| 10/3/2000 | Legacy (Part I)
by Ed Zuckerman
111 | [Two part season opener important to Harm's backstory] Russian helicopter pilot Sergei Zhukov was shot down over Chechnya by a missile. Before it exploded he went back for his papers which turned out to be a photo of Harm (H). H was sent to Russia to "advise" on their military's legal system. Chegwidden (C). told him "just don't shoot holes in their courtroom ceilings." He was stuck in an old lavatory with a selection of files 30 years old in Russian. A Russian came in appearing drunk and going to use the toilet before H strongly stopped him. He helped H read some Russian files until H showed insight into Russian soldiers' problems then dropped his drunk act. Capt Volkonov told him that some "do-gooders" in the Kremlin arranged Hs mission but "these people see no advantage in it." He enlisted Hs support in going after a corrupt Col Gen, Arkady Krylov. He showed H Krylov's mansion which he obtained by selling weapons to Chechens. He was the Dept Commander of Western Forces who were fighting the Chechens! They went to Krylov's base, ostensibly to observe the legal system, and Krylov assigned Zhukov to fly them around a limited area. Eventually Zhukov told H that the missile which shot him down was Russian and rumors were that arms convoys from Kanyshev arrive with less than their manifests. H and Volkonov flew with Zhukov in air support for the next convoy. He dropped them off to inspect the manifest and was ordered to go to Bamut while they did. The convoy was ambushed and everyone killed except H and Volkonov. When Zhukov returned H slugged him for setting them up and called him a liar. Sergei said he "would not lie to the son of Lt Harmon Rabb" and explained that Rabb had escaped from a Siberian Gulag and was taken in by a farm woman in the village of Suishchevo. He later died defending the woman from drunken soldiers; and, the woman was his mother so H was his brother.
Mac (M) and Bud (B) were prosecuting Cdr Wade Carlton who was caught selling secrets to a Russian Embassy agent Andre Suknoff. Carlton tried to bargain with M for his cooperation but was blown up in a car bomb. C, M and B went over all the information he sold and found a map of Michigan and some plans for an unknown plant named "rouge." B found a new phone number Carlton had called several times after his arrest and it turned out to be Clayton Webb's (W). W said that Carlton had wanted to trade information on a big operation but W had delayed until after the trial which was too late. Brumby (Brum) was at Ms apartment fixing dinner when W came with information so he was sent to walk Jingo. M and B accompanied W to find the person who recently bought a remote control device and met "Mark Falcon"/ Major Sokol at the house. Sokol said that the assassin was Vasilieve Rokatov but he had already gone. M and Brum were going out again when Sokol came with new information so Brum took Jingo for another walk. Sokol told M, W and B that Rokatov had also been paid for an earlier assassination in the US but it had been cancelled then recently rescheduled. B put together that it was the Detroit "rouge" auto plant that President Putin had planned to visit. A military faction, which Suknoff and Krylov were in, had Carlton killed because he had guessed their plan. Krylov was then shown talking to Rokatov in Russia.
W convinced C that M should go to Russia to act independently pursuing the assassin of Carlton because they were uncertain which KGB faction Sokol was really in. C told him that he just wanted a "stalking horse to stir things up" and W agreed. He told M to "go get 'em" then menacingly told W "you better keep an eye on her." Harriet (Ht) returned Madonna's dress that she had worn but it had cheesecake stains on it. She had pelvic pains at JAG and C took her to the doctor's office. They met Dr. Gettis who was ordering a Porsche because he was a "short timer." He did an ultrasound which showed that she just had ligament strain and that the baby was a girl. Brum fished for assurance that M wanted him there, after quitting the navy and moving to DC without telling her. B was assigned to defend the Navy against a suit by a contestant in a reality show who had been "rescued" from a sinking raft against her will, thus causing her to loose the contest. |
| 10/10/2000 | Legacy (Part II)
by Ed Zuckerman
112 | [Continuation of season opener, an important episode to Harm's back-story] Sergei Zhukov, Harm's (H) recently found brother, showed H a photo that he carried of Harmon Rabb Sr and Sergei's mother together in Russia. Meanwhile, Alexi the opportunist cab driver, met Mac (M) and Webb (W) at the airport. M asked him if he was still working for the CIA, KGB, FSB or Russian Mafia. Sokol interrupted with "no, for me." Sokol was upset that they were in Russia and was going to deport them until W offered to work for him; because, "who else can you trust?" Sokol took W with him and told M that H went to investigate Krylof without knowing he was in the middle of their investigation of Rokotof the assassin. M asked Alexi what the fare was to Chechnya. Corporal Trapeznikov, the communication clerk who called Sergei the order to abandon the convoy, was gone. He was granted an early discharge by Krylov. They went to the exit camp and Trapeznikov said that it was Krylov who had ordered the guards to withdraw, then told them were to find the original signed order. M, speaking Russian fluently, bribed her way through a guard that was ordered to stop a Moscow taxi. Changing a flat tire, Alexi wanted to turn back and alluded to her love for H. She said she was practically engaged to Brumby (Brum) and Alexi asked "how many artillery attacks have you driven through for him?" H and Volkonov found the signed order but Krylov planted stolen weapons on Sergei's helicopter and arrested him on a trumped up charge of treason. W panicked that M was missing. Sokol confessed that he had manipulated Hs whole situation and that he did "like H" which is why he had "thrown something extra in the pot for him to meet a family surprise."
