A Few Good Men Quotes

Kaffee: [after going over their case for the night in his apartment] And don't wear that perfume in court, it wrecks my concentration.

Galloway: Really.

Kaffee: I was talking to Sam.

Galloway: [after sensing his contempt for Dawson and Downey after court has adjourned for the day] Why do you hate them so much?

Lt. Weinberg: They beat up on a weakling; that's all they did. The rest is just smokefilled coffee-house crap. They tortured and tormented a weaker kid. They didn't like him. So, they killed him. And why? Because he couldn't run very fast.

Capt. Ross: [in a bar, after Danny just walked up to Jack's table] Hey, Danny! Great job today. The redirect on Barnes.

Kaffee: I have Markinson.

Capt. Ross: Where is he?

Kaffee: Motel room in North East with six federal marshalls outside his door. Take a sip of your drink.

Kaffee: The transfer order that Markinson signed is a phony. Jessup's statement that the 6am flight was the first available is a lie. We're checking the tower chief's log.

[to waitress]

Kaffee: I'd like a beer, please.

[to Ross]

Kaffee: In the mean time I thought we'd put the Apostle John Kendrick on the stand and see if we can't have a little fun.

Capt. Ross: Alright. I have an obligation to tell you that if you accuse Kendrick or Jessup of any crime without proper evidence then you're going to be subject to a court martial for professional misconduct and that is something that's going to be stapled to every job application that you ever fill out. Markinson's not going to hold up, Danny, he's a crazy man! Now, I'm not telling you this to intimidate you I'm being your lawyer here.

Kaffee: Oh, thanks, Jack. And I want to tell you that I think the whole fucking bunch of you are certifiably insane! This code of honor of yours makes me want to beat the shit out of something!

Capt. Ross: Don't you dare lump me in with Jessup and Kendrick just because we wear the same uniform. I'm your friend and I'm telling you, I don't think your clients belong in jail but I don't get to make that decision! I represent the government of the United States without passion or prejudice and my client has a case! There you go. Now I want you to acknowledge that the Judge Advocate has made you aware of the possible consequences of accusing a Marine officer of a felony without proper evidence.

Kaffee: I've been so advised.

Capt. Ross: You got bullied into that courtroom, Danny, by everyone. By Dawson. By Galloway. Shit, I practically dared you. You got bullied into that courtroom by the memory of a dead lawyer.

Kaffee: [shouting as Jack leaves] You're a lousy fucking softball player, Jack!

Capt. Ross: Your boys are going down, Danny. I can't stop it anymore.

Kaffee: Lieutenant Kendrick, in your opinion was Private Santiago a good Marine?

Lt. Kendrick: I would say he was about average.

Kaffee: Lieutenant, you signed three Proficiency and Conduct reports on Santiago, and in all three reports, you indicate a rating of below average.

Lt. Kendrick: [looking through the reports he signed] Yes, Private Santiago was below average. I did not see the need to trample on a man's grave.

Kaffee: Well, we appreciate that, but you are under oath now, and I think as unpleasant as it may be, we'd all just as soon hear the truth.

Lt. Kendrick: I am aware of my oath.

Kaffee: Lieutenant, these are the last three Pro-Con reports you signed for Lance Corporal Dawson. Dawson received two marks of exceptional, but on this most recent report dated June 9th of this year, he received a rating of below average. It's this last report I'd like to discuss for a moment.

Lt. Kendrick: That would be fine.

Kaffee: Lance Corporal Dawson's ranking after the school of infantry was perfect. Records indicate that more than half that class has since been promoted to full Corporal while Dawson has remained a Lance Corporal. Was Dawson's promotion held up because of this last report?

Lt. Kendrick: I'm sure it was.

Kaffee: Do you recall why Dawson was given such a poor grade on this last report?

Lt. Kendrick: I'm sure I don't. I have many men in my charge, Lieutenant. I write many reports.

Kaffee: Lieutenant, do you recall an incident involving a PFC Curtis Bell who had been found stealing liquor from the Officer's Club?

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I do.

Kaffee: Did you report Private Bell to the proper authorities?

Lt. Kendrick: I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant: the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, and the Lord, our God.

Kaffee: At your request, Lieutenant, I can have the record reflect your lack of acknowledgment of this court as a proper authority.

Capt. Ross: Objection. Argumentative.

Judge Randolph: Sustained. Watch yourself, Counselor.

Kaffee: Did you report Private Bell to your superiors?

Lt. Kendrick: I remember thinking very highly of Private Bell, of not wanted to see his record tarnished by a formal charge.

Kaffee: You preferred that it be handled within the unit.

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I most certainly did.

Kaffee: Lieutenant, do you know what a Code Red is?

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I do.

Kaffee: [seeing Markinson in the back seat of his car] Jesus Christ!

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: You left the door unlocked.

Kaffee: You scared the shit out of me.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Just keep driving.

Kaffee: Are you aware that you're under subpoena?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes. I'm also aware that the lives of two Marines are in your hands. If there were something I could do about that, I would. But since I can't, all I can do is help you, Lieutenant.

Kaffee: Was it a code red?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes.

Kaffee: Did Kendrick give the order?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes.

Kaffee: Did you witness it?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I didn't need to...

Kaffee: Did you witness it!

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: No.

Kaffee: Then how do you know?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I know.

Kaffee: Yeah, you know shit.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: He was never going to be transferred off that base.

[Kaffee turns the corner and stops the car]

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Jessep was going to keep him on the base. He said he wanted him trained.

Kaffee: [turns around in his seat to face him] We've got the transfer order its got your signature.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I know. I signed that the morning you arrived in Cuba, five days after Santiago died.

