Tuesday, December 11, 2001

Answered Prayers - 145

[A truly amazingly written show!] Coats and her worthless preacher father was introduced. Because of Christmas leaves the judge orders H to take care of Coates awaiting trial. He is talked out of putting her into jail and tried to leave her with her father. When he saw how demeaning and hateful her father was he convinced M to take her in overnight. Singer prosecuted the case. Coates ended up with H at a pre-sermon party given by the Roberts and was accused of stealing Ss new jeweled bracelet. She ran from the party and H had to track her down and bring her back only to find that Ss bracelet had been taken by "little AJ." S was eventually stood up by wealthy boyfriend who bought her the jeweled bracelet.

Mikey went before Lindsey for his acceptance interview for the Naval academy. H restored his Vet w/ Ts help. T revealed a childhood punishment by his chaplain father for "wrongful appropriation of a bike." Hs car didn't have a top on it yet so he refused to give T a ride; and then it was "stolen" from his garage. Webb tried to make cell phone contact w/ H throughout the story but was nearly blown up. Chloe talked to her deployed dad on the phone, and helped M & H befriend Coats. H kissed M under mistletoe.

C had to defend the Navy in a "publicity trial" from a NY lawyer claiming "imprisonment" of reindeer getting on to military runway in Iceland. T introduced his father Chaplain Turner who was going to give his 50th Christmas sermon in the service. He is recalled to active duty one time a year to give the sermon. C recalled to him his memory of a Xmas sermon in Vietnam that really helped him through the hard times and realized it had been chaplain Turner who had given it! Chaplain T called in a favor from a Jewish chaplain friend in Iceland and got him to take custody of the reindeer.

Chaplain T used the theme "the unsung father Joseph" as a vehicle for flashbacks into the characters' fathers' relationships: "had a premature death, but taught skills & prepared for future," and "bind up the broken hearted and free the captives"-- (Hs father); "at times a solid foundation for family, support taken for granted or may need shoring up himself"-- (Mikey, B); "tired, impatient, mired in own problems"-- (M & her father reconcile B4 death); but, "he always looked beyond here and now; keeping one eye on the next generation so of necessity he is a man filled w/ hope that a knowing God watches over the universe, hope that justice will prevail, hope that we will be reunited w/ loved ones"-- (B & Hts loss of baby). Paul said: "abide by these 3: faith, hope, Love, the greatest love. When we give thanks to the father for our blessings, let us not forget Joseph or our own fathers"-- (back to H) "that they not be forgotten this Xmas."

Afterward C told the chaplain "you did it again" (comparing w/ previous sermon in Vietnam.) Lindsay told Mikey he was accepted to naval academy. Big Bud complimented Mikey & hugged him. Singer met Lindsey. T "returned" Hs car he "appropriated" with a new top. Coats stayed w/ M & kissed H in gratitude "I could get arrested but it was worth it". And lastly, H went to the Vietnam wall to see his fathers name & found an Xmas card taped to it addressed "to Harmon Rabb Sr - the father I never knew"-- Sergei appeared. Webb had risked his life & traded Chechens wheat for him and brought him out! Webb said "merry Xmas H" but didn't allow Sergei to say "thanks" by giving him a preemptive "you're welcome."

Tuesday, November 27, 2001

Dog Robber (Part II) - 144

[Continued from part 1] Lt. Barrett was taken into custody after blowing up the surveillance plane and asked Harm (H) to defend him. Adm Boone (the CAG) told H that "by all rights we should be giving him a medal." Chegwidden (C) then did assign H the defense and H turned down Singers (S)offer to assist, in favor of asking Bud (B). She then offered to help Turner (T) who was prosecuting. While T was helping H restore his Vet - H had to remind him that "according to, I've NEVER had a winnable case." Barrett had been selected for the Naval Academy as a third generation Navy man. Boone told H that he was upset of the inequities that "would give the person giving their secret plane to the Chinese a medal; while it court-martialed the person who prevented it! He told H of a time in Vietnam when they were ordered not to hit the lighthouse in Hanoi Harbor (because of it's necessity to shipping) even though it was a site of an enemy artillery unit. When 3 US air crews had been lost, Boone said that he sent his wingman on ahead and he turned back and pumped 2,000 rounds of ammunition directly into the flack site. Boone asked if H "would have brought him up on charges." H merely responded that it actually had been his own Dad that had done the deed not Boone, as he had heard the story in his father's letter-tapes. H also told him that his dad had said Boone "could never hide what you were thinking or feeling... so I'd clean you out in poker." Boone asked "have you always been this obnoxious?" H said, "yes, you just never noticed." "The larger truth is on your side," Boone said. "Yes," said H, "we just have to get past the facts."

[This is where the story breaks down. Zito seems to need to make H look woefully inadequate in order to maintain the drama] Unbelievably, Chinese General Shin-wa Chen who: had their pilot ram our EP3, hide in Manchuria, lie about being dead, incarcerate our air crew, then hold the CAG at gun point while he stripped the electronics from the plane-- testified (lied) in case! (?!!). [and amazingly Zito had H completely ignore all of that in his defense] When H told Shin-wa to "give the pilot our regards," Chen-wa said that "Lt. Li has died"- (was killed). Boone testified about the "don't give up the ship" tradition which were the dying words of Capt Laurence of the USS Chesapeake when he went against the HMS Shannon. H asked for an example where the concept was not followed and Boone mentioned the shame of the USS Pueblo incident where the ship was turned over to 4 North Korean gunboats without firing a shot! "For 30 years it has been tied up at a dock in N Korea and is an affront to every man and woman who served in the Navy. We should have gone in and sunk the damn thing." He testified that since 1952 Chinese Migs have attacked 7 intel planes in missions off the coast of china, killing 18! Barrett was found guilty but sentenced only to punitive discharge.

M investigated a hotline complaint of Marine Capt. Sheila Grantham that her CO Col Harry R Presser had created a hostile command influence. The call came 5 min after a videotape, of her looking stupid doing her PFTs, was shown on the "military bloopers" TV show. Presser refused to follow the military guidelines on fitness standards for women which allowed women three extra minutes in their running. Grantham was not able to keep up with the men's standards. It was the procedure of Training Chief G Sgt Smith to Videotape the training sessions "for educational purposes." M found that incredibly Smith had undergone a "heart transplant last year" but was still on duty. He told M that he "didn't understand weakness at all- it was my heart that gave out, not my spirit." When M tried to talk reason with Presser he tried to intimidate her and in his arrogance shamed her into doing her re-quails while she was there at his base. He personally stood all macho and grumpy at parade rest during her PFTs. M did decide that the allegations were true and made recommendations that would ruin his career. Then M told Grantham that she had discovered that it was actually her who had leaked her own videotape to the media and asked if she would do better out of the corps. C told M to charge her with conduct unbecoming. Even though it would be hard to prove, someone might follow the case and might still give Presser a shot at improving himself.

Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Dog Robber (Part I) - 143

[First of a two part series] An EP3 recon plane ID'd a Chinese cruiser carrying nuclear material while they were doing surveillance over the sea of Taiwan. The EP3 was then forced to seek humanitarian landing at Fuzhou airbase, after MIG pilot Lt. Kwan Li rammed it with his plane, during his routine harassment of the surveillance plane, and was supposedly killed. Chinese General Shin-wa Chen said he would only negotiate with retired Adm Tom Boone who he knew personally, so the SACNAV (who had tried to court-martial Boone) had to swallow his pride and have Harm (H) go talk to Boone and request that he come back into service in the SECNAVs office with a 2 star rank. ("Dog Robber": Military term for an aide who can get things done, usually "off the record and under the radar") H & Boone flew to the USS Thomas Jefferson where Capt Hubbard would let him take a COD into China. They were escorted to the border by Lt's Carl Barrett and Crawford. H had to interview the crew surreptitiously to avoid being eavesdropped on. The pilot claimed he had "no choice" but to land after being struck by the MIG - or "all would have been killed" when they ditched. Boone, angrily, said "that's why they call it war." The pilot told H that they only had 24 min before landing - not enough to remove all the secret codes. The 2nd officer told H that she felt sorry, in a way, for the "dead" Chinese pilot because he "seemed like a good guy." He had always "waved" while he had been harassing them previously, and one time even held up a sign with his Email address. H had her write the address "Beagleboy34@chinanet.net." Boone and H saw that Chinese technicians were removing the security consoles from the plane and Boone had to be forced away from protecting the plane at Chinese gunpoint. H asked Bud (B), in code to check the email id with Webb and found that Chen-wa was lying- Li was still alive, had landed his plane in Manchuria and had emailed his girlfriend to let her know he was ok.