H and Volkonov were allowed to defend Sergei but their witness was "accidentally" killed in a mine accident. The trial was a set up with graft ridden judges who denied all motions and threatened to jail H for submitting evidence against Krylov. Krylov lied and H had to refute him with the information that Sergei was his brother. Sokol lost Rokatov from his surveillance. President Putin was flying to visit his troops at Krylov's camp. Sergei was sentenced to death, after the judges denied any appeal, to be carried out the next day. H and Volkonov went to appeal to Krylov for a stay to appeal, under their law, to Putin. Krylov said they could "ask Putin themselves this afternoon when he comes." She M arrived H, Sergei and Volkonov were all locked in the brig together close to where Putin was shortly arriving. She spotted Rokatov the informed them all of the assassin then was locked in as well. Rokatov drove a vehicle loaded with explosives next to the brig; then, when guards tried to keep them inside H subdues him and they went after Rokatov. Sergei defused the remote device and H hot-wired the vehicle. He chased Rokatov, who had the remote detonator, down the tarmac. He caught up with him just as Sokol and W arrived. Sergei refused to go back with H even with Ws 1st class "company" upgrade.
Bud (B) defended the navy in a suit brought by Miss Reynolds, a reality show contestant, for causing her to loose a million dollars when they "rescued" her from her sinking raft in the ocean. The same full-of-herself, I-am-the-law civilian judge as in other episodes was a survivor fan and "chatted" with Reynolds on the stand. Reynolds claimed she didn't want to be rescued. Captain Anson said he thought that her unrealistic combativeness was delirium and that he had never heard of the TV show. B showed that the captain was under orders to rescue anyone in distress in the sea. Reynolds was belligerent and condescending about the ships sailors who hadn't even heard of the show - B put her in her place. The shows producer, Berlin, said that Reynolds was in no danger then pre-emptively announced that she had been selected as the first contestant in their new series "marry me now" and would win $1 million if she was married in four hours. The judge dismissed the case when Reynolds began asking everyone in the courtroom to marry her. Brum came to JAG, ostensibly to deliver a witness list, but asked Chegwidden (C) about Ms wereabouts. C asked him if he was "more bothered that M was missing or that H was missing with her." |
| 10/17/2000 | Florida Straits
by Dana Coen
113 | Brumby (Brum) came to Mac's (M) apartment dressed in dark glasses and trench coat because "you only spend time with spy's." He said he had moved into Rock Creek Park with a good view and asked M to come with him to a lunch in his honor given by the boss of his new firm. M felt uncomfortable but agreed to go and was introduced to Larry Kaliski, senior partner at Ryan, Price and Sealy. Brum left her alone and she saw Kaliski and others ogling her and Brum gloating about being with her. Upset, she confronted him and he flew off the handle playing the martyr about having to constantly pursue her and walk her dog. He angrily shot that he "wasn't going to jeopardize this opportunity because of something that happened to her in her past" and told her to "get in the car." He later called and left a message on her machine that he had calmed down enough to talk and gave his address meant M had to come to him. She did and found him, still arrogant and playing the martyr, but she apologized to him. She told him that he "challenged her, in the best way, my preconceptions about men." He asked "do you love me?" and she said "yes." He said "is that because I love you," and she responded, "because you ARE you." He lit a match and said he was adding "another light to celebrate another week of having each other in our lives." Dr Walden and her son Danny came to JAG when Chegwidden (C) had forgotten their dinner date. She had told C that Danny had "good character" for returning a "friends" stolen goods. Renee, in Harm's (H) apartment, advised him that he should not keep information about his newly found brother, Sergei, from his mother because she had a right to know. Before that was settled Chegwidden called with an assignment.
