| 9/25/2001 | Adrift (Part II)
by Dana Coen & Stephen Zito
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. |
| 10/2/2001 | New Gun in Town
by Stephen Zito
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. |
| 10/9/2001 | The Measure of Men
by Dana Coen
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. |
| 10/16/2001 | Guilt
by David Ehrman
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?!!) |
| 10/23/2001 | Mixed Messages
by Nan Hagan
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." |
| 10/30/2001 | Redemption
by David Ehrman
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?" |
| 11/6/2001 | Ambush
by Don McGill
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. |
| 11/13/2001 | Jagathon
by Dana Coen
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. |
| 11/20/2001 | Dog Robber (Part I)
by Stephen Zito
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." |
| 11/27/2001 | Dog Robber (Part II)
by Stephen Zito
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 seem 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. |
| 12/11/2001 | Answered Prayers
by Paul Levine
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." |
| 1/8/2002 | Capital Crimes
by Don McGill
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." |
| 1/15/2002 | Code of Conduct
by Dana Coen
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"] |
| 1/22/2002 | Odd Man Out
by David Ehrman
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. |
| 2/5/2002 | Head to Toe
by Dana Coen & Don McGill
149 | H & M in Saudi Arabia defending a "Condor" pilot, Lt Stephanie Donato, for disobeying DOD & her base commander's orders; namely: not wearing an abeya with a veil and driving herself (i.e. in front seat) in an automobile with a male escort. She was told that the Abeya and veil rule "would be reconsidered" when she was assigned to fly food drops. It wasn't, so she complained to her CO and eventually wrote 8 letters and openly petitioned the Secretary of Defense. A security guard caught her in the restaurant and ordered her into an abeya and into the back seat of his vehicle. She disobeyed hence the court-martial. Throughout the episode H & M several times worked out compromises with prosecutor Lt Col Sara Coffey; however, her temper & tongue dug her in deeper. She apologized to a Muslim cleric who was "offended" by seeing her in the restaurant. When he started to pontificate about American women "not thinking" she told him that "a man who doesn't treat females any better than camels in his garage doesn't deserve to be in their company."
Really trying to avoid publicity Coffey kept offering to "deal." She asked H & M to meet her in town where she was participating in a meeting. M had to wear an abeya and veil and was shown being knocked into by Saudi men who treated her as if she wasn't there. She finally tore it off and said that they "wouldn't deal." Harm finally got her to explain that "it diminishes a woman's ability to be taken seriously." Additionally Donato was determined to publicize the issue but they were loosing. While flying a mission Donato had to emergency land in the desert due to engine failure. When, instead of trying to help, a local policeman tried to embarrass her and force an abeya on her she elbowed him in the gut. Then the men in her unit joined her crusade stating that "The Saudi's instead of offering help tried to humiliate her" and that the regs were "inconsistent w/ rules of good order & discipline & erode unit cohesion." No one needs to salute a female officer in an abeya if they don't know what rank she was. The final finding was that she did disobey orders but with extenuating circumstances so no court-martial. Gen Sawyer said unless she disbanded crusade he would ground her. Coffey answered the press for Donato: "DOD must realize that short term solutions cause long term problems"; and that we "look forward to the day when not one member of armed forces will be forced to suffer disrespect as a price for victory."
