Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Odd Man Out - 148

Harm (H)defended corpsman Terrance Shaw for the premeditated murder of Cpl Mark Duquette which was prosecuted by Mac (M). Bud (B) was called to be on the jury. The evidence was all circumstantial but pointed to Shaw's guilt. M had a "watch cap" excluded from evidence, which B saw and interpreted as "reasonable doubt." Everyone on the jury felt Shaw was guilty and only B thought "not guilty." Over many hours of debate and evidence reconstruction, B convinced everyone else of the reasonable doubt. Then B was surprised when H wouldn't shake hands with Shaw after the verdict. H then told B that he really "didn't want to win." Then M & B tracked down more evidence against Shaw and they will attempt a retrial in civilian court.

Turner (T) was sent TAD to the submarine base New London. PO Derick Newton's wife Ellen had served him divorce papers a couple days before deployment. The Captain wouldn't let Newton go home, so T talked with Newton's wife; but, was unsuccessful. So T took Newton's place at work so Newton and several "navy wives" could go to where his wife worked and talk to her. She did finally relent and withdrew the divorce after he promised that they would have a baby when he got back so that during his next deployment she wouldn't be so alone.

Serge's application for citizenship was denied lacking proof of his parentage; but, H said they would try to get some DNA from his fathers letters. H teased M & T through the episode about him having 2 seats at super bowl. They both wanted him to take them; but, he strung them along. Chegwidden (C) knew about what H was doing, but wouldn't tell them either. All except H were at B & Harriet's super bowl party. H was actually flying "cover" for the super bowl in an F14 with Skates. He flew upside-down to take picture of the bowl so people would believe him.

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

Code of Conduct - 147

H defended a SEAL Lt Glenn Teague for retrieving the body of PO Tommy Modano despite orders; thereby allowing Lt. Jody Reese to be killed which angered his pregnant wife Mariel. Teague refused to talk to Mariel or take the stand (falling on his sword to keep a secret) until H manipulated them to be in the same room together. Teague had carried the wounded Modano during the first mission. When the helicopter came he gave him to Reese during the extraction. Before Reese had died he told Teague that he had accidentally let Modano fall 55 feet from the tether. Reese confessed he felt guilty. When they wanted to go back to retrieve Modano the "powers that be" said no. That's when they went anyway because of the SEAL code.

B found that GPS coordinates showed the fall didn't kill Modano and he had tried to move to safety so the rescue could have succeeded if it hadn't been delayed. Teague finally took the stand where he said that instead of being mutilated & left to rot like rebels do to their dead, Modano was in Arlington "occupying a space of his own in the land be died defending." Teague was found not guilty on dereliction but guilty on disobedience.

C was at a high school to give a speech when he tried to correct the insolent behavior of a cocky student James Oliphant which was caught on videotape. Defiantly Oliphant spit on C who reflexly slapped the boy. Because it fit into the SECNAV and Lindsey's vendeta against C (blaming C for Lindsey's failure through promotion board) he DEMANDED Cs resignation & threatened w/ a flag mast. C refused and Adm Drake held the mast w/ Lindsey "advising" and authorized to speak for both SECNAV & CNO. M forced her representation on C because he was "running on emotion & will loose." Oliphant lied on every aspect and said that his dad had died in Desert Storm. M didn't even cross examine. Lindsey agreed w/ M to drop the mast & the pressure to retire in return for a public apology to the boy. C said he had been "prepared to do that the first day - except the boy lied." ZNNs Stewart Dunston arrogantly dogged C. T forced his help on C preparing a press statement "to take control of the situation." C talked to Adm Thomas Boone, now working in SECNAVs office, about the mast that he had gone through. Boone said he wouldn't have slapped the kid he "would have slugged him." Angry Dunston started digging deeper into sources and found that Oliphants father was dishonorably discharged, abandoned his wife & was living in Florida. Dunston told C that he would be "leading with it the next day." The CNO back-peddled and dropped the mast. Boone met C afterwards in bar. The SECNAV came in & set w/ them. Both C and the SECNAV ordered Burbon but the aired episode ended w/o them saying anything to each other. [although the close caption said: "one bourbon 2 straws"]

Tuesday, January 8, 2002

Capital Crimes - 146

M thought she had dream of her own death until she had flashbacks. She drug a frustrated Turner around, and eventually found the body of Cdr Laura Aikin who was working on nuclear disarmament pact with them. M pointed to a map and police found Yuri Lentov, an itinerant Russian cab driver, who had Aikins pack, wallet and credit cards. T asked why M just didn't "get over" H and "move on." M blurted out "it wouldn't work cause I'm in love w/ him" - then swore T to secrecy.

After several misleads, increasingly frustrating to T, M said they made a good team because he was cerebral and compulsive and she "not." They found that Aikin was pregnant w/ the child of director Morgan Deitz of a disarmament company who had lied to her about leaving his wife. Also that she had been harassed by Deitz's wife after being discovered by her. They also found that she had uncovered some weapons grade uranium missing from her inspections of Nerpa shipyard in Russia. Later they discovered that Lentov had: called a security officer at Nerpa shipyard several times; smuggled arms to Chechen Islamic fundamentalist rebels; and converted to Islam while in the Russian army. When threatened with deportation Lentov eventually gave the whereabouts of his accomplices & a seal team captured the ship.

H went to the USS Patrick Henry alone to investigate an incident during a "vertical replenishment" in which the JAG Lt Yuen had recommended charging the captain and half the crew. As standard procedure when JAG is in the chain of command, H "started over" which aggravated Yuen. Capt Ingles had ordered replenishment into the dark in 18 foot seas. PO Horton, a signalman, was directing the helicopter in his 3rd consecutive shift. A blue shirt, Gladstone, may have not adequately discharged the static electricity before the load set down thereby sparking and setting off the magnesium flares which ignited the ammunition injuring rookie airman J Lurie. Finally, to shut off further involvement of crew, the Capt accepted blame; but, H decided the mishap didn't require further charges, which further angered Yuen. H thanked Ingles for rescuing him from his mishap and said that he wished he was back on the carrier.
S barged into Hs apartment when he was gone, went through mail, snooping, met Sergei - who thought she was "pretty lady" even with her hair in a "fist." M reminded T if he let slip their "secret - you won't have a six." He retored, "is this what it's like being friends w/ you?" She said, "It's just the beginning."