They then faced down Chen-wa with a recon photo of the undamaged plane on a runway. Chen-wa had previously said that they needed to "talk about an apology" but Boone had countered with "we'll be happy to accept any one you will give." Chen-wa chided Boone that he "should know sometimes it's better to apologize" and Boone said "you're in the right country for it- the Chinese have more words for 'sorry' than the Eskimo's have for 'snow.'" Now, with the photo, they threatened Chen-wa that he was "at odds with the civilian leadership of your country." So, Chen-wa released the crew so Boone & H flew them out in the COD; but, the plane would be "sent back piece by piece when we are through with it." The COD was being escorted back to the carrier by Lt's Barrett and Crawford. Upset about leaving the surveillance plane to the Chinese, Barrett sent Crawford away and, defying orders, flew into china, buzzed the grounded aircraft to give warning, then blew it up on the tarmac. --(story to be continued)--

Mac (M) prosecuted, and B & Turner (T) defended, two Annapolis midshipmen who were arrested for dueling with their sabers. They were the 5th generation grandsons of civil war ship captains Franklin Buchanan (confederate) and Morris (union). They had been arguing over their grandparents battles and decided to resolve it on the "field of honor." T described it as an "embarrassment to both them and the Academy and dishonor to the memories of their grandfathers." M charged them with attempted murder and wouldn't settle for anything except their resignation from the Academy for doing something so completely stupid. T assured her that he had done something just as stupid and M asked "did it involve H?" T said that "fortunately the statue of limitations has run out on it." M said she "might feel differently if either of them showed a shred of remorse or realized that what they did was wrong." M finally relented after they finally did show some remorse on the stand.

T helped H fix his Vet claiming that he had a "light touch" and H "pressed to damn hard." Gunny requested a transfer back to the Force Recon unit at camp Lejune who needed a company gunny. Chegwidden wished he could go with him and said "be safe Victor."

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

Jagathon - 141

[Superbly written, complicated expose' of the JAG "relationships" using flashbacks between the actual race, and the days leading up to it, throughout the whole episode] Turner (T) wouldn't enter the Jag-a-thon which Harriet (Ht) produced, because he was a champion runner and felt the "highest rank" reward should go to "someone here longer." He finally asked Chegwidden's (C) counsel saying that he didn't think that he was "fitting in" at JAG. C told him that it was because he "didn't know what everyone else already knew; namely, that he was already part of the family." Singer (S) took bets on the race which upset Ht. She told S to "stop kicking everyone on your way to top, and we all would have fewer bruises and you would be less alone." Finally, running all alone in the race, S cried.

The SECNAV pressured C into giving a JAG tour to another of his female relatives. It was set for Tuesday but the relative fouled up and came when the office was closed for the Jag-a-thon. With Harriet's incompetence in holding Cs phone, the SECNAV was able to get through and pull C out of the middle of the race only to find that the lady had already left. Mac (M) prosecuted PO Ramsey Dill when he was caught impersonating an officer while rendering first aid to a motorcycle accident. Dill had been turned down for OCS after his CO referred him to a psychiatrist for "fabricating lies" about his prior accomplishments- but they were actually true. The incompetent psychiatrist labeled him with an "identity dysfunction" as it fit in with a research paper he was writing for a medical journal- of course, pointed out by Harm (H) in his defense. H gave an eloquent closing and Dill was found guilty but sentenced to "no punishment."

Gunny (G) and Tiner (Ti) bet on each other to NOT finish the race then ran side-by-side each other nearly the whole race. Ti was distracted by a girl and headered with an oncoming jogger bruising his rib. G looked back at Ti taking his header and tripped in a hole himself, landing on his face and pulling a muscle. Neither of them finished. Bud (B), who had been shamed and pressured by Ht to enter, was actually catching up to S until she spitefully told him that "everyone was betting he wouldn't finish" which demoralized him.

T was feeling sucked into the feud (or rivalry) between H and M then finally asked H point blank if he was involved with M. Outside of an elevator, H flippantly said "anyone who has been involved with M is either dead or feels like they are" just as the door opened and it was overheard by M. C noticed M's sullenness and finally spoke with H who admitted that he had been "pushing her buttons" all day, not taking her running ability very "seriously." C asked "do you think you can stop that?" and H said he "was trying." H had told M that "even if she had a 6 min head start she couldn't win" and before he could say another word she said "I'll take it" and walked away. C told H that he didn't know why H didn't take her running seriously because M and he had been "training ever since she had gotten back from the carrier."

H apologized to M who perfunctorily accepted. H told her that he just "didn't want to compete with you anymore." T let slip to M that H had split with Renee which surprised her. They finally started the race and despite everyone's head start, H nearly caught up with M. He sent word ahead to M with Ht, riding around in a golf cart, that he was going to beat her. But meddling Harriet had him stopped "to be checked by a corpsman" cause "people were worried about him." The corpsman turned out to be PO Dill impersonating again! So H had him arrested. H and M finish in a tie and began talking: "where does this leave us?" H said: "at the end I guess." But M said: "how about at the beginning." T had won the race by 4 minutes and exercising his 24-hr "highest rank" prize, he ordered them to go back with him and run along side the demoralized B so that he could at least finish the race.

Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Ambush - 140

Because of Harm's (H) "run of bad luck" in the courtroom Chegwidden (C) assigned him the Capt "FRUTT" case in Quantico. Mac (M) was assigned the investigation of Capt William Shepard who had led his men into an ambush in Sierra Leone, which killed six. H became very anxious about the assignments and said that he "wasn't without influence on the hill" which was needed in the Shepard case. C reluctantly agreed and swapped their assignments. To help with Hs run of bad luck Tiner (Ti)gave H a velcro'd statue of Saint Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of lawyers, to put on his cars dashboard. Harriet (Ht)gave H a copy of "7 Secrets of Highly Successful Lawyers" by Don McGill (the writer of this episode) and Bud (B)let slip that she had also given a copy to him after he had lost his first case.

B assisted H investigate the incident and found that Shepard had "exceeded the rules of engagement" by splitting off from a convoy he was escorting to go in pursuit of War-Lord Col Mohammed Makani, leader of a faction in the civil war who had been targeting US peace keeping forces. The convening authority didn't follow Hs recommendations and ordered a public court-martial due to public and political pressure. Shepard said that he had been given verbal orders to take out Makani by Col Klesco who then denied giving them. Turner (T), the prosecutor, showed that Shepard had posted a wanted poster and reward of up to $90 for Makani and had twice before broken away from an escort mission in pursuit of Makani. Congresswoman Leatham (L)invited H to a party where a new missile was going to be unveiled. T was also there and was introduced to L. At the party H met ex-Maj Frank Seawell who said that he had been given verbal orders by Klesco to take out a Taliban leader after the Bekea Valley army barracks bombing. He did so with faulty Intel and ended up killing the whole family. Klesco "left him hanging" back then too. H also found that Klesco had been subpoenaed before the "National Security Sub-Committee" chaired by Bobbi Leatham and Leatham had sent several SPECAT messages asking Klesco to capture Makani. Klesco had armed and fueled all his men for "aggression" not just escort. Because Seawell didn't want to testify H tricked Klesco into admitting giving verbal orders in Bekea Valley and also to Shepard. Shepard was found not-guilty. T said he "didn't mind loosing this time," Leatham, very angry, told T to "talk some sense into" H. She told H that "Shepard wasn't the only one to receive 'unofficial' orders" but wouldn't say who had given them to her. Klesco told H he had no hard feelings and "may need a good attorney." H agreed to help if necessary.

M's "FRUTT" case was a "peeping tom" incident which used the "Forward Remote Unmanned Tracking & Transmission" hovercraft being developed in Maj Millan's unit. The mother of a 17 year-old girl caught the unit hovering outside her daughters bedroom window and went mental hitting it with a broom. She demanded M to "throw the book at him" to "protect her daughters virtue." M eventually found that Maj Millan had "borrowed" the unit in order to catch his own daughter who had been sneaking out of the house. Before he could do it though, the unit was stolen out of his locked car. M found that it was Millan's 13 year old teckky son who had thought the girl was pretty and just wanted to "hang out." He was upset when M wouldn't just let him apologize by Email. He was grounded to "Low tech" by his father and M told C that the boy would get "much worse" from the angry mother. Maj Millan would receive a letter of reprimand.