Capt Berroa of the frigate USS Stanley Dace went to rescue Reynalda Montilla, a girl floating in the ocean off Cuba, and was "painted" by a Cuban vessel. They backed the vessel off but C sent Harm (H) and Bud (B) to investigate. Berroa, a Cuban orphan himself, said that Reynalda would probably be sent back because she wasn't "feet dry" (having had her feet on US soil). She and her father were in a 12 foot scow going to Florida when it sank in total darkness. He put air in his pants for a flotation device for her but was separated. She was poked by sharks until rescued. Her mother died when she was three and said she wanted to be taken to the US. Berroa denied permission for the INS agent, Mrs. Vitagliano, to land aboard the ship and told H that he was going to see that Reynalda got to the US. Thinking quick, H suggested that the INS might send Reynalda to the US because her father was dead and she had relatives in Florida. C told H that the "president was having 'Elian Gonzales nightmares' and doesn't want her anywhere near US soil." H didn't tell C about the helicopter incident then explained to B that he "respected the captain because he was smart enough to stay true to his principles without breaking rules." Vitagliano said she was sending Reynalda back because she had relatives in Cuba with the means to care for her. She explained that the circuit appeals court had held that a 12 year old could apply for asylum but a 6 year old wasn't old enough to do it. Reynalda began having stomach cramps while the Berroa was talking to her and he suggested that they take Reynalda to the US for diagnosis and treatment. Alone, he told her he hadn't suggested Reynalda fake an illness because he "breaks rules cleanly." Reynalda developed a fever so Vitagliano decided to allow taking her to the US. While H was on speakerphone explaining to the SECNAV and C they heard the general quarters alarm on the ship and H hung up. The Cubans claimed that Orlando Montilla, her father, was picked up by a garbage scow and returned to Cuba. Reynalda became "stable" so Vitagliano flip-flopped and wanted to send her back. H suggested that they verify the Cubans claim and the government invited Vitagliano and H to come and see. They were taken to see Castro and were shown on ZNN where C could see.
The Cuban interpreter wasn't doing it right so H confronted her on it. She then interpreted correctly but the father seemed pressured to say that he was happy in Cuba with his newly offered job and wanted to be with Reynalda. H told the captain of his orders and Berroa ordered him to stand down then headed for Key West. He told them that his Cuban parents had sent him, at four year of age, alone, to the US when they heard that Cuban children were being sent to school in East Germany. His father died in prison and his mother died of "heart failure" when she was 38. The SECNAV and C called and Berroa put the call on speakerphone so the SECNAV couldn't swear or act abusive. C advised the SECNAV to relieve Berroa of command and before he could Berroa cut the connection. H advised the XO, Cdr William Crozier, to get the SECNAV back on the phone but he said that he wouldn't. H asked if it was worth "your career to take a dive for the captains principles." Crozier wanted to talk to Reynalda who then told them that she still wanted to go to the US because she and her father had made an agreement that the one who made it would stay and the other would keep trying. A flash message came to the XO from the SECNAV and Berroa put Crozier under arrest so he couldn't take it. When they arrived at Key West they were stopped by Rodney Koger of the state department who told Vitagliano that it was the 7th circuit appeals court who set up the age of 12 and "we are in the 11th circuit." H stepped in with the idea that the parents wishes had no bearing when they were "abusive. He endangered her life in a broken down ship." He suggested Vitagliano take Reynalda into custody for processing. And B said "if the father wants to contest it he can come her to testify." Vitagliano backed Koger down the Reynalda was shown putting her feet on US soil and Berroa taken into custody. Vitagliano told H that if she "wasn't too old, too short or too married… never mind." |
| 10/24/2000 | Flight Risk
by Jonathan Kaplan
114 | [Barely believable episode] Tiner (Ti) looked through a college catalogue for classed to complete his bachelor's degree thinking of going to law school. Then he commented to Gunny (G) that he thought that being a lawyer was too calm and peaceful using the office as an example of people being so "nice." G complimented him on his powers of observation. Renee showed a sneak preview of her election commercial for Bobbi Latham to the JAG crew but it was anti-military spending and fell flat. She said they weren't her target audience. H hadn't heard from Sergei in two weeks. Renee still nagged Harm (H) to tell his mother about his half-brother Sergei. After all she had raised H alone so "probably wouldn't break." He came home one evening to find his mother and Renee in his apartment. Hs mother was on her way back from Venice where she renewed her vows with Frank, her new husband. Renee told H to ask them "where Frank bought their ring." H might have told his mother about Sergei but she revealed that she had "grieved all over again" when she found out that H had evidence he was really dead. Chegwidden (C) told Dr Walden that the next place they went for lunch had to have vertebrates on the menu, and asked her to the opera for her birthday. Danny Walden came to JAG and told (C)C about usually having dinner at a favorite resteraunt of his fathers on his mothers birthday so C agreed to go change and go with them both. C asked Mac (M) to look at, and comment on, his birthday gift, the complete works of Shakespeare. She called it "too thoughtful" and not enough romantic until C quoted a very romantic passage from it. Then Danny was a "no-show" at the dinner and didn't answer his phone so as to destroy his mothers date with C. They finally found him at home feigning innocence with a grin obvious to C but not to his mother.