Kaffee: I'm going to get you a deal some kind of immunity with the prosecutor, and in about four days, you're going to appear as a witness for the defense and you're going to tell the court exactly what you just told me. Right now, I'm going to get you into a motel room and we're going to start from the beginning.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I don't want a deal and I don't want immunity. I want you to know that I am proud neither of what I have done nor what I am doing.

Kaffee: [to his teamates in the outfield] Alright, let's go, let's get two.

Lt. Sherby: Sorry!

Kaffee: Nothing to be sorry about, Sherby, you just look the ball into your glove. Shootin' two!

Lt. Sherby: Sorry!

Kaffee: Sherby, you gotta trust me, you keep your eyes open and your chances of catching ball increase by a factor of 10.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: [talking through the batting cage fence] Kaffee.

Kaffee: Let's try it again.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: Kaffee!

Kaffee: Dave, you seem distraught.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: We were supposed to meet in your office fifteen minutes ago to talk about the McDermont case. You're stalling on this thing. We get this done right now, or I mean it, Kaffee, I'm going to hang your boy from a fuckin' yardarm!

Kaffee: Yardarm? Sherby, does the Navy still hang people from Yardarms?

Lt. Sherby: I don't think so.

Kaffee: Dave, Sherby doesn't think the Navy hang people from yardarms anymore.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: I'm going to charge him with possession and being under the influence while on duty. You plead guilty, I recommend thirty days in the brig with loss of rank and pay.

Kaffee: It was oregano, Dave. It was ten dollars' worth of oregano.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: Yeah, but your client thought it was marijuana.

Kaffee: My client's a moron. That's not against the law.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: Kaffee, I have people to answer to, just like you do. I'm going to charge him.

Kaffee: With what? Possession of a condiment?

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: Kaffee...

Kaffee: Dave, I tried to help you out of this, but if you ask for jail time, I'm going to file a motion to dismiss.

Kaffee: You won't get it.

Kaffee: I will get it. And if the MTD is denied, I'll file a motion in limine seeking to obtain an evidentary ruling in advance, and after that I'm going to file against pretrial confinement, and you're going to spend the next three months going blind on paperwork because a Signalman Second Class bought and smoked a dime bag of oregano.

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: B misdemeanor, twenty days in the brig.

Kaffee: C misdemeanor, fifteen days restricted duty.

Galloway: [referring to Markinson, while holding a phone] Where is he?

Kaffee: [in his apartment] Downtown Lodge on North East.

Galloway: I want him guarded.

Kaffee: That's probably a good idea. Anyway he also says that...

Galloway: [over the phone] My clearance code is 411527273. Thank you.

Kaffee: Clearance code? I don't have a clearance code. Do you have a clearance code?

Lt. Weinberg: Danny!

Kaffee: Anyway, he also says that Jessup's lying about the transportation off the base. Jessup said the 6 was the first flight out Santiago couuld have left on. Markinson says there was a plane that left seven hours earlier.

[to Galloway]

Kaffee: That was impressive. Did you get what I said about the flight?

Galloway: Yes. Sam, when a flight takes off there's got to be some kind of record kept, right?

Lt. Weinberg: Yeah, you need the tower chief's log from Gitmo.

Kaffee: Get it.

Galloway: We're gonna win.

Kaffee: Jo, let's not go crazy about this. We don't know who Markinson is we don't know what the log book's going to say. You just concentrate on Downey. I'm going to talk to Ross and tell him where we are.

Kaffee: [Kaffee has just asked why Santiago hadn't packed despite being due to be transferred in a few hours after the time of his death. Jessup smirks] Is this funny, sir?

Col. Jessup: No, it isn't. It's tragic.

Kaffee: Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?

Col. Jessup: Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these really the questions I was called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.

[Kaffee hesitates, dumbfounded]

Col. Jessup: Do you have any more questions for me, Counselor?

Judge Randolph: Lt. Kaffee?

[pause]

Judge Randolph: Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?

Col. Jessup: [standing to leave] Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.

Kaffee: Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.

Col. Jessup: I beg your pardon?

Kaffee: I'm not through with my examination. Sit down.

Col. Jessup: Colonel!

Kaffee: What's that?

Col. Jessup: I would appreciate it if you would address me as "Colonel" or "Sir." I believe I've earned it.

Judge Randolph: Defense counsel will address the witness as "Colonel" or "Sir."

Col. Jessup: I don't know what the hell kind of unit you're running here.

Judge Randolph: And the witness will address this court as "Judge" or "Your Honor." I'm quite certain I've earned it. Take your seat, Colonel.

Col. Jessup: [Judge dismisses the jury after Jessep's revelation on the stand about the Code Red] What is this? What's going on? I did my job, I'd do it again!

[stands up defiantly]

Col. Jessup: I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

Judge Randolph: You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's... guard the Colonel!

[MPs take post]

Judge Randolph: Captain Ross?

Col. Jessup: What the hell is this?

Capt. Ross: Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent. Any statement you make...

Col. Jessup: I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is. This is...

[turning to Kaffee and lunging at him]

Col. Jessup: ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and piss into your dead skull! You fucked with the wrong Marine!

Capt. Ross: Colonel Jessup! Do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

Col. Jessup: [contemptuously] You fuckin' people... you have no idea how to defend a nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son.

Kaffee: Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest you son of a bitch.

[glares at Jessup]

Kaffee: The witness is excused.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [voice over, as we see Markinson putting on his full class A dress uniform. It is his suicide note] Dear Mr. and Mrs. Santiago, I was William's executive officer. I knew your son vaguely, which is to say I knew his name. In a matter of time, the trial of the two men charged with your son's death will be concluded, and seven men and two women whom you've never met will try to offer you an explanation as to why William is dead. For my part, I've done as much as I can to bring the truth to light. And the truth is this: Your son is dead for only one reason. I wasn't strong enough to stop it. Always, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson, United States Marine Corps.