Tuesday, October 30, 2001

Redemption - 142

Harm (H) was assigned TAD to an air squad with his old buddy Cmdr Scott Webster and ended up defending him on fraternization charges trumped up by Lt Mantei a pilot who Webster passed over for assignment to the Joint Strike Fighter project. During his defense H looked at Webster's computer and found an email from Ciecle Tech negotiating payment for stealth paint. He couldn't do anything about what he thought was espionage because it was privileged information as Lawyer- Client. Webster's son, Bill, who had been estranged from him, all of a sudden turned positive and testified for his father. After Webster's hearing H found that there really had been a can of the paint reported missing, so he told the NCIS and had Webster arrested. Charges were filed against H for attorney misconduct. Chegwidden (C) told him that the paperwork hadn't gotten to his desk yet, so to "use the time wisely." H continued the investigation and found that Bill's "girlfriend" was working at Ciecle Tech as a secretary. H got Webster to finally confess that he had been covering for his son. When H found the Email, Webster had challenged Bill who said that he "hadn't actually given the paint to them but had flushed it down the toilet." H said he would try and get him a plea-bargain deal for his testimony against the company. C decided that the charges against H were groundless.

Mac (M) defended PO Maat in civil court regarding the custody of her daughter Katelyn who was abused by her attorney father Seth. The father acted connivingly and was infuriatingly assured and cocky. Even expert witness Beth Salluci, who Bud (B) recommended, wasn't able to prevent the judge from granting joint custody. M and B told Singer (S) about the decision. PO Maat went UA with Katelyn immediately prior to her fathers first visitation. Seth then came storming into JAG, pushing people aside and threatening people. He said that his ex-wife had been seen leaving her home in the company of a "blond female officer". When he saw Harriet (Ht), he knocked down Bud to get to her, so M to "took him down," effortlessly. M told him that she would appeal the joint custody and pursue assault charges for B against him. S was made to "seem guilty" of being the "blond officer" when she deferred answering Ms question about if it were she who had secured PO Matt and her daughter. She just said "that would be illegal, wouldn't it?"

Tuesday, October 23, 2001

Mixed Messages - 139

[superb, story driven episode] (M) Mac was back at JAG and received a meritorious service medal. She contacted police Capt. Jarot who helped find the girl Lylyana who was in a hospital with a concussion. Jarot questioned M about the engagement ring which she had given up to him - "you didn't love him?" "Someone else you care about but aren't with?" "Is he a fool?" M gave Lylyana the medal she had received.

Renee appeared, engaged to Cyrus the mortician who "loved her completely." Harms (H) former shipmate on the Midway, Cdr Rick Stoechler, was assassinated in a high security cryptography unit along with Sr Chief Trujillo. Cdr Pagano, who was there also, was only wounded. At Admiral Danaco's request, Chegwidden (C)assigned H to "parallel" agent Holland's investigation which was receiving obstruction from NSG. Webb (W)brought H a dossier, from his "source in Beijing," which showed that Stoechler had been a "mole" feeding info to the Chinese. There was also a videotape showing the gunman and the fact that the last security code entered was Stoechlers. If that weren't enough, he showed that Stoechler had $150,000 in a secret bank account. Both H & C were suspicious because: "when did W ever do anything without an agenda?" Stoechler's boss, Capt Reeves, was shown to be real "jerk" obviously throwing rank and hiding something from H. Reeves had summoned Stoechler to a "needless" offsite meeting and the killer had entered the secured area after he returned. Trujillo was shot once but Stoechler 3 times (once for spite). The tape showed the killer get point blank drop on Pagano and shoot. Stoechler's wife set H on track of a memo she heard her husband say he had sent to Capt Reeves about the new experimental Submarine Jimmy Carter (JC). Turner said he had heard of espionage 2 or 3 times while he was JAG for ComSubPac.

The JCs Capt. told H of the sub's recent tonal signature tests (noise "signature" which allows tracking). Gunny (G) and H went over the video tape frame by frame and found alterations! Reeves blocked access to the original tape so H got C to have Adm Danaco hold an article 32-hearing in a classified, bug swept, "jammed" courtroom then called Reeves to the stand. Bud (B) defended Pagano who's soot in his wounds proved his lie that he had been shot from across the room. Then, in a surprise visit, they found Reeves, Pagano & W "conspiring" in his hospital room. Judge Harrison made W testify so he finally admitted that they knew Pagano was really the mole and had fed him dis-information about the tonal tests. Pagano then gave the faulty information to the Chinese; but then, in his spy job, had decrypted a message between two Chinese agents about the results. So he then told the Chinese that the "US knew that THEY knew!" The assassin was then sent, hoping that the info would die with the people killed and deliberately left Pagano wounded, but still working as their agent. W & Reeves had ordered the videotape altered, then framed Stoechler in order to preserve their deception. H called the JCs Capt., who unexpectedly testified in front of Pagano that the decrypted message of their tonal tests were not the "real" results, thus "spilling the beans" of the CIAs counter-intelligence. W & Reeves decided to "turn" Pagano into a double agent. H asked W how the court could know that he was telling the truth. He responded "I'm under oath." Danaco told C not to let H pursue Pagano's murder & espionage charges further. W said that Stoechler's wife could keep the $150K. H was "ticked off" about having to keep his wife and children in the dark over their fathers death. H told her to tell her kids their dad was a hero and Danaco had promised a medal "at some future date."

Tuesday, October 16, 2001

Guilt - 138

[A bit of a "contrived" plot] Mac (M) and Gunny (G) are still TAD onboard ship. She was sent to secure the release, from civilian authority, of Cpl Lassiter who had been arrested for rape in Aceh Province. The corrupt police chief, Jarot, shook M down for a bribe and the only thing of value that she had was Brumby's (Brum) ring. An angry mob besieged the US consulate setting off an explosion and they were eventually ordered to evacuate. While they were undertaking procedures for burning records, one of the mob dropped a grenade killing Gunny Sgt Simpkins and blinding his second in command. The ambassador, Raymon Dart, wanted to give Cpl lassiter (who actually turned out to be guilty) to the mob as a "diplomatic solution." M was senior officer. The "motor-mouth" daughter of a consulate cook, Lylyana, took to M and drew her a picture. M gave her an insignia from her uniform in return. The evacuating helicopter couldn't land due to small arms fire from the mob. Lylyana led them all through a "secret" tunnel beneath the consulate (that no one knew about) onto the next street, and her school building. The mob eventually came to the school, as they all were boarding the helicopter, and lobbed mortars. Unbelievably, the girl stood in the courtyard jumping up and down waving that M had forgotten to take her picture! A mortar was shown exploding directly in front of her as the helicopter took off. Chloe & Jingo talked to M by phone and are OK at her grandparents.

Harm (H) and Singer (S) defended Lt Cmdr Kegan who killed Anton Summer, an ex-con going to be arrested for disabling a smoke detector and smoking on a plane. Turner (T) was prosecuting and called Harriett (Ht), who was on the plane, as a witness. Ht said that Kegan had knocked a water bottle out of Summer's hand and while he was picking it up wrestled with him and broke his neck. Ht, however was not in a position to see that Summer had actually grabbed the exit handle and was trying to open the door. In cross examination, S made Ht cry talking about being "blinded" over her grief for the loss of her baby. H had to reprimand S that she had acted like a bully and had hurt their case with the jury. A "dead head" pilot on board had conversed with, and warned, Summer not to smoke in the lavatory but he said "let the captain try and stop me." The stewardess, then, had requested that Kegan watch Summer while she notified the pilot. That's when Summer made for the door, was knocked down and grabbed the exit handle trying to open it despite struggling. Kegan finally subdued him but killed him. An officer, who had felt insulted by Kegan in a bar before take-off, gave surprise testimony against Kegan. Also (unbelievably) Kegan was found guilty of manslaughter; but, after Hs closing statement (where he told the members that SEALS had always done peoples "dirty work" and 193 souls would have been lost if Kegan hadn't acted) Kegan got off with a reprimand and anger management (for manslaughter?!!)