H and Bud (B) bet on Ms tardiness to work. H won $1 for 0:5:12. Brumby (Brum) was there unexpectedly to M and embarrassed her. She told him "surprise, I've moved to America; surprise you're my brunch date; surprise, were working together." He claimed he "didn't want to mix business and pleasure" and she said "but back on the surprises or there won't be any more pleasure." H and B were assigned to investigate Frohl Technologies where two navy pilots were killed picking up a refurbished F14. Brum was representing FrohlTech and dogged them claiming pilot error, even into their JAG meeting! (?!!) He interfered with their interviews of employees and H didn't comment on it (?!!) Lt. Burke and Cdr Urquizu signed for the plane from Lt Cdr Holtsford, working at FrohlTech, then died when it crashed after take off. They met FrohlTech's test pilot, Wilson, who invited H to fly with him sometime. H finally talked to a rude mechanic alone who asked "what do pilots use for birth control?" H answered, "their personality," and asked "what is the difference between a pilot and a jet engine?" The mechanic answered, "the engine stops whining when it lands." H found that a plane was ready for pickup except for a CSD (constant speed drive) so Holtsford used the one out of the mishap plane. Then when it was ready he cannibalized the CSD from another arriving plane without paperwork, testing or inspection. C agreed to proceed with court martial of Holtsford but Latham (L)came asking for records saying that she had given Holtsford immunity for testifying in her committee on military waste and fraud. She became loud and abusive to H saying that "it's a done deal" so he demanded to be there. She was against project "spyglass" (another FrohlTech project) and H said that there wouldn't be a hearing if she wasn't in a reelection campaign. Going to a pre-hearing conference Congressman Porter told H that he was on "a fool's errand" to which L commented "and that makes me the fool?" Porter said that Spyglass was satellites which could read the label on Castro's cigar. Holtsford asked if he had immunity in the conference as well and was told "as long as you tell the truth." He dumped the whole thing on FrohlTech, saying that they never had enough man power, cut corners, hired inexperienced mechanics making it impossible to do the job without cannibalizing parts, falsifying reports and gun decking inspections; and so they could get through this job and onto the next. H said it was Holtsford's job to protect the Navy's interest and he said that he had been passed over for Cdr twice and was out in a year. FrohlTech had offered him a job to if he just got the planes out on time.