Leatham told H that she wanted to be kept "in loop" on the women's issue. C counseled T to "have some fun." So T took Leatham on a date to an Afghan restaurant where she didn't like either the food or sitting on the floor. She then suggested that they go to a Salsa club which he didn't like. B & Ht arrived late at the restaurant w/o reservations due to babysitter problems & joined their "not talking to each other" first date. T apologized to B & Ht for putting them in the middle and Ht counseled him to "try again." He did, and convinced Leatham to meet him at a "neutral place" to try again and took her to baby-sit little AJ to give B & Ht another chance at a date. |
| 2/26/2002 | The Mission
by Stephen Zito
150 | Harm & Mac were sent to the Seahawk to stop JAGs (Lt Cdr Jack Hillyard in particular) from preventing the prosecution of war by demanding 100% certainty of targets. When he got there H was asked by Capt. Johnson to fly missions with the ships' pilots to help refine the rules of engagement. H told M he was glad that she was there w/ him. In one mission H became flight leader due to mechanical problems which upset the "real" leader. Gen Taylor (anvil 22) assigned a target. The ground spotter refined the target to an old school where suspected senior Al Qaeda & Taliban leaders were located. M, acting as the JAG advisor, asked if there were buildings which would be collaterally damaged. The spotter said there were but it was night and he believed that it was unlikely that any civilians were there. M advised they might "prosecute the target" which surprised the AWACs crew who were used to prolonged deliberation and questioning. H took the target out & managed to avoid a stinger shot from the shoulder of a terrorist but he sustained damage to one engine which he needed to shut down. Then, when he tried to refuel, he didn't have enough power to stay attached to the tanker so he couldn't take on much fuel. He had to land w/ one weak engine and, despite paddles shouting "eject, eject," he didn't eject; and had just enough power at last second to land. When the Capt. asked Hillyard if he saw how it was done, Hillyard said that he would have requested more information. Johnson told him that "he may be a good attorney but you make a lousy wartime JAG" and said he was going to relieve him from duties.
Turner was assigned TAD to Latham as "someone I can trust" during budget hearings. They ended up talking about themselves and T said that he was in the navy due to his father. He said he had no regrets- he played in an army navy game and even saw the northern lights from a sub conning tower at the north pole. L was raised by her mother & 2 aunts. They were poor. L was worried about what she would say in the hearings so T prepared statements for her which he said were: "so obscure in wording they would sow confusion & dismay amongst enemies." L browbeat T into kissing her. Tiner was shown having passed his exams for PO 1st class.
Chegwidden offered Bud the option of overseas shore duty or aboard a ship for his career advancement and he didn't act too enthused. B & Ht discussed his reassignment then Ht told C she was ok w/ it but that it was B who was a bit reluctant for change. C told her that he had been helping coach high school baseball team for some time. He said he had been a pitcher and was drafted 2nd round by Cleveland but turned it down for an Annapolis appointment then the SEALs. He said he had never looked back - till now. S eavesdropped on B telling Ht about Cs offer and was so blindingly jealous that she demanded Tiner give her an audience w/ C. She told C she had heard the news from B (as they were very "tight") but that she was "a better lawyer than B." C did put her in her place: "you have a lot to prove to me as a lawyer & as a person" but as she was leaving he called after her "you'll get your chance." B was defending, and S prosecuting, PO Jeff Massuco for hit & run driving. She immediately told B she was going to "kick his ass" in the trial and proceeded to buried him w/ frivolous paper work. She opposed every request for witnesses, funds, and then even a continuance, so B could answer all her paperwork. B was portrayed as hapless and became sleep deprived simultaneously caring for little AJs flu to the neglect of his case. Then S buried an important witness in the middle of a list of 28 names and B fell asleep in court! Massuco was found guilty, no surprise. Then his convening authority got new evidence & believed that Bs defense was incompetent. C authorized inquiry into his defense as preliminary to article 32 hearings… [episode to be continued]. |
| 3/5/2002 | Exculpatory Evidence
by Eric Morris
151 | [Continued from previous episode] Capt Proudy, Pax River commander, set aside Massuco's conviction due to Bud's "dereliction of duty." Turner investigated and recommended that Chegwidden hold an article 32 hearing on B. Harm defended, and was angry at T who wouldn't make an offer commensurate with alleged wrong doing. C suggested to B that "you find the same confidence in yourself and your ability as an attorney as I do." Mac was called to testify that Buds falling asleep, missing a filing deadline and not contacting a defense witness, Sandra Connor, was not up to standards. H got Connor to admit having an affair with Massuco; then, that Massuco had taken the exculpatory cover letter from Singers packet himself because he thought that all the other evidence was circumstantial and doing so would save his shakey marriage. So B was not court-martialed.