Tuesday, October 9, 2001

The Measure of Men - 137

Mac (M)and Gunny (G)are still on the Guadalcanal in her self imposed exile. Capt Huddleston disliked marine Major Lasley, who he considered "an arrogant SOB who is incapable of admitting that he is wrong," and ordered M to investigate when a man was killed during a severe-storm training exercise that Lasley refused to cancel. M suggested an article 32 hearing but Huddleston demanded an unusual special court-martial so he wouldn't have to give up control and therefore might be able to force Lasley off his ship. Neither M nor G liked Lasley's pattern of avoiding responsibility. Harm (H) requested the defense because M had ignored his many calls and the assignment would put him back on the same ship. Even though H kept pressing, M kept pushing him away, then said: "Brumby gave up country and navy for me, are you willing to give up Renee?" H danced around stupidly trying to make her commit to a position first, so M, frustrated, said she "was tired of the dance." H finally said "yea, I would giver her up" but by that time M had already stormed out and didn't hear him say it. Without telling H, Lasley hired Larry Kaliski (a civilian attorney who "beat" M previously) to perform his defense. Kaliski wanted H to continue second chair to which H only reluctantly consented. Kaliski threatened H with filing a grievance on him if he didn't act appropriately subservient. He nearly lost the case until H recreated the boats course showing that the accident happened due to inaccurate maps and Huddleston's own insistence on a delay which washed away the marker buoys. M finally got Lasley's XO to admit that others "may have" taken the heat for Lasley in the past. H finally negotiated a settlement with M if Lasley would take the stand and admit his portion of blame; but, he was still too arrogant and refused to do so. He was found guilty of dereliction of duty. M didn't even say goodbye to H when he flew back to JAG.

Chegwidden's (C)teen goddaughter Lisa Rossbach ran away from her aunt and came to his house. She refused to let him call her mother so they could talk. C did call her mother, Merrill, who was deployed as skipper of a ship, and offered to keep Lisa for a week over the holiday's. Lisa pretty much did whatever she wanted and acted rude, childish and demanding to C whenever she didn't get her own way. C, eventually, could only prevent her from going out in the evening to meet an unknown boy by saying that he would follow her everywhere she went. She stormed into her bedroom but then ran away from his house too during the night. Finally her mother had to take leave during deployment to solve her daughters issues.

Sturgis Turner (T)tricked Bud (B)into jogging with him 8 miles to his apartment, ostensibly "for Bs career's sake" and to ameliorate his weight problem and doughnut fetish.

Tuesday, October 2, 2001

New Gun in Town - 136

[Good episode despite Harm and Mac's "parallel play" and somewhat "forced" plot lines.] People were barraging Mac (M) about resetting her wedding plans. Even Chloe hung up on M saying "Harm happened." M begged Chegwidden (C) for TAD assignment on the USS Guadalcanal to replace Maj Miles Holmes who had "gone overboard." C made her take Gunny (G)with her. Using computer files they found that Miles had communicated with USO worker Susan Evans as much as he had with his own wife, and that Evans had met the ship at all of her last ports. They discovered that Miles had faked his own "man overboard," then hid out in a ships void until he could sneak aboard a landing craft the next day to Jakarta. They intercepted Miles and Evans both at a hotel on the island. Oddly Miles advised M that maybe "someday she could work without a net" and love again!

Harm (H) attended Rene's fathers funeral and was very uncomfortable being manipulated into their "family" role especially by Rene's pushy mother. Rene met Cyrus Fortney, the undertaker, who used to be her old flame until he went to embalming school. H appeared before the mishap investigator who claimed the only reason H didn't die, having not followed "the book," was because "someone up there likes you." H replied "well he can't like me very much cause I'm in here with you." C told H about when he returned from Vietnam all beat up and went to church. When the priest offered kind words it "damn near killed me. I had no idea how bad I hurt until I heard those words. Make of it what you will." H went to see his Stearman but couldn't bring himself to fly. The caretaker of the hanger where H kept his plane counseled H that "sometimes it's better to stay on the ground" unless you felt like you had the luck to fly. Cdr Sturgis Turner (T) came to JAG (Hs old company mate). He refused to bump Bud (B) out of his office and instead took the small office with pipes saying it reminded him of a submarine. Sturgis played basketball with H and asked about Annie. Then he asked "you got a girl" and H replied "No, she's got me." Sturgis prosecuted and H defended airman Peter Tyree who had tried to get a T-34 trainer up in the air and flipped it. Sturgis prosecuted and refused to deal. Tyree was a real "doofus" and although H successfully presented the case that he was just taxiing and "it got away." Sturgis tripped him up into admitting he just wanted to get it into the air one time. The judge found him guilty; but, H talked Admiral Landry (AIRLANT) into taking authority of the case and dropping it in favor of applying for education scholarship and OCS. H took Peter for a ride in his Stearman.

B prosecuted and Singer defended Master Chief Edwards who disliked and swore at children at a scout camp. Scout Lovelace wrote down the words cause he wouldn't say them - there were 40 some that B didn't know. Singer suggested a settlement that she knew her client wouldn't like, knowing how much he hated kids - 200 hrs community service at Norfolk freedom scout camp, without swearing or straight to jail.

Tuesday, September 25, 2001

Adrift (Part II) - 135

[The season opener and conclusion to last seasons cliff hanger. Apparently DJEs contract was renewed] Mac, Brumby, Chegwidden, Bud, Harriet, Chloe and Singer left the pre-wedding dinner and went back to JAG headquarters to monitor the rescue attempts. M withdrew and wanted to be alone, excluding Brum who became increasingly hurt. Renee also felt like "odd man out." She said she was going to call Hs mother but B stopped her. M postponed their wedding for that day and Brum reluctantly concurred. Chloe talked with M and chided her for not trying to find H "like you did me." Together, M had a vision of Hs raft, without H in it. She went out and put her finger on a map saying "look here." C was able to convince captain Ingle to search at Ms envisioned coordinates. The Viking found the empty raft and dropped SAR buoys. C saw Brum frustrated and told him "she's dealing with it in her own way." "That's the problem," he said. Renee asked Brum "why aren't you with M" and he told her "you'd have to ask M." Renee asked him "how do I look," and he said "left out." The SAR buoy floated and hit H. He used it as a radio to call the plane back. Then when the helicopter couldn't see him, fired his weapon so they could see his muzzle flashes. The weather was still below minimums but they pulled him up, having been in the ocean for 3 hours (the maximum exposure time). He had stage 4 hypothermia and was dying until Skates "jumped his bones" and talked him back recalling his promise to "save her."

Everyone found an excuse to be elsewhere so Renee could meet Hs plane at transfer. He had retrograde amnesia and could remember Renee but only from a year ago. H told M he was sorry for fouling up the wedding plans and asked if they had set another date. She said "don't worry about it. That's the least of our concerns." Brum pressed to reset the date for the weekend but she said she "couldn't get her head around it that fast" and to "let her think about it." Renee told B that H had forgotten their last year but "seemed to have all his Mac memories organized and cataloged." M and Brum took Chloe to the airport, hugged and were all smiley then Brum said he didn't want to reschedule. He said "let me think about it." Skates told H that the incident "had reawakened her love for flying" so she wasn't leaving. H thanked Loftness for breaking minimums and was told that "I like flying in zero-zero." When Ht wanted info on the new date, M told her that she and Brum were having problems. Renee was pressing H to talk about their relationship and he said "why does it always have to come back to M?" Brum moved out because "if we end it I don't want to have to come back here." He asked "why in a crisis am I the last one you look to?" Very upset M went to Hs apartment to talk and while there Brum called. He told her he had "wondered who she would go to first" and that he was leaving back to Australia. She left for the airport to stop him but he still got on the plane. Very upset and weeping she called H that "he's left." H told her to "come to me… you know the reason…" When she got there, however, Renee was there having just been told that her father had unexpectedly died and had asked him to go with her to the funeral. He wanted to call M when they landed but M said "don’t do that to her. I'll be here when you get back." M walked out into the storm and rain and saw H and Renee embrace through the window.

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Adrift (Part I) - 134

[A major "relationship" episode used as a cliffhanger] Mac and Brumby have their wedding rehearsal and dinner this week and she was upset to find out that Harm had his six-month flight qualifications on the Patrick Henry and would miss the dinner, even though he said he'd be back for the wedding. He said that he "didn't consider missing it a risk," and she retorted "no, you didn't consider it important." He told her that the quals had been scheduled long before they set the date and, frankly, "if you need me at your wedding to make it work maybe you should reconsider who you are marrying." Skates was his RIO and Captain Ingles had "sort of" forgiven him for interrogating him on the stand. Commander Stacy Loftness, airlant LSO, however was rude, abusive and claimed H must have "pulled favors" to get back in the air and he "didn't need a Washington Weenie wasting my time." Skates defended H. During Hs first landing the auto-throttle went bad so he had to fly it manually. He set up a little high and was correcting when paddles called that the 3 wire was fouled and to abort. H powered but just barely touched and Loftness, looking for an excuse, told him he was taking him out of the air. Loftness ragged on H who said that he prevented an in-flight engagement. When Loftness harangued that H had been too slow to respond, H told him "I'm not about to be talked into a rookie mistake and dump the nose." He finally allowed him to go back up and H was "in the spaghetti" all his next traps, including at night. H making his traps were interspersed with M during her rehearsal to "come fly with me" music. H had the highest boarding rate and landing scores of anyone in the quals. He was able to get the first window in the weather of the storm that was coming by promising Ingles a piece of wedding cake on the COD. Loftness said "take Skates with you." Skates had told H that this was her last flight because she was getting married.