H was having mixed feelings about FrohlTech because he liked Spyglass. Porter questioned Holtsford who said that he had never seen the Jim Hepperly, the "big boss." Then Porter revealed a secret tape recording from Hepperly's office of Holtsford trying to "shake them down" for money in order to "say the right thing." Hepperly told him to "get out of his office." So L "bailed" on the issue trying to avoid bad press. H pointed out that Holtsford had lied making his immunity void and the court-martial back on. He volunteered to defend Holtsford and C advised that "there were other forums to expose corporate misdeeds." Brum still dogged Hs interview and was complimented on his "complete whitewash, except you forgot to fill in the hole where they crashed." Wilson asked H if he was "still turning over rocks" and H said that "the worms have a lawyer" so he had to leave. He then took Wilson up on the offer to fly and was told it was though H had never been out of the cockpit. They had to hurry back because the runway closed at 4 pm and he would be fined $500 which made H suspicious and he faked a CSD failure nearly running them into the ground until Wilson said "damn idiots, they keep doing this!" He still refused to testify for H because they wouldn't let him fly again but told H where to look. Brum claimed harassment and M obviously tag teamed with him against H so the judge denied Hs request for records. A mechanic said that when he came to work at 3 Wilson had just taken off to test the mishap plane. H knew Wilson couldn't have done the full 2 hour test if the runway closed at 4 so Wilson finally agreed to testify. He said that they scheduled 3 tests after noon which couldn't be done. M was shamed into agreeing with obtaining records and FrohlTech swamped them with useless records to obfuscate issues. L, B, M and H were going over the records when Brum walked in and confessed that he was there while the top echelon were culling papers to submit. He said that he had taken a memo and then gave them the "smoking gun." The memo was about "risk/reward analysis" on the refurbishment project and said they would cut their losses by "limiting the parameters of infrastructure support" preferring a few fines to the continued losses of doing it right. H and M bargained for Holtsford's "negligent homicide with 18 months." FrohlTech got a $10 million fine, reprimand and promise to work harder on the spyglass project. |
| 10/31/2000 | JAG TV
by Patrick Labyorteaux
115 | Ensign Kingsly killed Misty James, her husband Andy's lover, with a pipe wile she was forcing Andy to break up with Misty in her presence. Harm (H) and Mac (M) investigated and found that Kingsley and her husband had different stories but James had no defensive marks on her body and the fingerprints on the pipe, which were hers, were placed over spinal fluid meaning that she was attacked by surprised and the pipe placed in her hand after she had been hit. When Kinsley was arrested she hired Juanita Ressler, Ms old law school professor, to defend her. Ressler had her appear in the press where she claimed that she used self defense and had screamed out "they are trying to kill me." The press went into a feeding frenzy. M refused interviews but Ressler played to them and personally attacked M. Craig Kilborn showed a photo of M in a bikini with lude jokes and Ressler told them that she thought M would make a "better lap dancer than a lawyer." M couldn't obtain a "gag order" because the SECNAV allowed the court martial to be televised. Ressler played to the cameras. Bud was flummoxed by the. When Ressler was able to pressure security chief Dandridge into claiming he heard someone say "they are trying to kill me" that he had only ever heard on television, C counseled M to open up to the press. When M was unable to find direct evidence for several "rumored" prior incidents of Kingsley's violence, she finally gave a television interview. She said she was "disappointed in the many rumors" about Kingsley and "only dealt in facts." Several people came forth and M was able to get Kinsley to claim she wasn't emotion and "wouldn't do that" opening the door for using the new evidence. M also began playing Ressler's game with the cameras and quickly gained national TV notoriety. Kingsly was convicted and, when asked, M said that she was disappointed Ressler had obscured the truth and that she (M) had used trickery to bring it forward. The reporter asked "wasn't that what lawyers did?" and M replied "unfortunately it is."
Harm investigated the apparent suicide of PO Matteo Palermo at the impassioned request of Palermo's grandmother who was being prevented from burying him next to his mother by religious rules. Palermo had run out on the carrier deck in front of a landing F14 yelling "lets rumble"- the battle cry of comic book character Captain Atomic. H realized that Palermo had not been despondent because he had just finished writing a letter to his grandmother that he had been accepted into the SEAL program and was getting leave to ask his girlfriend to marry him. H had blood work done and found LSD in Palermo's blood. After seeing the comic book in Palermo's quarters and speaking with his roommate, H noticed the stamp on the grandmothers letters was different than all the other letters he had sent. H had the stamp tested and found LSD then talked with the roommate and found that it was his stash of stamps which had been accidentally borrowed for Palermo's letter. Palermo was buried with military honors by his mother.