[puts pistol in his mouth, we hear a gunshot as the scene changes back to the courtroom]

Kaffee: Lt. Kendrick, was Lance Corporal Dawson given a below average rating on this last report because you learned he had been sneaking food to Private Bell?

Capt. Ross: Object!

Judge Randolph: Not so fast. Lieutenant?

Lt. Kendrick: Lance Corporal Dawson was given a below average rating because he had committed a crime.

Kaffee: A crime? What crime did he commit? Lieutenant Kendrick, Dawson brought a hungry guy some food. What crime did he commit?

Lt. Kendrick: He disobeyed an order.

Kaffee: And because he did, because he exercised his own set of values, because he made a decision about the welfare of a Marine that was in conflict with an order of yours, he was punished. Is that right?

Lt. Kendrick: Lance Corporal Dawson disobeyed an order!

Kaffee: Yeah, but it wasn't a real order, was it? After all, it's peace time. He wasn't being asked to secure a hill or advance on a beachhead. I mean, surely a Marine of Dawson's intelligence can be trusted to determine on his own which are the really important orders and which orders might, say, be morally questionable? Lieutenant Kendrick, can he? Can Dawson determine on his own which orders he's going to follow?

Lt. Kendrick: No, he cannot.

Kaffee: A lesson he learned after the Curtis Bell incident, am I right?

Lt. Kendrick: I would think so.

Kaffee: You know so, don't you, Lieutenant?

Capt. Ross: Object.

Judge Randolph: Sustained.

Kaffee: Lieutenant Kendrick, one final question. If you had ordered Dawson to give Santiago a code red...

Lt. Kendrick: I specifically ordered those men not to touch Santiago!

Kaffee: Is it reasonable to think he would've disobeyed you again?

Capt. Ross: Lieutenant, don't answer that!

Kaffee: You don't have to. I'm through.

Capt. Ross: Lieutenant Kendrick, did you order Lance Corporal Dawson and Private Downey to give Willie Santiago a code red?

[Kendrick initially refuses to answer, sensing he's been caught lying]

Capt. Ross: Lieutenant Kendrick, did you...

Lt. Kendrick: No, I did not.

Capt. Ross: Thank you.

Capt. Ross: Corporal Barnes, I hold here the Marine Outline for Recruit Training. You're familiar with this book?

Cpl. Barnes: Yes, sir.

Capt. Ross: Have you read it?

Cpl. Barnes: Yes, sir.

Capt. Ross: [hands him the book] Good. Would you turn to the chapter that deals with code reds, please?

Cpl. Barnes: [confused] Sir?

Capt. Ross: Just flip to the page of the book that discusses code reds.

Cpl. Barnes: Well, well, you see, sir code red is a term that we use. I mean, just down at Gitmo. I don't know if it's actually...

Capt. Ross: Ah, we're in luck then. Standard Operating Procedures, Rifle Security Company, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Now, I assume we'll find the term code red and its definition in that book. Am I correct?

Cpl. Barnes: No, sir.

Capt. Ross: No? Corporal Barnes, I'm a Marine. Is there no book, no manual or pamphlet, no set of orders or regulations that lets me know that, as a Marine, one of my duties is to perform code reds?

Cpl. Barnes: No, sir. No book, sir.

Capt. Ross: No further questions.

[as Ross walks back to his table Kaffee takes the book out of his hand]

Kaffee: Corporal, would you turn to the page in this book that says where the mess hall is, please?

Cpl. Barnes: Well, Lt. Kaffee, that's not in the book, sir.

Kaffee: You mean to say in all your time at Gitmo, you've never had a meal?

Cpl. Barnes: No, sir. Three squares a day, sir.

Kaffee: I don't understand. How did you know where the mess hall was if it's not in this book?

Cpl. Barnes: Well, I guess I just followed the crowd at chow time, sir.

Kaffee: No more questions.

Kaffee: [getting Jack's attention while he's playing basketball] Jack? Jack! They were given an order.

Kaffee: [to his friends] I'll be right back. I'll be right back.

Galloway: How long have you known about the order?

Capt. Ross: [walking away from the basketball court] I didn't. Who's this?

Kaffee: She's Jo Galloway. She's Downey's attorney. She's very pleased to meet you.

Capt. Ross: [talking privately] What exactly are you accusing me of, Commander?

Galloway: How long have you known about the order?

Kaffee: Jack didn't know about the order because if Jack did and he didn't tell us Jack knows he'd be violating about 14 articles of the Code of Ethics. As it is, Jack's got enough to worry about because, God forbid, our clients should decide to plead not guilty and testify for the record that they were given an order.

Capt. Ross: Kendrick specifically told those men not to touch Santiago.

Kaffee: That's right and then he went into Dawson and Downey's room and specifically ordered them to give Santiago a code red.

Capt. Ross: That's not what Kendrick says.

Kaffee: Kendrick's lying.

Capt. Ross: You have proof?

Kaffee: I have the defendants.

Capt. Ross: And I have 23 Marines who aren't accused of murder and a Lieutenant with 4 letters of commendation.

Kaffee: Why did Markinson go UA?

Capt. Ross: You'll never know.

Kaffee: You think I can't subpoena Markinson?

Capt. Ross: You can try but you won't find him. You know what Markinson did for the first 17 of his 26 years in the Corps? Counterintelligence. Markinson's gone; there is no Markinson. Look, Danny, Jessup's star is on the rise. Division will give me a lot of room on this one to spare Jessup and the Corps any embarrassment.

Kaffee: How much room?

Capt. Ross: I'll knock it all down to involuntary manslaughter, two years they'll be home in six months.

Galloway: No deal, we're going to court.

Capt. Ross: No, you're not.

Galloway: Why not?

