The Sixth Juror - 219

[Weak (actually, completely stupid) plot with "contrived," gratuitous tension] Cr (Cr) sent Harm (H) and Mac (M) to Key West to investigate PO 2nd class Russ Foyle, who was charged with the "love triangle" murder of civilian Ben Hewitt over Lt. Eve Sorrens. Cr forced Coates (Co) on M as an assistant and kept Bud (B) in the office to continually bait him (as if it would make B jealous?) and assign him scut work. When H called and asked B for help deciphering a log book of the victims, Cr belittled B even more.

It was almost impossible to Voir Dire a jury on the small Boca Chi base. The Judge, Cdr Don Pulone, pushed Co into being the 6th juror (despite having already set in on several initial interviews with M?!) Then, when Co saw another juror romantically meeting Sorrens and reported it, Pulone accused her of "stalking" the other juror (?!) So: Hewitt was shot AFTER it had already started raining; Foyle was passed out drunk BEFORE it started raining (the flower stains on his shirt proved it!??). The judge chastised Coates for reporting juror misconduct, and juror 1was allowed to stand in the middle of the court and verbally discredit a witness! To which Coates, also on the jury, then rose and debated him! The 1st juror, who had lied in voir dire, finally admitted his affair with Sorrens. Then, now that she was openly discovered, Sorrens charged Capt Layton (her female base CO) with being sexually obsessed with her!(?!!).

B discovered that the log book, which H wanted him to decipher, actually used an old Civil War code. So, with a grand flourish, H wheeled a computer screen into court, asked for a continuance, and when the judge wouldn't grant it - called the judge to testify(?!!) The dead Hewitt was a bookie and Pulone's name was coded in his ledger for lots of money! The judge (Pulone) proceeded to hear Hs "testimony" and then testified (argued) himself in open court (!!???)

The conviening authority, Capt Layton, set aside Foyle's trial and remanded judge Palone to court marshal. Then, to cap off the absurdities, Cr pronounced his customary, final blustering belittlement of Capt Layton's positive evaluation of H, M and Coates. [This was definitely not the usual quality of work of the writer who also gave us: Wilderness of Mirrors, Walk on Wings, Answered Prayers and others!]