The press claimed that M was engaged to Brumby (Brum) after he had told them he wouldn't "abuse his fiancé's privacy." M called Brumby and left a phone message that he had no right telling the press that they "were engaged when they weren't and weren't likely to be if he kept it up." Danny Walden was caught by Chegwidden (C) coming home at 5:30 am just as C was up jogging after staying with Danny's mother. Danny claimed that he had "fallen asleep on a friends couch." He then manipulated Chegwidden into loaning him his SUV, ostensibly to pick up a tree for his mothers birthday present. The SUV was found, by Detective Grady, locked and abandoned in a ditch with 8oz of marijuana in it. Danny had neither filed a police report nor told C but claimed that it had been stolen from the nursery parking lot but he just didn't have the courage to tell C. Then he denied being stoned or knowing about the drugs in Cs personal questioning. |
| 11/14/2000 | The Princess and the Petty Officer
by Mark Saraceni
118 | [A significant episode due to the breakup of Chegwidden and Walden. Cameo appearance of Rudy Bosch, runner up in "survivor."] Princess Fatima al Amatullah (Fanny) and PO James Elling were married after he smuggled her into the US with forged documents. Her father and "first husband," from a prearranged marriage, wanted her back. Harm (H) defended Elling against Bud (B), who was prosecuting in behalf of a hard-nose admiral. H asked Mac (M) to defend the princess in the US immigration court (which was on her way past a shoe outlet). Nearly everyone M met, including the judge, commented that they had seen her performance on "JAG TV." The judge wasn't inclined to relent until M suggested that Fatima's marriage status be tried in an Islamic Sharia court (put together in the US). M was very knowledgeable about Islamic law and history. Fanny had not given her actual consent to the marriage, but her father had signed the marriage contract and acted as her proxy at the ceremony (beyond the age that he should have done so). She, however, had sold the dowry that her "husband" had given her so she lost in the sharia court and was considered married to the first husband. However she arranged to immediately divorce by giving him back the money. So Elling's marriage was void and Fatima would be deported, but he proposed again by giving her his phone card as a dowry. There was no resolution re immigration status; but, she could be killed for moral impropriety if she went back. H couldn't sway his CO on Elling so he plead guilty and relied on a trial of peers for punishment. The strategy worked: no brig, reduced rank to seaman and $1500 fine.
Chegwidden (C) made the coffee while Tiner was out registering for college. Watching him put many, many scoopfuls of grounds into the coffee maker both B and H commented that "might be enough." When they had to taste it H called it "robust" in a raspy voice to which C retorted that he "needed a REAL coffee drinker." They went in search of M who was just coming in arguing with Brumby (Brum) over his telling the press that he was Ms fiancé. Overhearing their discussion C decided that "she doesn't need any more coffee." Chief Bosch came for a visit to his old friend C, and when given the coffee said that it was "kinda weak." C finally told Dr Walden that her son was into drugs and that Danny had lied. She dumped C in a letter and was not dissuaded by Cs subsequent visit telling him that "Danny wouldn't lie to me," and "you never liked him." Danny gloated saying "we are happy and it isn't our job to make you (C) happy." Harriet (Ht) went into premature labor. The baby had a prolapsed chord and the delivery was delayed due to the absence of Dr Gettis. A C-Section was being prepared when Gettis rushed in and took over but it was too far down the birth canal and had to be "delivered and resuscitated" subsequently dying. Getting claimed he was with another patient. B cried on Cs shoulder. |
| 11/21/2000 | A Separate Peace (Part I)
by Stephen Zito
116 | [Two part episode] While waiting for the SECNAV, Admiral Thomas Boone told Harm (H) how he had aced Rabb Sr (R) out of making the 100,000th trap on the Ticonderoga because R had to go around for a visual inspection of his tail hook thinking it not properly extended. Boone was up for taking command of the 6th fleet but the SECNAV said that there was an anonymous tip that Boon took part in killing civilians in Tan Dien village, Vietnam. The SECNAV asked Mac (M) to investigate without any paperwork and report directly to him before the confirmation hearings. She thought that Boone wasn't being "forthcoming" even though H, who had requested to assist M, tried to explain. Boone had been assigned TAD to do reconnaissance in Saigon (he had lost a coin toss with R). The village was "pacified" of VC by elements of South Vietnamese Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (PRU). Boone and Lt RC Coffin landed outside Tan Dien village to stay the night. Boone had been shown a photo of a girl holding up the severed head of Boone's downed-pilot friend for the recon plane to see 5 miles outside Tan Dien. H went to Webb (W) to ask for records because Ws father was CIA director in Saigon and in charge of the Phoenix program. W wouldn't release the records so H went to congresswoman Latham. She did him a favor and went to W to discuss "funding" right before H stepped into the room. He asked H "have you no shame" but gave him information from the file. Coffin flew for the CIA at night but wasn't part of the pacification effort. Harry Drax was the project director and mercilessly killed bound prisoners in interrogation. Drax had ordered the sweep of the village and went in shooting. He was shot in the back and buried in a mass grave to Ellis Burke file the after action report. H spoke with Burke who said Drax had ordered the "death squads" after the decapitation as "payback." He said Boone had been there and reports had claimed that he entered in the fighting. There had been a quota of 2000 suspected VC kills per month.
