer to capital court martial. I suspect it has something to do with death sentence but I can't be sure. Please help. Thank you very much.

 

[GMF1991]

I just saw an article on the internet that seems to agree with the fact that it is a court martial in which the maximum penalty would be death:

http://kuow.org/post/army-orders-sgt-bales-capital-court-martial

However I cannot be 100% sure

 

[pob14]

A quick Google search suggests that you are right; it means a court-martial in which there is the possibility of capital punishment. (I would use the hyphen, but who am I to argue with Card?)

Edit: GMF and I apparently found some of the same sites.

 

[biggolf]

Thank you GMF1991 and pob14.

 

[jdb90]

Yes, for example murder is usually described as being "A capital crime", and the trial "A capital case"