Chloe came and was cold to Brumby. Brum gave Bud his rings to "watch with your life" and B left them on the counter. Brum said he was worried, and B said just "do what you did at your bachelor party. Tear off your shirt and sing the Australian National anthem." B broke his cell phone, was told of the unexpected toast he needed to give at the dinner, then found his battery dead. He was able to get his car jump started but fell in a mud puddle before he arrived just as Chegwidden was giving the toast for him. Impromptu he told of the "fate" that had brought he and Harriet together then said that "yours, like any right union on the planet, is a matter of destiny." C wouldn't give Chloe any champagne but Brum gave her a taste to "suck up." C questioned M about what she was going to do after the marriage and M said she "hadn't thought that far ahead." Renee acted very awkward but knew the exact number of seconds until Ms marriage. Brum asked Chloe "are we friends?" and was told "as long as you love M."

H and Skates flew into the "mother of all storm cells." They had a low O2 light so they couldn't ascend. Their plane had some kind of unknown flight control malfunction and systems began progressively failing. They radioed back to the carrier but faded out so rescue was prepared for. Eventually they were going down so called Mayday. H promised Skates that he would "see her down there, you have my word on it." She ejected, but H was delayed. Something fouled in his rigging so he took off his helmet. Then he was being drowned by his rigging until he cut the shroud lines. After Bs toast, C got a phone call and was notified about Hs situation. All were very upset especially Renee and M. Singer told M that H would be ok. M said, "he always is." S said that "this time he has even a better reason (looking at Renee) he's got someone in his life." M suggested C ask Ingles to patch his communications into their speaker phone at the party. The Viking spotted a raft, dropped a SAR buoy and flares then deliberately flew below minimums to rescue Skates. M told Brum that she wanted to be alone, weeping. H was shown loosing his raft and floating away into the waves and turbulence.

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

Mutiny - 133

[A significant episode despite being nearly a complete Role-playing show (based on true 1842 execution aboard a naval vessel).] Mac (M) was assigned to give a talk at the Naval Academy about it's beginnings in the midst of preparing for her wedding to Brumby (Brum). She researched the case of the USS Somers where the tyrannical actions of the captain had eventually led to the establishment of a "much more sophisticated method of training officers." While preparing, M had "flashes" of the events, as she said "in a very personal nature." Brum played the captain Alexander Slidell MacKenzie who had believed that Philip Spencer, the son of the Secretary of War (SECNAV), was plotting a mutiny. Then, through his paranoia, he hung Spencer and two of his "accomplices." Spencer had spoken with Pursers Steward Wales (Tiner), 1st Lt Gansevoort (Bud), and Sgt Michael Garty, master at arms (Gunny), about fantasy's of taking over the ship to become pirates. They all thought it was foolish but Ganesvoort turned him into the captain who was an arrogant tyrant flogging sailors regularly for minor infractions and belittling Spencer for his disrespect. During Gansevoort's search, a list of mutineer men was found: 3 on the certain list including Wales who had turned him in.

The only place to hold the prisoners was on deck. The captain became increasingly suspicious, he thought the crew became more resistant so he had Gansevoort hold a special officers hearing (without telling the accused thereby giving them the right to confront their accusers or even know the charges.) They decided to hang the 3 to prevent the crew from "rescuing" them. Upon returning to port, a board of inquiry was held (headed by Lindsey) which did not pursue charges further. The Secretary of War then decided to hold a court martial for homicide and Cmdr Norris (Chegwidden) was trial counsel. Mr. Griffin (Webb) was defense council and Big Bud the judge. None of the officers would speak to Norris during his investigations- he pointed out to the jury that MacKenzie had recommended promotions for 100% of his officers except those he hanged, smacking of command influence. When Norris saw Mrs. MacKenzie (M) talking to other potential witnesses he called her to testify. He asked her if she loved her husband and she didn't answer until she confessed" I don't know" - (which startled M out of one of her reveries with Brum in the room.)

A sailor (Mikey) showed Norris the 15 lashes on his back that MacKenzie had given him for washing clothes without permission and plead with Norris to "do something" against the tyrant MacKenzie. Norris said that if he showed the scars to the jury they WOULD believe that the crew was ready to mutiny. Norris fragged Gansevoort on the stand who had to admit that the naval statues were NOT followed: The accused were not allowed to appear before the tribunal judges; they were not allowed to confront the witnesses against them; nor, make a case for their own defense. In fact, despite Gansevoort and the captain claiming that the officers hearing was "independent" the captain had already made out the next days duty roster for the hangings! Spencer had admitted to a life-long fantasy obsession with pirates. His father had gotten him appointed midshipman to "straighten him out" and said that he had heard Phillip fantasize about being a pirate but "wasn't fool enough to believe him." The two others hanged, however, really never understood why they were being hanged. When Spencer asked MacKenzie why he was rushing to executing them, MacKenzie said "because your father would try to interfere to save you" and hurt his career.

Harm (H) had told Mac that he "had overstepped the bounds of a well wisher" at her engagement party and "were they ok?" She said they were. In her final reverie she saw disclosed the 3rd person hanged by MacKenzie (Brum) and it was played by Harm! [In history the Capt was not court-marshaled; but, he was not "commended" for his actions as was the custom, so it ended up ruining his career and he ended up a broken man - and Annapolis was founded to train officers better.]

Tuesday, May 8, 2001

Lifeline - 131

[An important series episode] Throughout the engagement party given by Chegwidden (C) for Mac (M) and Brumby (Brum), Harm (H) and M end up on the front porch reminiscing about their relationship and trying to understand here-to-fore unasked questions. Brum was shown warning Renee not to interrupt H & Ms "talks" by saying "we will have them for a long time. Let them say their good bye's." Frustratingly, not all the questions were answered as both H and M were shown still not fully wanting to be open with each other. Flashbacks (which seemed to be more than just lazy writers tricks) were used to show: --When M & H 1st met and the image of Hs girl friend Diane; --When H sandbagged Ms 1st case; --Their shipboard argument about respect; --Ms exclusion of H during the investigation of Jordan's death; and, --The night in Sydney harbor when H backed away. Then flashbacks also showed: --M quitting JAG; --fighting terrorists with C on a ship; and, --nearly kissing C. M asked C to give her away at her wedding. Out on the porch again M asked H: "why did you back away?" then H reminisced: --Their fight on ship saying "you honestly resent me, and you have no faith in me"; --His noticing Ms engagement ring in the Australian airport; and, --Their "baby deal." H asked M "do you love him" and instead of answering she diverted with "do you love Renee?" H diverted back with "I'm not marrying Renee" so M told him "that's not a question you get to ask."

Together they recalled: --When H saved Ms life in the forest; --When M saved Hs life in Panama; --When H got C to take M back after she quit JAG; --M being there for H in Russia while finding his father; and, --when M fell off the wagon and got drunk. M asked H "just what is it you want" and he remembered all of his "Hallucinations" of M being sexy. H asked M "why did you go to him so quickly?" and she responded, "you pushed me away, what did you want me to do?" "Wait," he said. "For how long?" " As long as it takes" They then kissed "goodbye" on the porch and remembered their other tearful goodbye when H left for the carrier, "why is it" M had said, "that I'm the only one crying?" H finally said "we're getting too good at saying goodbye."

Throughout the episode Bud progressively soiled and removed articles of his clothing to where he finally ended up wearing an apron and being embarrassed into serving drinks by Mattoni. C gave M a cake decorated with the US and Australian flags; and gave Harriet (Ht)her Lieutenant's bars. Ht asked B if he knew about it and he said "that's why I got all dressed up." The episode ended with H & M standing next to each other and the camera showing the backs of their hands touching.