Capt. Ross: Because you'll lose and Danny knows it. And Danny also knows that if it does go to court then that means I'm going to have to go all the way. His clients are going to get charged with the whole truckload. Murder. Conspiracy. Conduct unbecoming. And even though he's got me by the balls out here Danny knows that in a court room he loses this case. You see, Danny's an awfully talented lawyer and he's not about to let his clients go to jail for life when he knows that they could be home in six months. That's the end of this negotiation. I'll see you tomorrow morning at the arraignment.

Lt. Weinberg: [in Danny's apartment, referring to their new strategy] Alright, what do you suggest we do?

Galloway: I say we hit Jessup with the phony transfer order.

Lt. Weinberg: A transfer order without a witness.

Kaffee: We have a witness.

Lt. Weinberg: A dead witness.

Kaffee: And in the hands of a lesser attorney that'd be a problem.

Lt. Weinberg: Look at this, last night he's swimming in Jack Daniels and now he can leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Kaffee: I'm getting my second wind. Sit down, both of you.

[Sees that they are already sitting]

Kaffee: Good. Jessup told Kendrick to order the code red, Kendrick did and our clients followed the order. The cover-up isn't our case - to win Jessup needs to tell the court members that he ordered the code red.

Lt. Weinberg: And now you think you can get him to just say it?

Kaffee: I think he wants to say it. I think he's pissed off that he's gotta hide from this. I think he wants to say that he made a command decision and that's the end of it.

[Starts imitating Jessup]

Kaffee: He eats breakfast 300 yards away from 4000 Cubans that are trained to kill him. And nobody's going to tell him how to run his unit least of all the Harvard mouth in his faggoty white uniform. I need to shake him, put him on the defensive and lead him right where he's dying to go.

Lt. Weinberg: That's it? That's the plan?

Kaffee: That's the plan.

Lt. Weinberg: And how are you going to that?

Kaffee: I have no idea. I need my bat.

Lt. Weinberg: What?

Kaffee: I need my bat. I think better with my bat. Where's my bat?

Galloway: I put it in the closet.

Kaffee: You put it in the closet?

Galloway: I was tripping on it.

Kaffee: Don't ever put that bat in the closet.

Kaffee: Private, I want you to tell us one last time. Why did you go to Private Santiago's room on the night of September 6th?

Downey: A code red was ordered by my platoon commander, Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick.

Kaffee: Thank you. Your witness.

Capt. Ross: Private, the week of 2 September... the switch log has you down at Post 39 until 1600. Is that correct?

Downey: I'm sure it is, sir. They keep that log pretty good.

Capt. Ross: How far is it from Post 39 to the Windward Barracks?

Downey: Well, it's a ways, sir. It's a hike.

Capt. Ross: About how far by jeep?

Downey: About ten, fifteen minutes, sir.

Capt. Ross: You ever have to walk it?

Downey: Yes, sir. That day, sir. Friday. The pick up private - Tthat's like what we call the guy who drops us off at our post and picks us up... also 'cause he can get girls in New York City. The pickup private got a flat, sir, right at 39. He pulled up and, bam, blowout with no spare. So we had to double-time it back to the barracks.

Capt. Ross: And if it's about ten or fifteen minutes by Jeep, I'm guessing... it must be a good hour by foot, am I right?

Downey: Pickup and me did it in forty-five flat, sir.

Capt. Ross: Not bad. Now, you've said that your assault on Private Santiago was the result of an order that Lieutenant Kendrick gave you in your barracks room at... 1620, am I right?

Downey: Yes, sir.

Capt. Ross: But you just said that you didn't make it back to the Windward barracks until 1645.

Downey: [confused] Sir?

Capt. Ross: Well, if you didn't make it back to the barracks room until 1645, how could you be in your room at 1620?

Downey: [nervously] Well, you see, sir, there was a blow out.

Capt. Ross: Private, did you ever actually hear Lieutenant Kendrick order a code red?

Downey: [nervously] Well, Hal said that...

Capt. Ross: Private, did you ever actually hear Lieutenant Kendrick order a code red?

Downey: No, sir.

Galloway: [stands up from the defense table] Please the court, I'd like to request a recess in order to confer with my client.

Capt. Ross: Why did you go into Santiago's room?

Galloway: The witness has rights!

Capt. Ross: The witness has been read his rights, Commander.

Judge Randolph: The question will be repeated.

Galloway: Your Honor!

Capt. Ross: Why did you go into Santiago's room?

Downey: Hal?

Capt. Ross: Did Lance Corporal Dawson tell you to give Santiago a Code Red?

Downey: Hal?

Capt. Ross: Don't look at him!

Dawson: Hal?

Dawson: Private, answer the captain's question!

Downey: Yes, Captain, I was given an order by my squad leader, Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson, United States Marine Corps, and I followed it.

Judge Randolph: [Judge Randolph reading the verdict] Lance Corporal Dawson, Private First Class Downey.

[Two defendants rises]

Judge Randolph: On the charge of murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conduct unbecoming a United States Marine, the members find the accused guilty as charged. The accused are hereby sentenced to time already served, and you are ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps. This court martial is adjourned.

[Bangs the gavel]

Bailiff: All rise.

[the courtroom clears; Downey is baffled and afraid, and speaks to Dawson]

Downey: What does that mean?

Lt. Weinberg: [while walking his daughter] You've heard her. The girl sat here, pointed and said, "Pa." She did. She said, "Pa."

Kaffee: She was pointing at a mailbox, Sam.

Lt. Weinberg: That's right. She was pointing as if to say, "Pa, look, a mailbox."

Galloway: [to Danny as walks out his office building] Hi, there.

Kaffee: Having any luck in getting me replaced?

Galloway: Is there anyone in this command that you don't eat or drink or play softball with?

Kaffee: Commander, I...

