kendrick this is about a sales pitch it's not going to be won by the law it's going to be
won by the lawyers so remember poker faces don't flinch in front of the court members
something doesn't go our way don't hang your head don't shift in your seat don't scribble
furiously whatever happens you have to look like it's exactly what you knew was going to happen
you pass me documents do it swiftly don't look over anxious
don't wear that perfume in court wrecks my concentration really i was talking to sam
what time is it it's time to go home try to get some sleep tonight yeah give me a ride sure
you're a good man charlie brown i'll see you in court counselor
danny i know what you're gonna say you don't have to we've had our differences
i said some things i didn't mean you said some things you didn't mean but you're happy that i
stuck with the case and if you've gained a certain respect for me over the last three weeks we'll
of course i'm happy about that but we don't have to make a whole big deal out of it you like me
that won't make you sad i was just gonna tell you to wear matching socks tomorrow
okay good tip
we're ready better believe it
we're gonna get creamed
you are gonna save our son aren't you
i'll do my best danny i'd like you to meet jenny miller alvin's aunt
your aunt jenny uh-huh
i'm sorry i i was expecting someone older so is i
last chance i'll flip you forward all right too late
all those having business with this general court martial
stand forward and you shall be heard colonel julius alexander randolph is presiding
is the government prepared to make an opening statement yes
the facts of the case are these on midnight of september 6 he accused entered the barracks room
of their platoon mate pfc william santiago they woke him up tied his arms and legs with tape and
forced a rag into his throat a few minutes later a chemical reaction called lactic acidosis caused
his lungs to begin bleeding he drowned in his own blood and was pronounced dead at 37 minutes past
midnight these are the facts of the case and they are undisputed that's right
the story i've just told you is the exact same story you're going to hear from lance corporal
dawson and it's the exact same story you're going to hear from private down
furthermore the government will also demonstrate that the accused soak the
rag in poison and entered santiago's room with motive and intent to kill
now lieutenant cathy is going to try and pull off a little magic act here
just going to try a little misdirection going to astonish you with stories of rituals and dazzle
you with official sounding terms like code red he might even try to cut into a few officers for you
he'll have no evidence mind you none but it's going to be entertaining
and when we get to the end all the magic in the world will not have been able to
divert your attention from the fact that wheelie santiago is dead and dawson and downey killed him
these are the facts of the case and they are undisputed
look at cafe there was no poison on the rag and there was no intent to kill in
any attempt to prove otherwise is futile because it just ain't true
when dawson and downey went into santiago's room that night it wasn't because of vengeance
or hatred it wasn't to kill her harm and it wasn't because they were looking for
kicks on a friday night it's because it was what they were ordered to do
let me say that again it's because it was what they were ordered to do
now out in the real world that means nothing and here at the washington navy yard doesn't mean a
whole lot more but if you're a marine assigned to rifle security company windward guantanamo
bay cuba and you're given an order you follow it or you pack your bags make no mistake about it
harold dawson and loudon downey are sitting before you today because they did their job
is the government ready to call its first witness
please the court the government calls mr r.c mcguire
squad would you raise your right hand please do you solemnly swear that the testimony you
will give this general court marshall will be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so
help you god i do have a seat please sir would you state your full name and occupation for the record
robert steve mcguire's special agent naval investigative service thank you mr mcguire
did your office receive a letter from a pfc william santiago on three september of this year
we did what did that letter say that a member of private santiago's unit had
illegally fired his weapon over the fence line was that marine identified in the letter no
i notified the barrack ceo colonel jessup that i would be coming down to investigate
and what did you find the shift reported only one century returned his weapon to the switch
with a round of ammunition missing who was that lance corporal harold dawson you're a witness
mr mcguire have you questioned lance corporal dawson about defense lane shooting
yes he claims to have been engaged in some manner by the enemy but you don't believe them
it's not my place it's corporal dawson's been charged with a number of crimes why wasn't he
charged with firing at the enemy without cause there was enough evidence to support such a charge
thank you mr mcguire i don't understand what you mean when you say there wasn't enough
evidence to support such a charge you had william santiago's letter
santiago was the only eyewitness i never had the chance to interview him so i
don't know what he saw and now we'll never know what will be mr maguire no
no more questions witnesses excused
corporal carl edward hammacker marine barracks rifle security company windward sec platoon bravo
corporal were you present at a meeting that lieutenant kendrick held on the afternoon of
september 6 with the members of the second platoon yes sir would you tell the court the substance of
that meeting lieutenant kendrick told us we had an informer in our group that private santiago had
gone outside the chain of command and reported to the nis on a member of our platoon did that make
you mad you could tell the truth corporal it's all right did it make you mad yes sir how mad