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

Past Tense - 132

Jordan Parker, back from overseas for 4 months, called Harm (H) and left a message. Renee returned the call on speakerphone which was answered by NCIS agent Kenworthy. Jordi had been shot and killed by an unknown assailant and Kenworthy put H as the lead suspect (cheap writers trick being used all too often). Chegwidden (C) ok'd a JAG MAN investigation by Mac (M) & Bud (B) because NCIS wasn't sharing any information. They brought Cdr Coulter in to help. Finally Kenworthy let Harm off the hook claiming that Jordi had committed suicide! Coulter interpreted the findings better than NCIS did. She found: animal blood at scene, powder on both hands not just her shooting hand and a smeared partial print on trigger. H, M & B followed several leads including a recent boyfriend Maj Lynch whom she had broken up with and who had lied to NCIS about being out buying an engagement ring as his alibi. None of the leads panned out until Coulter found it was dog blood at the scene; specifically the neighbors dog who had followed, the mentally ill wife of Lt Col Maples into Jordi's apartment. Mrs. Maples saw her husband, who was privately seeing Jordi for counseling, come out of her apartment. Being jealous, Maples angrily confronted Jordi who needed to get her gun out to defend herself. When she dropped the gun Maples picked it up and shot Jordi.

Renee was demanding, argumentative and nagging the whole show and whined "am I going to have to die for you to commit to me?" She said she "didn't know" him. When the case was finally solved Harm showed her a video of his 13 y/o school dance filmed by his mother. The police obtained evidence that Danny Walden was involved in drugs and had used Cs SUV. Danny went to court, arrogant and haughty but C testified against him. His attorney tried to paint C as a "man scorned" and just vindictive. The judge saw through that and found Danny guilty but when he was going to give Danny probation with his mother C intervened and suggested that wouldn't be effective. Dr Walden used as her arguement "he wouldn't lie to me" which then also convinced the judge so he gave Danny either jail or join the service. Danny chose the Navy and C followed up to make sure he went to the recruiters telling him he better write his mother.

Tuesday, April 24, 2001

To Walk on Wings - 130

An OSPREY was hit by an ocean swell during a "ride-along" conducted for representatives Latham (L) and Fetzer. L tried to kill the Osprey during her hearings. She blamed the mishap on the Osprey which was "so faulty that the pilot couldn't handle it", played to the press then claimed there had been a cover-up because the pilot over-flew the data recorder. Mac (M) was asked to assist Fetzer on the committee and "blew away" Leatham's hired henchman, William Markey, a civilian weapons analyst. Harm (H) represented Maj Asher, the pilot, and eventually showed that the mishap was due to Latham's 2 hr delay, thich put their course directly into the blinding sun; and, Fetzer's prolonging the jump, due to standing for a picture. M restored the data recorder which proved that Asher was honest. L flippantly asked "is there anyone else you would like to blame?" H said "yes: the Critics - who expect hardware to be perfect out of the box; the Media for sensationalism, exaggerating everything to the dimension of tragedy; and Congress for not listening to those who know the aircraft best, pilots, who are telling you they are willing to risk their lives because they believe it's important to the defense of our country."

Harriet said she feels like a valueless paper pusher and investigated and cleared an old case of Mstr Chief David Litrell who refused exoneration on a commissary theft in order to avoid his wife's embarrassment for infidelity with him, (her then husbands best friend.) However he still wouldn't accept exoneration not wanting his wife to live with the stigma. Gunny and Tiner were planning the bachelor party for Brum.

Tuesday, April 10, 2001

Salvation - 129

Sgt Maj Krohn had been in prison for beating his wife unconscious with a brick. H (H) had defended him and tried to convince the jury that Krohn's testimony was true when he said that he had seen "the Padre" in a vision leading him to his injured wife and enabling her rescue. But, him being there had created circumstantial evidence against him. M (M) received a bloody knife in her package from the Leavenworth wood shop, a present for her wedding. In her investigation of the matter she "accidentally" found that Clark Palmer had been "converted to religion." There had been a stabbing and Krohn's prints were found on the knife. Harm defended but neither he or M could convince the warden that Palmer was capable of masterminding the whole incident just to "get at Harm." Then, while they were investigating, Palmer seemed to have a stroke and went unconscious with the doctors saying he wouldn't last through the night. Krohn stayed at his bedside all night praying and Palmer woke up saying he had his own "vision of the Padre" who showed him Krohn was innocent. H was pressured into arranging for both Krohn and Palmer to go out of prison to prove it. An emissary from the Vatican was sent to investigate the "miracle" for the "Padre's" sainthood. They were all present when Palmer had them waiting in a van for his "second" vision to lead them to "real" attacker. After waiting so long that H sent the police "backup" home and started back to the airport, Palmer said the Padre was leading them back the other way and did give some directions which proved to be true. While waiting for a train signal arm to go up Krohn had a "real" vision of the ambush Palmer was planning and informed H who brought up the waiting police and captured the accomplices. It actually turned out that in order to set up the ambush Palmers gang had bought a "hot car" which turned out to be Krohn's wife's stolen car and led to the overturning of Krohn's conviction and release.

M and Brumby (Brum) received other wedding gifts. Chegwidden (C) gave M & brum season tickets to Shakespeare plays. It was the Navy's turn in rotation and Bud (B) was assigned to carry the "nuclear briefcase" for the president. Tiner said that people felt that the "launch codes" should be implanted into the briefcase carriers' chest so that if the president wanted to push the button the first thing he had to do was to "cut open your chest." While the president was speaking at a function, B was left out in the hall. He went to the head but when he got back the president had gone. B ran all the way back to the White House but was relieved from duty in favor of the next in rotation, the Coast Guard. C said "it was probably for the best."

Tuesday, March 27, 2001

Liberty - 128

On liberty in Matzatlan from the Wake Island Mikey bought Colina Ojeda (prostitute) a drink. She asked to dance and her "boyfriend" Efran Minas came in and began hitting her. Mikey was pulled into a fight when he tried to defend Colina. The shore patrol was called and when Minas dies Mikey was charged. Lt Ferrari (JAG in San Diego) offered 3 yrs negligent homicide before Mikey was assigned an attorney. H asked for the assignment after C denied Bs request. C relented to H that B take 2nd chair but said "keep him out of trouble." Ferrari maligned and baited both B and H over their handling BBs case. "Like father like son," he said. Capt O'Byrne was determined to make an example out of Mike. BB offered his help but H turned him down as having nothing to offer but bad advice. Ferrari slammed Mike hard during cross examination and brought up his father beating his mother. He got Mikey to say that he had wanted to kill his father back then. Colina and Santos Ramirez were Ferrari's witnesses and completely lied on the stand. Mikey was found guilty but when B saw his watch that had broken at the beginning of the fight he noticed that the shore patrol had been called 5 minutes before the fight started. Gunny & H found Hector Valdez a fisherman who had gotten a settlement of $1,000 6 mos prior when "beaten up" by another sailor. They got Valdez to admit that Ramirez had paid him $100 to start a fight with a sailor then they had beaten him up to make it look "real." B found that Colina was really Ramirez's girlfriend. They pulled a "sting" where gunny faked shooting BB to convince Colina that her life was in danger from Ramirez. She exonerated Mikey; but he was assigned to work during the next 6 shore leaves for fighting.

M was tricked into defending Sgt Joe Dutch an "official" marine mascot bulldog who impregnated a Borzoi while UA. M held a hearing and convinced the XO not to "discharge" Butch but to allow him to go to boot camp for re-training. They also got him a mate so he wouldn't go UA. C was shown talking on the phone to Adm Don Guter an old friend who was the SECNAVs top troubleshooter. At the end M met Guter (the real JAG in a walk-on) who told C that they "couldn't pay him enough to be the JAG."

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Valor - 127

Sgt Joan Steel was captured by terrorists and held in Iraq for 1 mo. She was then captured on boat of explosives heading for USS Vance but stopped in the enhance security proceedures and the terrorists aboard were killed. H & M investigate if she had been recruited by the terrorists. She had filed MECEP (officer) papers but was turned down by her CO based upon uncertainty about her judgement by saying that he didn't know her leadership well enough. When hearing an explosion she left her vehicle sending it back to ship and she ran to it armed only with a pistol. After being terrorized she helped them gain security code access to the harbor because "she thought it would make it easier to catch them." Her fingerprints were on the detonating device and she wasn't forthcoming with information. H & M found that she had gone into a shop alone to rent video's for the terrorists and warned the proprietor but didn't make any effort to escape out the back way. H felt she had impaired judgement due to captivity but M believed she had been recruited because of her Cos decision. Went to article 32 hearing but W came with information that her same terrorists were planning another bombing and needed her help to capture them. H told her it was foolish to go back but she went anyway. She wore a transponder belt but took it off and didn't give the prearranged signal when snuck out the back way and went w/ terrorists. While everyone was talking about where she had gone and why they all heard a bomb went off. It turned out that she had fought with the men in the van and detonated it before they could reach US students at archeological site.