Sergei Zhukov was upset that Hs mother "wanted time" to think about giving Hs father's Vietnam letters to the immigration departe in order to prove his paternity which allow him citizenship. B asked Mac to "join the team" to stop H & M from fighting. C found that T, Leatham and H were setting him up with dates and told them off. C sent Meredith Cavanaugh home, incorrectly thinking that Mac was "puerile" too. C offered his "sincere apologies" to Meredith who retorted "what would an insincere apology look like." They quoted Shakespeare to each other and the episode ended with them staring at each other. |
| 3/12/2002 | Hero Worship
by Don McGill & Dana Coen
152 | (a well crafted episode) The SECNAV ordered Chegwidden to send Harm and Mac to investigate the captain of the old destroyer, USS John Cooper, for a "lack of leadership" under the guise of investigating a galley fire. Seaman Tim Holley of sick bay, a 4th generation "squid," was trying to live up to his fathers accomplishments and saved seaman Todd Raff's life from a fire. Raff admitted to smoking in the galley. M reccommended an article 32 but the captain wanted to handle it merely with a captain's mast. Adm Albrecht, of SURFLANT, wanted "to send message to the captain" so took authority himself and ordered the article 32 hearing. H eventually showed that a sparking electrical short could have caused the fire. M, the prosecutor, said that "Albrecht wanted Raff out to teach the captain a lesson." H then found an Oxygen tank leak from sickbay had acted as an accelerant causing flash over. Raff wouldn't let H use it however, out of loyalty to Holley's career. So he was sent to court-martial. H told M that it was out of the "price of Loyalty."
C consulted with Carl Messing, a White House aide, in producing a white house dinner honoring all the surviving medal of honor recipients. One hero, Cpl. Henry Guernsey was excluded by the white house Chief of Staff because he had a pending court date for shoplifting. C went to meet Guernsey and found that he was over 80, confused and barely coping since his wife had died. Guernsey had held off 400 Japanese with 2 boxes of hand grenades, saving his platoon. Meredith forced C into a picnic on a lawn and made terrible tasting food, but gave C insight into helping Guernsey himself. C connected Guernsey with an organization to obtain a roommate, got him a uniform and arranged an alternative party specifically for him with his old 2nd platoon. C told Messing that "undervaluing their contribution because he's imperfect makes us look petty and thoughtless." The only persons so described were the president's COS and Adm Albrecht who both "got their own ways" but never found out just how petty they were. B was exonerated from his dereliction charges but C told him it was "not your finest hour." B & Harriet were trying to decide upon a next duty station to use his "second chance" to further his career. |
| 3/26/2002 | First Casualty
by Paul Levine
153 | Reporter Stuart Dunston was involved in an ambush when he was "tag along" with a SEAL team who were after Mustafa Atef, an Al Qaeda leader, and sustained both military and civilian casualties. Harm eventually found that Dunston had had made a satellite phone call (with GPS coordinates) before the ambush despite being told not to. The SECNAV reamed H and Mac for "harassing" the press. He overturned the field commanders negative decision and allowed Dunston to go on the missioin. "Title 10, Article 802" allowed Dunston to be court-martialed with president (GW Bush) as the convening authority. [The show cited previous cases of the press compromising military efforts and being court martialled; however, neither Lincoln or Gen Andrew Jackson actually had completed the prosecution.)