Galloway: Listen, I came to make peace. We got off on the wrong foot. What do you say? Friends?

Kaffee: I don't think...

Galloway: By the way, I brought Downey some comic books he was asking for. The kid, Kaffee, I swear, he doesn't know where he is. He doesn't even know why he's been arrested.

Kaffee: Commander?

Galloway: You can call me Joanne.

Kaffee: Joanne?

Galloway: Or Jo.

Kaffee: Jo?

Galloway: Yes?

Kaffee: If you speak to a client of mine again without my permission, I'll have you disbarred. Friends?

Galloway: I had authorization.

Kaffee: From where?

Galloway: Downey's closest living relative, Ginny Miller, his aunt on his mother's side.

Kaffee: You got authorization from Aunt Ginny?

Galloway: I gave her a call like you asked. Very nice woman we spoke for about an hour.

Kaffee: [before getting into his car] You got authorization from Aunt Ginny.

Galloway: Perfectly within my province.

Kaffee: Does Aunt Ginny have a barn? We can hold the trial there. I can sew the costumes. Maybe his Uncle Goober can be the judge.

Galloway: I'm going to Cuba with you tomorrow.

Kaffee: [before driving off] And the hits just keep on coming.

Lt. Weinberg: meeting for the first time

[in her office]

Lt. Weinberg: Cmdr. Galloway, Lt. Kaffee is considered to be the best litigator in our office. He successfully plea bargained 44 cases in 9 months.

Kaffee: One more and I get a set of steak knives.

Kaffee: [in an empty hallway after work hours] You and Dawson, you both live in the same dream world. It doesn't matter what I believe. It only matters what I can prove! So please, don't tell me what I know or don't know. I know the LAW.

Galloway: You know nothing about the law. You're a used- car salesman, Daniel. You're an ambulance chaser with a rank. You're nothing. Live with that.

Galloway: [showing up at his apartment unannounced] I'm sorry to bother you, I should have called first.

Kaffee: No, no, I was just watching a ball game. Come on in.

Galloway: I was wondering if... how'd you would feel about my taking you to dinner tonight.

Kaffee: Are you asking me out on a date?

Galloway: No...

Kaffee: It sounded like you were asking me out on a date.

Galloway: I wasn't.

Kaffee: I've been asked out on dates before, and that's what it sounded like.

Galloway: Do you like seafood? I know a good seafood place.

Galloway: But my feeling is that if this case is handled in the same fast-food, slick-ass ' Persian Bazaar manner with which you seem to handle everything else, something's gonna get missed. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I allowed Dawson and Downey to spend any more time in prison than absolutely necessary, because their attorney had pre-determined the path of least resistance.

Kaffee: Wow... I'm sexually aroused, Commander.

Col. Jessup: [in Jessup's office with Markinson, Kendrick, Weinberg and Galloway present] How the hell is your dad, Danny?

Kaffee: He passed away seven years ago, sir.

Col. Jessup: Don't I feel like the fucking asshole?

Kaffee: Not at all sir.

Kaffee: [in Barnes' Humvee] Whoa. Hold it. We gotta take a boat?

Barnes: Yes, sir. To get to the other side of the bay.

Kaffee: Nobody said anything about a boat.

Barnes: Is there a problem, sir?

Kaffee: No, no problem. I'm just not that crazy about boats, that's all.

Galloway: Jesus Christ, Kaffee, you're in the Navy for crying out loud.

Kaffee: Nobody likes her very much.

Barnes: Yes, sir!

Kaffee: Jack Ross came to see me today. He offered me the twelve years.

Lt. Weinberg: Hey, that's what you wanted, right?

Kaffee: Yeah, and I'll take it. I guess, you know, I'll take it.

Lt. Weinberg: So...

Kaffee: It took about forty-five seconds. He barely put up a fight.

Lt. Weinberg: Danny, take the twelve years. It's a gift.

Kaffee: You don't believe their story, do you? You think they ought to go to jail for the rest of their lives.

Lt. Weinberg: I believe every word of their story and I think they ought to go to jail for the rest of their lives.

Kaffee: [walking to his car] See you tomorrow.

Lt. Weinberg: Don't forget to wear the whites. Very hot down there.

Kaffee: I don't like the whites.

Lt. Weinberg: Nobody likes the whites, but we're going to Cuba. You got Dramamine?

Kaffee: Dramamine keeps you cool?

Lt. Weinberg: No, Dramamine keeps you from throwing up. You get sick when you fly.

Kaffee: I get sick when I fly because I'm afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don't think Dramamine'll help.

Lt. Weinberg: I got some oregano I hear that works pretty good.

Kaffee: You know, Ross said the strangest thing to me right before I left. He said that the platoon commander, Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick, had a meeting with the men and specifically told them not to touch Santiago.

Lt. Weinberg: So?

Kaffee: I never mentioned Kendrick. I don't even know who he is. Nah, what the hell. I'll see you tomorrow.

Capt. Ross: [upon entering Danny's office] Dan Kaffee.

Kaffee: Smilin' Jack Ross.

Capt. Ross: Welcome to the big time.

Kaffee: You think so?

Capt. Ross: Let's hope for Dawson and Downey's sake that you practice law better than you play softball.

Kaffee: Unfortunately for Dawson and Downey, I don't do anything better than I play softball. I'm out of here, Janelle!

Janelle: Bye!

Kaffee: See you when I get back from Cuba.

Janelle: [playfully, sarcastically] Say hi to Castro for me.

Kaffee: Will do. What are we looking at?

Capt. Ross: They plead guilty, we drop the conspiracy and the conduct unbecoming. Twenty years, they're home in half that time.

Kaffee: I want twelve.

Capt. Ross: Can't do it.

Kaffee: They called the ambulance, Jack.