The SECNAV was continually pushing for resolution and reading M the riot act until C intervened. H talked to Boone now that there was more information. He remembered Coffin now as a liar and drunk. M traced down Coffin who claimed he was dying of Tuberculosis and wanted to "set things right." He landed at Tan Dien to see his "girlfriend" Tam. Boone recognized her as the girl in the photo. Drax came that night and warned them that TAM was VC. He told them to get out or be in the fighting. Coffin said he went to try and find Tam then saw Boone 10 minutes later using a little kid as a human shield and shooting TAM. Boone told H that he shot TAM while she was reaching into the hut roof for a gun.
Bud was back at work after the death of his baby. M ordered him to go home to sleep but instead he began working on legal aspects of the baby's death. He told Harriet "we'll find out what went wrong." C tried to get his SUV back from the impound lot but the "lot guy" told him that it "has been charged and it was up to him to prove that the Ford Expedition was innocent." Singer (D)researched his case on her own and said they had to show that Danny used the car for drug transportation without Cs knowledge, consent or willful blindness. C told her to go ahead. She argued the case in court and won Cs car back but the police "lost" it! He told her to "find my car." |
| 11/28/2000 | A Separate Peace (Part II)
by Stephen Zito
117 | Admiral Nash relieved Boone of his command and his men all saluted (indoors and uncovered) as sign of respect. The SECNAV pontificated angrily about public relations and threatened Mac (M), Bud (B) and Harm(H). He said that he didn't trust Hs judgment and demanded assurance that he would consider the good of the service as prime. H stood his ground and refused such that Chegwidden (C) had to point out that Hs job was to Boone. None-the-less the SECNAV flounced threateningly that if H "made the navy look bad he would cut him off at the knees." Stuart Dunston began dogging them and Singer (S), sitting 2nd chair, said that she knew him and would see what she could do. H told her "don't trust him" and S replied that she wouldn’t tell him anything that was true. H chastised M for her dislike of Boone as she refused any bargaining. Boone refused to tell H the full story in his defense. H challenged for cause every potential witness who had ever disliked Boone. M then began asking "if they thought they could be fair" and the judge overruled Hs objections. Gunny (G) struck out finding anyone who was at Tan Dien but said that there was a marine deserter, Cpl Owen Branson, who was there but couldn't be found. M gave an excellent opening statement and Boone said he "underestimated her. She would slit your throat on a dark night and not twice about it." H replied that "she would think about it before she did it!" H reserved his opening statement for later and M called Gen Parker who told of the decapitated head photograph. H him into support of Boone and he shook hands with Boone as he exited the courtroom. Coffin claimed that Boone used a child as a shield and shot Tam as she was going to hide. Dunston glibly thrust an interview at H and asked if he'd ever seen Boone smile. H told him "you're an idiot" on live TV. S offered to talk to Dunston off the record but he had to share. When H cross examined Coffin he brought up the alcohol treatment and delusions that S had discovered from Dunston. M began objecting to everything H was asking so he let S take over. She brought up that Coffin had been paid $50 thousand for his story.
Hs opening statement was eloquent asking the panel not to "make Boone the last casualty of the Vietnam war." Webb (W) testified that his father, Neville, had been head of Phoenix program and that Harry Drax hadn't followed orders and told his men to shoot on site. Congresswoman Latham came to tell H to go to the Dew Drop Inn, which is where the deserter Owen Branson, now know as Jed Howe, was. Branson told H he didn't know anything but H saw a tattoo on his arm that he recognized so called W for further information. H told Boone that he needed to take the stand because M had made her case and his "silence would convict him." Boone said "I can live with that," so H argued him into testifying. During his testimony W brought Branson into the room having threatened him with removing his retirement. Boone said that he had taken the girl, who had been standing in the middle of fire, to safety and saw Tam going for a weapon so shot her. He then saw the PRU killing non-combatants so ordered them to stop. Drax came up and shot them all anyway then threatened to kill Boone before he walked away. Boone called to him then had to shoot him in the back before he started killing again. H called "Harry Drax" to the stand and M, finally, had no objection. Drax told Boone "if you are going to kill someone do it right." He said that his only regret was "we didn't kill them all" and that Boone had no part in it. Neville W changed his name and "retired him" to avoid publicity. The real Branson was killed in Vietnam. Boone was acquitted but forcibly retired by the SECNAV.