Brum and Renae were miffed that they had to pack M & Hs suitcases and remain home "aiding and assisting." Brum took B out to McMurphys bar to talk about women and ask him to be his best man at the wedding. Ht & Renee have woman talk and get drunk on wine whining about H being an "immovable object" to Renae's "irresistable force." Ht said that some people had "diggity." C inquired to Ht if he had missed their engagement party and ended up accidentally volunteering to host it.

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

Retreat Hell - 126

Pvt Rafael Jesus Rivera, wounded in battle of Chosin reservoir in WWII, was found nearly 50 years later UA when he applied for benefits. He was being held in a redneck, corrupt New Mexico sheriff, Crease Madden's, jail. Mac (M) was assigned to investigate and Gunny (G) went to pick him up personally out of respect and fidelity with a marine hero. The sheriff ordered his two thugs to kill Rivera and prevent him from getting across the border. They blocked the highway and blinded G with lights which ran him off the road. Then they poured gasoline onto the car and set it on fire so they could shoot them when exiting.

Rivera had a claim to some land grant land that the Sheriff wanted and had killed Rivera's attorney for. Meanwhile, Chegwidden (C) went fishing in New Mexico with Gs sister, Maria, as his guide. G found out that Rivera, not speaking English when he enlisted, had misunderstood the doctor when he told him he could "go home" after his months of rehabilitation. He hadn't needed any benefits until the lawyer showed up with a possible claim. G called C and arranged to meet C at the trailhead to the lake to "work something out." When G didn't show up C responded and found the thugs shooting. Unarmed, C improvised a Molotov cocktail at a thug and Rivera shot the other. Rivera was exonerated and was shown receiving his belated Navy Cross.

Bud (B) was handling the case of the improper UA arrest of a civilian, who's SSN had been stolen and used by someone to join the military. Brumby, who had started new law firm suing the Navy (without telling M) was representing the man and wanted $2.5 million! Harm (H), as acting JAG, negotiated an $80 thousand settlement.

H fell backward in Admiral Cs chair and hit his head. He then had hallucinations of M in several provocative situations. He even called Renee Ms name. He asked B if he had ever "seen things" and said "what if you were seeing things that were different than you expected and were changing how you saw things." Brum & M had lunch to set their wedding date. Both B and M thought H should get an MRI for being nice to Brumby.

Tuesday, February 20, 2001

Iron Coffin - 125

Capt Alex Volkonov (AV) came to the US and asked Harm for assistance in investigating the demise of the Russian sub Vladivostok. At first Capt Baxter stonewalled H then C called in a favor of Adml Crawford at SUBLANT then Cmdr Flagler spoke with H and the angry AV. Baxter questioned Hs loyalties so C & H spoke w/ him; he finally admitted that the experimental Russian Shkval 2 torpedo did a 180 and sunk their own ship. But he said, "How we know is security classified."

Mac and Bud assisted female Ensign Terry Childers in testifying before Latham's committee regarding her wanting to serve on submarines, despite policies against it. L shanghaied M into taking a "fact finding" sub cruise on the Watertown with Flagler and reporting to her. H was, at the same time, also invited for a Public Relations cruise on the Russian sub Minsk. The irrational Russian Captain was firing another Shkval 2 torpedo putting H & M in "tap dance mode." Finally M convinced Flagler into breaking the subs radio silence. M told the Russians that the US had "placed listening devices aboard all Russian ships" trying to convince him not to fire the defective missle. The Russians fired anyway so Flagler fired a drone (toward Minsk) so that when the torpedo finally did its 180 and came back at the Minsk, it acquired the drone at the last minute and prevented it hitting the Russian sub.

Brum & Renee went to a concert together; both said they were afraid to ask M & H if they had had an affair.

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Killer Instinct - 124

Seaman Oliver Celluchi was seen to go overboard the USS Benjamin Harrison; but, was dead when the rescue boat arrived. He was found to have been bludgeoned and choked before going over the side, and a small piece of cloth was found in his belt buckle. His shipmates said that he had been a screw-up and a 'puddin' - that you could push him around with a spoon. Harm and Bud had to endure 'full-of-himself' Captain Archambault's rant about "doing better than their best and get the killer off MY ship." They then reported to him Duell's animosity and that he had been seen on the catwalk before the incident; but, had to refuse the captain's offer to attend their interview "so as to put the fear of God into him." Duell denied ever going to the catwalk or having anything to do with the incident. Meanwhile, the Capt. illegally searched Duell's locker and found a torn shirt. Mattoni, defense, motioned to have the shirt excluded and the Capt. pestered H to tell him "what to say" on the stand so the shirt won't be excluded. H, annoyed, told him to tell the truth. Then the Capt. deliberately misled Mattoni by saying that H had told him of Duell's lie before he searched. So Mattoni called H as a witness and found the lie. B's cross of H tried to show "inevitable discovery" but the judge disallowed the evidence but wouldn't dismiss the case. B searched records from Duell's previous ships finding 2 previous filed charges of harassment. Seaman Chuck Gaynor went "overboard" the USS Bar Harbor when Duell was there and Fred Mirvis went overboard the Assateague when Duell was there as well. Seaman Harbinson testified that Duell was, in fact, on the catwalk 5 minutes before the murder and requested transfer because he was afraid of Duell. Celluchi had been given loading drills all night with live rounds - for punishment. PO Canton testified that he had worked with Duell on the Assateague. Duell had them stand at attention holding 25# boxes of C-4 explosives in each hand. Mirvis dropped the box and started to cry, which drew Duell's anger. Canton also brought up that Mirvis had gone overboard, to which Mattoni flew off the handle demanding a mistrial. H was allowed to have a forensic investigator testify to the judge before he decided. In Duell's hearing the investigator said the murderer profiled small, young, immature, inexperienced men with poor service records. He said the murder was highly organized victim of a delusional disorder who would feel justified in what he was doing. Duell sat smugly until H began restating that he was deranged and crazy.

When H was allowed to continue Mattoni grandstanded by bringing in Charles Gaynor who was alive and only had gone UA. Then Mattoni fought to keep H from having him testify. Gaynor said that he had gone UA because Duell had tried to kill him. He was holding him over the rail of the fantail and only let go because Gaynor wet on him. He yelled so loudly that another person heard so he fled. Gaynor hid for 8 days then jumped ship because if no one believed him "Duell would have killed me. Celluchi just glared at him with a smug look. Back at the trial Mattoni called Celluchi who lied through his teeth: it had only been 'dummy' C-4 and only 10 pounds, and he had caught Gaynor asleep. He denied killing Celluchi. H cross examined him and began by massaging his ego. He got agreeing with him that the navy was letting in screw-up's. Duell said that it was his job to "weed them out"; but, when the examination got to a rapid pitch and H led with "you took matters into your own hands" he stopped short with a smug look that he had "bested" H's lawyer tricks. Then, by pre-arrangement, H deferred to B who acted the buffoon, repeating questions, stumbling, dropping papers, etc. He deliberately got Duell upset then dropped papers on him again asking "what did 'Ka-luchi' ever do to you. Duell shot back with "some people don't being in the US Navy (referring to B)." B surreptitiously said "no but he navy won't kill them" and Duell blurted "no but somebody has to." B raised up and calmly said "somebody has to, sir." Duell's smug look disappeared. Gaynor was given an "other than honorable" discharge and Duell a psych eval. He thought that the navy wanted him to kill the screw-up's and that's why he was given his last promotion. H told M that Duell would spend the rest of his life either in Leavenworth or in a mental hospital.

Chegwidden complained about his sore back from his tiny rental car. When Mac talked to him about her defense of a Bigamist, C told her that "people tend to hang onto relationships even after they are over." "Look at me," he said, "I'm still hanging onto that crappy rent-a-car (after Dr. Walden's relationship was over)." He then went to the car dealer that sold Harriet her van and talked about buying a high end van. When the greedy salesman offered 10% discount for military personnel, C pointed at the real one he wanted.