Capt. Ross: Look, I don't care if they called the Avon lady. They killed a Marine.

Kaffee: Rag was tested for poison. The autopsy, the lab reports, all say the same thing, maybe, maybe not.

Capt. Ross: The Chief of Internal Medicine for the Guantanamo Bay Naval Hospital says he's sure.

Kaffee: What do you know about code reds?

Capt. Ross: Oh, man. We off the record?

Kaffee: You tell me.

Capt. Ross: Look, I'm going to give you the twelve years. Before you get yourself into any trouble tomorrow, I think you should know that the platoon commander, Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick, held a meeting with the men and specifically told them not to touch Santiago.

Kaffee: We still playing hoops tomorrow night?

Capt. Ross: We got a deal?

Kaffee: I'll talk to you when I get back.

Kaffee: [mildly intoxicated in his apartment] Anyway, since we seem to be out of witnesses, I thought I'd drink a little.

Galloway: I still think we can win.

Kaffee: [jokingly] Maybe you should drink a little.

Galloway: [refering to Jessup] You put him on the stand and you get it from him!

Kaffee: [sarcastically, refering to Jessup in his apartment] Oh, we get it from him! Yes! No problem! We get it from him.

[turns to Sam as if he were Jessup on the stand]

Kaffee: Colonel Jessup, isn't it true that you ordered the Code Red on Santiago?

Lt. Weinberg: Listen, we're all a little...

Kaffee: [interrupts with game-show buzzer sound] eeehhhhh! I'm sorry, your time's run out! What do we have for the losers, judge? Well, for our defendants, it's a life time at exotic Fort Leavenworth! And, for defense counsel Kaffee, that's right, it's a court martial! Yes, Johnny! After falsely accusing a highly decorated Marine officer of conspiracy and perjury, Lieutenant Kaffee will have a long and prosperous career teaching... typewriter maintenance at the Rocco Globbo School for Women! Thank you for playing "Should we or should we not follow the advice of the galactically stupid!"

Kaffee: [in Santiago's room] Lt. Kendrick... can I call you John?

Lt. Kendrick: No, you may not.

Kaffee: Have I done something to offend you?

Lt. Kendrick: No, I like all you Navy boys. Every time we've gotta go someplace to fight, you fellas always give us a ride.

Capt. West: [in West's office] Commander Galloway, why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee.

Galloway: Thank you, sir, I'm fine.

Capt. West: [irritated because she didn't understand his intention] Commander, I'd like you to leave the room so we can talk about you behind your back.

Galloway: Certainly, sir.

Kaffee: [ariving in the conference room after the meeting has already started] Excuse me, sorry I'm late.

Capt. Whitaker: That's alright, Danny, I know you don't have a good excuse, so I won't force you to come up with a bad one.

Kaffee: [gratefully, nods] Thank you, sir.

Capt. Whitaker: The first one's for you. Seems you're moving up in the world, you've been requested by Division.

Kaffee: Requested to do what?

Capt. Whitaker: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A Marine corporal named Dawson illegally fires a round of his weapon over the fence line and into Cuban territory.

Kaffee: What's a fence line?

Capt. Whitaker: Sam.

Lt. Weinberg: A big wall separating the good guys from the bad guys.

Kaffee: [sarcastically] Teacher's pet.

Capt. Whitaker: PFC William Santiago threatens to rat on Dawson to the Naval Investigative Service. Dawson, and another member of his squad PFC Louden Downey, go into Santiago's barracks room, tie him up, stuff a rag down his throat. An hour later Santiago's dead. The attending physician says the rag was treated with some kind of toxin.

Kaffee: They poisoned the rag?

Capt. Whitaker: Not according to them.

Kaffee: What do they say?

Capt. Whitaker: Not much. They're being flown up here tomorrow. Then Wednesday at 0600 you're catching a transport down to Cuba for the day to find out what you can. In the meantime, go see Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway of internal affairs. Any questions?

Kaffee: That flight to Cuba, was that 0600 in the morning? Sir?

Capt. Whitaker: It seems important to Division that this one be handled by the book so I'm assigning co-counsel. Any volunteers?

Lt. Weinberg: No!

Capt. Whitaker: Sam.

Lt. Weinberg: Sir, I've got a stack of papers on my desk about a mile high.

Capt. Whitaker: Work with Kaffee on this.

Lt. Weinberg: Doing what? Kaffee will have this done in about four days.

Capt. Whitaker: Doing various administrative things. Backup. Whatever.

Lt. Weinberg: In other words I have no responsibilities whatsoever.

Capt. Whitaker: Right.

Lt. Weinberg: [refering to Dawson and Downey after court has adjourned for the day] Why do you like them so much?

Galloway: Because they stand on a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch."

Galloway: [in her office, refering to Danny] Tell your friend not to get cute down there, the Marines at Gitmo are fanatical.

Lt. Weinberg: [before leaving her office] Fanatical about what?

Galloway: About being Marines.

Barnes: [in Barnes'humvee] I've got some camouflage jackets in the Jeep, sirs, I suggest you both put them on.

Kaffee: Camouflage jackets?

Barnes: Yes sir, we'll be riding pretty close to the fence line. The Cubans see an officer wearing white, they think it might be someone they'd wanna take a shot at.

Kaffee: [sarcastically] Good call, Sam.

Galloway: Are you planning on doing any investigating, or are you just gonna take the guided tour?

Kaffee: I'm pacing myself.

Galloway: [talking through the batting cage fence] I don't think you're fit to handle the defense.

Kaffee: You don't even *know* me. Ordinarily it takes someone *hours* to discover I'm not fit to handle a defense.

Dawson: [talking privately in an interrogation room] Do you think we were right?

Kaffee: It doesn't matter...

Dawson: [pounds his fist on the table] DO YOU THINK WE WERE RIGHT?