Turner vehemently argued with H and defended Dunston. The SECNAV testified that he was guilty for not listening to the field commanders. It was shown that Dunstons GPS electronics couldn't have been the give-away; but, M overheard Dunston's assistant speaking Farsi the she lied about it when confronted. The assistant had tipped off her Al Qaeda cousin in Pakistan after Dunston had called in his report to her. Dunston then plead guilty and apologized. T admitted that he was wrong; H admitted being wrong; and M said "I wasn't wrong about anything." Bud is on the USS Seahawk and is keeping secret about PO Jennifer Coates being his "legal-man." Singer is still snotty and jealous of him and continued pressing C for an overseas assignment. |
| 4/9/2002 | Port Chicago
by Don McGill
154 | Turner defended retired Chief Aubrey McBride who was charged, along with 49 others, with mutiny when they refused to go back to loading ammunition during WWII after 320 men were killed in an explosion at Port Chicago. The chief, a black man pensioned after 30 yrs of service, said he "owed his buddy Randall Winston" who had just died; so, he demanded "his day in court." He said that it had been a racial issue. C assigned Singer to prosecute; but, when she became hatefully vindictive he assigned Mac to 2nd chair in order to "tone her down." M said that she'd "rather have the electric chair." When the SECNAV was convinced that it would look bad on him he offered the chief a deal. The chief turned down the offer of: an apology to all the men, that racial prejudice had influenced assignments, conditions had been hazardous and discriminatory, a presidential pardon for 50, and congressional exoneration. So, S widened the charges. H advised T, who was defending Aubrey, to make S deal with the racial conditions. He got his father, Chaplain Turner, to testify. The "secret meeting" that was observed being held by the black men in the brig, was to get the men to OBEY their orders. The men had asked for safety changes but they only recieved GLOVES! The Chief was found not guilty on all counts.
H tried to fix Harriet's refrigerator, then she begged him to help her buy a house. He agreed on the condition that she told B that she was accepting her fathers money for the house. She lied to H and didn't tell B. B was also not telling Ht about Co being his legal man. |
| 4/30/2002 | Tribunal
by Charles Holland
155 | A very rare military tribunal was held aboard the USS Seahawk, of Mustafa Atef (MA), an al Qaeda leader. Chegwidden didn't get anyone to volunteer to be defense counsel, so he did it himself; then, Turner volunteered to be his his 2nd chair. A disagreement over who was 1st chair for the defense was settled with a coin toss. Mac chose "tails" and became 2nd to H. Capt Sebring presided with 6 others. MAs Involuntary confession was obtained by Webb during psychological duress and was not allowed. A local warlord, Gen. Hassan Abdullah, was leading a detention camp of Taliban and al Qaeda captives. He tipped off army Cpt Dale Alexander, who captured MA, but first running into a lone sniper. T had to bodily stop C from choking MA after MA had said that those who died in 9/11 "got what they deserved." W and M went to the detention camp to see if MAs brother, Kabir, the sniper, was there. Mac was taken hostage at knifepoint by the detainees and was saved by the Gunny (who was also there at the camp) and W. H played on MAs vanity during the trial and he arrogantly testified, admitting to being "the Mohandes" who had trained men and planned 9/11. He was convicted but committed suicide in his cell before he could give info about Kabir or the future al Qaeda attack involving russia and payment of $250 million.
Singer was left in charge during Cs absence and abused Harriet with work until she finally told S that: leadership "is not a power trip". Our stripes "give us authority, but it's what's inside which makes us a leader and you would know that if you had it!" |
| 5/7/2002 | Defending His Honor
by Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine
156 | [Interesting story, tantalizing back-story about Webb and Terrorists, annoying soapbox opera between Bud and Harriet] The substitute ranking officer, Singer, welcomed Chegwidden back from his absence with a list of her "make work" accomplishments which made Harriet tell him that everyone is "extremely" grateful that he was back. Singer then, intentionally fomented discord between them by telling Harriet about Coates being on the ship with Bud -- and B about Hts buying a new house; neither of who had told the other. Singer's intent was that she might get Bs billet if he decided to come home. Turner volunteered to 2nd chair Mac against Harm's defense of Judge, Capt Seibring (Sb), for the involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Wilson's baby, Ruby, during some of his "road rage." Sb refused to plea bargain with M on his principles saying that he didn't do it. Chegwidden testified that Sb had the patience of a saint so M went after a time when Sb's son had run away from drug rehab and Sb used "tough love" by throwing him out of the house. Sb told H to "drop it" when H tried to explain it away in redirect. Then, when H went ahead anyway, Judge Helfman had to gavel Sb down when he "lost it." A disgruntled nurse, Fran Masters, came forward to give M an answering machine tape where she was chastised by Sb after she had left her job at his house early, leaving his seriously ill wife alone. He had fired Masters. Although M told H that the plea bargain was still on the table but H declined and went to see Nora Moran, a close friend of Wilson. She gave H information that Wilson had seen a doctor for depression. H re-cross examined Wilson who lied about not being depressed, then that the anti-depressant pills were from "after" the accident, then that the pharmacist had mistakenly identified her, then that the lab had mixed up her post accident blood test with someone else. H skillfully pushed her not only into the lies but breaking down and confessing that she had decided to commit suicide and take the baby with her. She had intentionally run off the road herself. The charges were dismissed.