S was able to help C get custody of his SUV back after seven weeks and three days since it had been confiscated. Tiner (Ti) retrieved it but it had been shot with "six holes of varying caliber." Narcotic officers had "borrowed" it for a "sting" which failed. S said "we can sue." B was still studying books relentlessly about his baby's death. He ignored Harriet's (Ht) statement that he couldn't bring the baby back. Ht came to Hs apartment the faked that "she shouldn't be there" and talked about AJs birth and baby Sara's death. Apparently she didn't like that the doctors had taken the baby into another room to try and save her so had "died without me there." She also didn't like that B wasn't making time for her to talk. H saw B berating himself over failing to warn M of Coffin's hospitalization etc. H told him that he "didn't know what it was like to loose a child but did the woman you love." He advised "don't let one cost you the other." |
| 12/12/2000 | Family Secrets
by Paul Levine
119 | Bud (B) and Harriet (Ht) learn that Dr Lawrence Gettis had missed a myoma in Ht, and that he was test driving his new Porsche during her labor when a prolapsed cord occurred. Chegwidden (C) talked B out of suing the government; but he instead filed dereliction of duty charges against Gettis. Brumby's (Brum) new law firm was handling Gettis' defense and when Sr partner Larry Kaliski tried to order him to take the case Brum quit the firm. Mac (M) prosecuted and C ordered B to "stay out of it." Instead B tried to interject too much becoming emotional. Even M had to dress him down for it. Despite the evidence against Gettis, Kaliski switched Ht's ultrasound with a nearly identical ultrasound of another woman thus tricking a nervous doctor witness into identifying "the myoma" on the wrong ultrasound. Ht was called to the stand and, although Kaliski tried to trap her into lying, she admitted that she had had a previous abortion as a teen and a former doctor had diagnosed myoma; but, she hadn't revealed any of that to Gettis. Gettis was acquitted and apologized to B & Ht.
Webb (W) informed Harm (H) that Sergei's helicopter was shot down in Chechnya (again). H immediately wanted C to send him to Russia but his request was denied. When it didn't look good W prompted a story about Sergei in a national news magazine. Having not ever told his mother about Sergei H needed to flee to San Diego to tell her before she read it in the magazine. She was upset that he hadn't told her! H decided to resign his commission in order to go to Russia and put his letter in Cs in-box. W eventually found that Sergei had been captured alive and was in a Chechen prison camp, so C tore up Hs resignation saying it "needed to be in triplicate anyway."
M caught Brum putting on his Australian Navy uniform and he told her that he had decided to accept a very good position back in Australia. When she said that "they had something" he countered that she was still, at this late date, "thinking" about the engagement after 10 months! So, pressured, M changed the ring from her right to left ring finger as the credits closed. |
| 1/9/2001 | Touch and Go
by Dana Coen
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.) |
| 1/16/2001 | Baby It's Cold Outside
by Stephen Zito
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. |
| 1/30/2001 | Collision Course
by Jonathan Kaplan
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." |
| 2/6/2001 | Miracles
by Ed Zuckerman
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. |
| 2/13/2001 | Killer Instinct
by Mark Seraceni
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. |
| 2/20/2001 | Iron Coffin
by Paul Levine
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. |
| 2/27/2001 | Retreat Hell
by Stephen Zito
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. |
| 3/13/2001 | Valor
by Douglas Stark
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. |
| 3/27/2001 | Liberty
by Larry Moskowitz
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." |
| 4/10/2001 | Salvation
by Ed Zuckerman
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." |
| 4/24/2001 | To Walk on Wings
by Paul Levine
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. |
| 5/1/2001 | Past Tense
by Dana Coen
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. |
| 5/8/2001 | Lifeline
by Larry Moskowitz
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. |
| 5/15/2001 | Mutiny
by Ed Zuckerman & Nelson Costello
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.] |
| 5/22/2001 | Adrift (Part I)
by Stephen Zito & Dana Coen
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. |