Kaffee: I think you'd lose.

Dawson: You're such a coward, I can't believe they let you wear a uniform.

Kaffee: Whatever happened to saluting an officer when he leaves the room?

[Dawson stands up and shoves his hands in his pockets]

Kaffee: [in an interogation room] Did you assault Santiago with the intent of killing him?

Dawson: No, sir.

Kaffee: What was your intent?

Dawson: To train him, sir.

Kaffee: To train him to do what?

Dawson: To train him to think of the unit before himself. To respect the code.

Kaffee: What's the code?

Dawson: Unit. Corps. God. Country.

Lt. Weinberg: I beg your pardon?

Dawson: [speaking slower] Unit. Corps. God. Country. Sir.

Kaffee: The government of the United States wants to charge you two with murder. And you want me to go to the prosecutor with unit, corps, God, country?

Dawson: That's our code, sir.

Kaffee, Lt. Weinberg: It's a code.

Kaffee: [while packing up their belongings] We'll be back. You guys need anything? Books, papers, cigarettes, ham sandwich?

Dawson: Sir, no thank you, sir.

Kaffee: Harold, I think there's a concept that you'd better start warming up to.

Dawson: Sir?

Kaffee: I'm the only friend you've got.

Col. Jessup: John, you're in charge. Santiago doesn't make 4646 on his next Proficiency and Conduct Report, and I'm going to blame you. And then, I'm going to kill you.

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, sir.

Kaffee: [first meeting each other before the trial starts] You're Aunt Ginny?

Aunt Ginny Miller: Uh-huh.

Kaffee: I'm sorry, I was expecting someone older.

Aunt Ginny Miller: So was I.

Kaffee: [just seconds before the trial starts] Last chance. I'll flip you for it.

Bailiff: All rise.

Capt. Ross: Too late.

Capt. Ross: Your honor, it's become obvious that Lt. Kaffee's intention this afternoon are to smear a high ranking Marine officer in the desperate hope that the mere appearance of impropriety will win him points with the court members. Now, it is my recommendation, sir, that Lt. Kaffee be reprimanded for his conduct and that this witness be excused with the court's deepest apologies.

Judge Randolph: [from the judge's bench] Overruled.

Capt. Ross: Your honor...

Judge Randolph: [from the judge's bench] Your objection is noted.

Galloway: [in her office] Lieutenant, how long have you been in the Navy?

Kaffee: Going on nine months now.

Galloway: And how long have you been out of law school?

Kaffee: A little over a year.

Galloway: I see.

Kaffee: Have I done something wrong?

Galloway: No, it's just that when I petitioned division to have counsel assigned, I was hoping that I'd be taken seriously.

Kaffee: [sarcastically] No offense taken, in case you were wondering.

[upon first meeting in her office]

Galloway: You're the attorney division assigned?

Kaffee: I'm lead counsel, and this is Sam Weinberg.

Lt. Weinberg: I have no responsibilities here whatsoever.

Kaffee: [in the interrogation room] cutie-pie shit will not win you a place in my heart, Corporal, I get paid no matter how much time you spend in jail.

Dawson: [contemptuously] Yes sir, I know you do, sir.

Kaffee: [shouts] Fuck you Harold!

[first lines]

Drill Master: Forward, march!

[last lines, after court has adjourned for the day]

Capt. Ross: I'll see you around campus. I gotta go arrest Kendrick.

Kaffee: Tell him I say hi.

Capt. Ross: Will do.

Pfc. William T. Santiago: P.S. In exchange for my transfer off the base, I am willing to provide you with information about...

Col. Jessup: [reading Pfc. Santiago's letter to the NIS] information about an illegal fence-line shooting that took place the night of August 2nd...

[shouts]

Col. Jessup: [while in his office, to Kendrick and Markinson] Who the fuck is Pfc. William T. Santiago?

Kaffee: [in an interogation room] This your signature?

Dawson: Yes, sir.

Kaffee: You don't have to call me "sir."

[to Downey]

Kaffee: Is this your signature?

Downey: Sir, yes, sir.

Kaffee: You certainly don't need to do it twice in one sentence.

Col. Jessup: [in Jessup's office] Hmmmm... transfer Santiago. Yes, I'm sure you're right. I'm sure that's the thing to do. Wait, I've got a better idea. Let's transfer the whole squad off the base. Let's... On second thought, Windward! Let's transfer the whole Windward Division off the base. John, go on out there and get those boys down off the fence, they're packing their bags. Tom!

Tom: Yes, sir!

Col. Jessup: Get me the President on the phone. We're surrendering our position in Cuba!

Tom: Yes, sir.

Col. Jessup: Wait a minute, Tom, don't get the President just yet. Maybe we should consider this for a second. Dismissed, Tom. Maybe, and I'm just spit balling here, maybe, we have a responsibility as officers to traing Santiago. Maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this country to see to that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. Yes, I'm certain that I read that somewhere once. And now I'm thinking,Col. Markinson, that your suggestion of transferring Santiago, while expeditious and certainly painless, might not be, in a matter of speaking, the American way. Santiago stays where he is. We're gonna train the lad!

Kaffee: [in a seafood restaurant] Why are you always giving me your resume?

Galloway: [pauses] Because I want you to think that I'm a good lawyer.

Kaffee: [nods] I do

Galloway: no you don't, I think you're an exceptional lawyer, I see the court members and they respond to to you.

Kaffee: [when Galloway insists on investigation instead of an instant uninformed plea-bargain while in her office] Commander, do you have some sort of jurisdiction here that I should know about?

Galloway: My job is to make sure that you do your job. I'm Special Counsel for Internal Affairs, so jurisdiction's pretty much in your face.

Galloway: [crisply, after Kaffee's risen prematurely to leave her office] You're dismissed.