H connected Webb with Alexi (of the KGB who had helped prevent the assassination of Putin with him) when Webb wanted to track Kabir Atef. Captain Mikael Yerastov was seen accepting a gift from Kabir aboard his ship in Murmansk by another captain who had been approached earlier to help in an action against the US. Yerastov was described as a legend, the last cold warrior, who taught strategy and tactics at the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. When they went to find Yerastov they found that they he had disappeared. Later Kabir and Yerastov were shown in a convoy of three jeeps on the border of Iran and Afghanistan. Kabir gave Yerastov a satchel of money and left the jeeps saying that he would meet Yerastov in Bander Abbas. Kabir is a blue and brown eyed Iranian. |
| 5/14/2002 | In Country
by Dana Coen
157 | [A follow-up to the previous stories where nuclear material was stolen from Russia, a Russian submarine captain was recruited by Kabir, and Kabir's brother committed suicide after being tried for terrorism by Harm and Mac - with Chegwidden defending.] Gunny is in Afghanistan working black ops with Clayton Webb trying to find Kabir and accidentally called in a strike against a civilian vehicle. The family was to have been warned to stay home by Gunny's eight month native friend, Fareeza, who was documenting Afghan genealogy, so they didn't suspect anyone but Kabir would be on the road. The SecNav sent Harm and Mac back to Afghanistan to "keep a watch for the navy's interests." They elicited Gunny's help to keep tabs on Webb. A local warlord and informant, Zumai Fureeq, tried to get Webb to take out his competition by giving false location of Kabir; but, Webb realized it and didn't follow through with the payment. H & M found that the village had not been warned by Fareeza, then found a young boy who recognized her picture as being with a "man with one brown and one blue eye," Kabir. Going back to camp M swerved to miss a goat and hit a land mine with their HumVee's tires throwing H out of the vehicle into a mine field. On the way back he stepped on a mine which would detonate when he lifted his foot. M slid an ammo box over it so H could stand on it then jump to safety. They needed to hike back to camp and ended up "sharing body heat" sleeping under the stars on a bluff overlooking a small group of huts - which would be hit later that night by a strike called in by Webb. Back at JAG headquarters Singer appeared to Harriet to be gloating over H & M being missing so called her a "coward" and suggested they "remove their bars." Harriet took her into closed office and decked her. Later Singer told Chegwidden that she had walked into door and that she would "respond, but not in a way that the admiral needed to be concerned about."