M was assigned to defend a bigamist. Wife #1 said she "owed everything" to her husband who supported her in getting her commercial pilot's license. She wanted M to help him plea bargain out of the MC so they could be together. Wife #2 said it was the MC's fault for forcing her husband to live a double life. He had also helped her with her career. M was dumfounded at their lack of outrage - she was feeling it for them, despite being his defense. She wanted to get a psychologist to testify that Staff Sgt Hart had a sexual compulsive disorder. Hart said "no" then tried to act seductively to M. Completely unexpectedly wife #3 showed up with two kids! Nothing was finished about this case except M commiserating with H that maybe Hart could do time in Leavenworth with Duell.

Tuesday, February 6, 2001

Miracles - 122

[Marginally written script not establishing credible rationale for the guilty verdict.] Harm (H) defended Sgt Major Jarvis Krohn who was found next to his beaten, unconscious wife after having been led there by a vision of beatified Chaplain Wiggins, "Padre," now being considered for sainthood. Krohn described that the "padre" had selflessly ran into enemy fire attempting to save some of his platoon but was cut down. Bud (B) prosecuted flippantly and childishly, derisive stated: "God thinks Krohn's wife was worth saving but our daughter not?" A Vatican representative said that, previously, seven year old Clay Norberg's metastatic neuroblastoma completely disappeared after the "intercession of the Padre." A detractant, Mr. Hamill, claimed that he had seen the "Padre" acting cowardly in battle. However, H showed that Hamill had been scheduled to be sent home for cowardice in Vietnam; but, during the last battle had a total change of heart when he "visioned" padre's act. Uncharacteristically going on to save the platoon after Wiggins had been killed.

Despite completely circumstantial evidence Krohn was found guilty. The Vatican investigator said that he was going to proceed with his recommendation for sainthood of the "Padre" so Krohn said it was "worth it" and that his wife's attacker would eventually be found so he would be vindicated. Tiner installed a "Seti" screensaver on Chegwidden's (C)computer which amazingly found "life" that needed to be reported to the "Seti People." However, it turned out to be only "5 million year old light - the standard emission from the Binion-Pratt pulsar." Renee & Mac (M) arrange to double date with H and Brumby (Brum). Renee belittled Hs apparent belief in miracles, then jerked the subject to the "miracle" of M & Brums "becoming one," pressuring H for it "to happen" with them.

Tuesday, January 30, 2001

Collision Course - 123

During war games between Greece and the US, Capt James Merrick came out of fog, closed on the Greek Gelibolu to shoot, just as it turned into them. Not able to avoid collision they rammed leaving 7 dead and 2 missing. The SECNAV, again acting like ass, circumvented Harm (H) and Mac's (M)investigation then lied to them that the other countries were also charging their captains and demanded Chegwidden (C) prosecute personally. C appointed H and M to defend and called the XO to testify against Merrick who seemed to be determined to fall on his sword. A third ship, Turkish, were claiming the Greek ship was in their waters (an uninhabited rock). An 8 minute "pissing" contest ensued then the Turks tried to ram the Greek ship; who was then caused to turn into the US ship. H and M impeach Greek and Turk captains for their own dereliction on the stand. But Merrick wouldn't let H impeach his XO claiming that it would ruin his career. Instead, he told H to get a "plea."

C found that the SECNAV had lied to him and stood up to him saying that he thought "you would look out for your people." So C told H that his plea was "unacceptable" in a sort of "code" that they should press forward. H & M then continued their investigation and discovered that Gelibolu had radar troubles prior to the games so the games should have been postponed or cancelled. However, Adm Picato (the exercise commander) colluded with the Greeks to continue before the end of the fiscal year. H put that information in a damaging report and they all delivered it to the SECNAV who realized that it would embarrass the UN. He threw it in the garbage and gave Merrick the chance to retire. Adm Picato was charged ("just as long as it's not the Greeks or Turks").

Mikey (Mk) visited Bud (B) and met Gunny's (G)sister Valerie. Mk took her on a date to Gs dismay and they were out all night. Singer (S), in sort of comic relief this episode, was stuck with extra work as long as H & M were out. When G intercepted a phone message for Valerie he headed straight for Mk but S headed him off pointing out that Valerie and Mk were "not in the same league." Tiner complimented her for her kindness and she threw it back at him saying that "as long as the Hatfield's and McCoy's are feuding she had more work." Mk thought he was in love but Valerie showed up with her boyfriend which G disliked even more. G told Mk that Valerie never listened to him and always did the opposite so he would tell her that he hated Mk "every chance he got."

Tuesday, January 16, 2001

Baby It's Cold Outside - 121

Chegwidden (C) headed a captain selection board and had Mac (M) take his place as temporary JAG. The SECNAV pressured C to promote Lindsey carefully avoiding using his name directly. C presented Lindsey personally but he clearly wasn't as good as the other candidates we saw presented. Under direct questions from Capt. Ingles C couldn't say that he would have Lindsey on his staff "because he goes beyond the limit." Lindsey ran around apologizing to C & M but it didn't help. The SECNAV then wouldn't sign the selection boards recommendations and ordered C to "have them do it again" paying particular attention to those with "computer and clerical background"! When the board wouldn't be bullied he finally threatened C with dumping on him in his next fitness evaluation.

An ex-Staff Sgt Daniel Craig, parking attendant, struck a black man who was abusing his son. The states attorney Alton Foreland was trying to get life imprisonment under the "3 strikes" law and needed to use records of Craig's court-martial where there was a death of a recruit. Harm (H) defended but was not successful in getting the previous court-marshal, where he "fallen on his sword" and plead guilty in the death of a recruit by hypothermia, overturned. Foreland said he "held black men to higher standard." On the stand Craig said that he did the same thing for his recruits. "The only thing they had to do to survive was stick together but they weren't a team." He commented that "if Foreland was in his position, he would be on trial." Foreland dropped the life charge, and eventually said he agreed "it would have been me."

Tiner successfully helped Gunny (G) contest 7 parking tickets using his limited law school experience. In a final scene at McMurphy's C confided to M that he had effectively put a bullet in his career but wouldn't give specifics. He reminisced that Napolean had said in choosing commanders "he just chose the lucky ones" then said that he "was lucky in his people." He told her that there was no more girlfriend Walden and when M started to give some consoling words he pulled back saying "ok, we've just reached the limits of touchy-feely." As others came in he had to tell them all the same thing in turn. The jukebox played "baby it's cold outside" and each joined in singing.

Tuesday, January 9, 2001

Touch and Go - 120

Caitlin Pike is back at JAG, TDY, and Chegwidden (C) offered her a position which made Singer (S) jealous. Adm Curt Hollenbeck, friend of Cs, was selected to be the new Inspector General. Pike told Harm (H) that Hollenbeck had groped her 4 years earlier and they were overheard by S. Pike also told Mac (M) of an additional un-amicable affair with another senior officer who had then given her a bad fit rep which hurt her career. The story about Hollenbeck leaked to the press and H accused S of doing it. She didn't deny it - just 'You know me so little." Hollenbeck was charged with conduct unbecoming and M got C to recuse her from defending him in an article 32 hearing. H prosecuted. Mattoni defended and asked S to "dig up dirt" on Pike for his defense.

Bud (B) defended a female Cpl, with a tattoo on her gluteus, whose CO wouldn't approve her promotion without the standard photo disclosure. The Cpl refused, claiming gender discrimination. B failed to be able to circumvent the CO so the Cpl finally relented. Then the CO didn't even look at the photo, but tore it up saying he "just didn't want to give her special treatment." Mattoni then brought out Pikes previous affair to discredit her on the stand and Pike accused M of "tattling." M told pike that she was "indiscrete" and to "shut her big mouth before she said something else that M shouldn't hear." Hollenbeck explained that he had accidentally slipped; but, that when he tried to explain it, Pike had cut him off so he just let it lie. H got the SECNAV to waive the confidentiality of Pikes previous promotion board and found that Hollenbeck had been on the promotion board. On the stand he questioned Hollenbeck why Kate had been "deep selected" from the "low zone" over Brockman's bad report and suggested impropriety. Hollenbeck's appointment as Inspector General was cancelled. Brum finally realized that how he pursued M could be considered sexual harassment - "I was relentless." Cs toast to Brum & Ms engagement was: "the only gift greater than the air in your lungs is the hand you hold." Pike left Washington telling S she held her in contempt. She told H that the last thing he needed in his life was a third woman - her, Mac and Renee (who had all been very awkward with each other.)