Bud and Coates, on board the carrier, sparred with Dale Woodley, a CIA agent who was using inappropriate tactics in interrogation. Woodley stormed out telling B that "this one is all yours." B was able to get the location of Kabir's camp from the US trained, captive terrorist by talking star trek. Webb called in the massive strike and wouldn't listen to Gunny who tried to get him to change it into a rescue mission (of Fareeza)… so gunny decked him to get his attention. Finally Webb listened but couldn't get the strike changed. Webb told Gunny of a woman he knew in South America before an uprising, intending to commiserate with Gunny but claimed what happened to her was "classified." Bud was shown advising the captain and legally "approving" the strike which nearly took out H & M, who were sleeping on the bluff. The next day H & M were found walking down the road and taken to the village where W and G were helping sift through the body's and Commander Teresa Coulter was helping with forensics. They pulled Fareeza from the rubble and before she died she said that she had run into Kabir at the first house she went to warn but he had convinced the family that she was actually a CIA agent and they needed to flee in the same direction he was going. Of course they were the ones who were killed by Gunny's attack and Kabir escaped. Webb quoted the words: Nuestro amor de es el nino del padre (our love is the child of a cruel father), to the grieving Gunny. A few of the dead also had "radiation poisoning" and one of the huts was still "hot." They found a severed finger with a ring inscribed to Kabir and initially thought he was dead; but, Coulter discovered that it had been cut off and not blown off. At the end Kabir was shown waving goodbye to a truck with a bandaged hand. |
| 5/21/2002 | Enemy Below
by Charles Holland
158 | [The season Finale - the resolution to a sub-plot covering several episodes; and, a cliff hanger involving Bud] JAG was "on point" in a nuclear crisis with Chegwidden, Singer and Turner taking the lead, per the SECNAVs instructions. Vice Adm Holt was in charge of the operation. Mustafa Atef's (a terrorist who was tried, found guilty and committed suicide) brother Kabir was found recruiting Capt Mikael Yerastov (Russian submariner) for an Iranian mission. Webb bugged Ahmad Hakim's Pakistani Embassy office with a cigar box then Baited him with information that the US knew he was a double agent with the Iranians, and that they also knew of their $250 million payment for the submarine Najvayi. He also said that they knew it had been retrofitted for ss-25 cruise missiles. In a play on "Hunt for red October" Yerastov was the only commander to have ever eluded the US boats who were trailing her; AND, fortunately Turner was the only sonar operator who had never lost Yerastov! So Turner was sent to the Seahawk battle group's submarine, the Watertown, to assist captain Flagler and act as the "wildcard" that Yerastov didn't expect. Yerastov, T said, had made a study of Flagler, knew what he would do and would capitalize on that knowledge. When Flagler tried to argue with him over a next step, T told him "I am Alec Baldwin."
Harm and Mac were still investigating the nuclear weapons disappearance in Afghanistan and found a truck driver with radiation poisoning which lead to his town where many Chechen's were also dying. They deduced that a previous episodes' Cmdr Aiken had been killed by a Chechen, who's confession then led to the recapture of 30 kilos weapons grade uranium bound from Russia. But they realize that they may not have recaptured it all.
Bud was assigned by Capt Johnson to redo the rules of engagement for submarines. Bud presented his plan for a "rolling sovereignty" (Cordone Sanitare) around the battle group with authorization to shoot if any ship entered into it. It was accepted through JAG, 5th fleet, CENTCOM, SECDEF and the Joint Chief's! (all in one episode!) The Seahawk set the perimeter initially at 10 miles but when JAG people started piecing all the puzzle together and they realized it was armed with a missile, the captain extended it. T deduced that the Najvayi was heading for the Arabian gulf and began trailing it. Flagler initially didn't follow Ts advice and nearly got them killed.
Harm was then announced as the all time "missile X" champ (shooting down missiles using a jet) so he went up as "wing" with Lt Cdr Chaidez. The Watertown did finally torpedo the Najvayi; but, it was just after it shot its cruise with the "dirty nuke." The Russian men on the Najvayi were dying of radiation sickness because the missile wasn't shielded. Chaidez didn't get the target until it was too close to the Watertown to take the shot, so Harm let the missile target onto his own jet and chase him past the ship until it flamed out!
To make it a cliff hanger Bud and Coates investigated the collateral damage to a school of a military operation and got the navy to rebuild it. When they went together to the ribbon cutting ceremony B saw a boy playing in the mine field and tried to save him. He was shown getting blown up and severing his right leg as the episode closed. |