Kaffee: [pause] I always forget that part.

Kaffee: Colonel, the 6 a.m. was first flight off the base?

Col. Jessup: Yes.

Kaffee: There wasn't a flight that left seven hours earlier and landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m.?

Judge Randolph: Lieutenant, I think we've covered this, haven't we?

Kaffee: [hands him the log books] Your Honor, these are the tower chief's logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews Air Force Base. The Guantanamo log lists no flight leaving at 11 pm and the Andrews log lists no flight arriving at 2 am. I'd like to submit these as defense exhibits Alpha and Bravo.

Judge Randolph: I don't understand. You're submitting evidence of a flight that never existed.

Kaffee: Oh, we believe it did, sir.

Dawson: [in an interogation room] Permission to sp...

Kaffee: [cutting him off, loudly annoyed] SPEAK! Jesus!

Kaffee: Colonel, Lt. Kendrick ordered the Code Red because *that's* what you told Lt. Kendrick to do!

Capt. Ross: *Object!*

Judge Randolph: [from the judge's bench] Sustained!

Kaffee: And when it went bad, you cut these guys *loose!*

Capt. Ross: Your honor!

Kaffee: You doctored the log book!...

Capt. Ross: *Damn it, Kaffee!*

Judge Randolph: [to Kaffee from the judge's bench] Consider yourself in contempt!

Kaffee: Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?

Judge Randolph: You don't have to answer that question!

Col. Jessup: I'll answer the question!

[to Kaffee]

Col. Jessup: You want answers?

Kaffee: I think I'm entitled to.

Col. Jessep: You want answers?

Kaffee: I WANT THE TRUTH!

Col. Jessup: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

[pauses]

Col. Jessup: Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know; that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, *saves lives*. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a *damn* what you think you are entitled to!

Kaffee: Did you order the code red?

Col. Jessup: I did the job I...

Kaffee: [interrupts him] *Did you order the Code Red?*

Col. Jessup: *You're God damn right I did!*

Kaffee: Lieutenant, do you know what a code red is?

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I do.

Kaffee: Have you ever ordered a code red?

Lt. Kendrick: No, I have not.

Kaffee: Lieutenant, did you order Dawson and two other men to make sure that Private Bell receive no food or drink except water for a period of seven days?

Lt. Kendrick: That is a distortion of the truth, Lieutenant. Private Bell was placed on barracks restriction. He was given water and vitamin supplements, and I can assure you that at no time was his health in danger.

Kaffee: [sarcastic] I'm sure it was lovely for Private Bell. But you did order the barracks restriction, didn't you? You did order the denial of food.

Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I did.

Kaffee: Wouldn't this form of discipline be considered a code red?

Lt. Kendrick: No.

Kaffee: If I called the other 478 Marines from Guantanamo Bay to testify, would they consider it a code red?

Capt. Ross: If it please the court, the witness can't possibly testify as to what 478 other men would say. Now, we object to this entire line of questioning as argumentative and irrelevant badgering of the witness.

Judge Randolph: The government's objection is sustained, Lieutenant Kaffee, and I would remind you that you are now questioning a Marine officer with an impeccable service record.

Capt. Ross: Thank you, Your Honor.

Col. Jessup: [in Jessup's office after Kendrick was asked to leave] Matthew, sit down, please.

[Lt. Col. Markinson sits]

Col. Jessup: What do you think of Kendrick?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Nathan, I don't think that my opinion of Kendrick has any...

Col. Jessup: I think he's kind of a weasel, myself. But he's an awfully good officer, and in the end we see eye to eye on the best way to run a Marine Corps unit. We're in the business of saving lives, Matthew. That's a responsibility we have to take pretty seriously. And I believe that taking a Marine who's not quite up to the job and shipping him off to another assignment, puts lives in danger.

[Markinson begins to stand]

Col. Jessup: Matthew, siddown.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [sits]

Col. Jessup: We go back a while. We went to the Academy together, we were commissioned together, we did our tours in Vietnam together. But I've been promoted up through the chain of command with greater speed and success than you have. Now if that's a source of tension or embarrassment for you, well, I don't give a shit. We're in the business of saving lives, Lieutenant Colonel Markinson. Don't ever question my orders in front of another officer.

Capt. Ross: [confirming Danny's bluff to Jessup after court has adjourned for the day] Airmen Cecil O'Malley and Anthony Rodriguez, what exactly were these guys going to testify to?

Kaffee: Unless I'm mistaken, they were both going to testify under oath that they had absolutely no recollection of anything.

Capt. Ross: [sarcastically] Strong witnesses.

Kaffee: [jokingly] And handsome too, didn't you think?

Kaffee: [Stops Dawson as he is leaving the courtroom] Harold.

Dawson: Sir?

Kaffee: You don't need to wear a patch on your arm to have honor.

Dawson: Ten-hut!

[salutes]

Dawson: There's an officer on deck.

Galloway: [before leaving his apartment] Hey, Kaffee...

Kaffee: I know what you're going to 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 I stuck with the case. And if you've gained a certain respect for me over the last three weeks... well, of course, I'm happy about that. But we don't have to make a whole big deal outta that - you like me? I won't make you say it.

Galloway: I was just going to tell you to wear matching socks tomorrow.

Kaffee: OK! Good tip!

Kaffee: [while looking through his refrigerator] Were you able to speak to your friend at the NIS?

Lt. Weinberg: Yeah, she said that if Markinson doesn't want to be found, we're not gonna find him. She said I could be Markinson and you wouldn't know it.

Kaffee: Are you Markinson?

Lt. Weinberg: No.

Kaffee: I'm not Markinson. That's two down. What?

Lt. Weinberg: I'm just wondering, now that Joanne's in on this, you know, I was just wondering if you still needed me.

Kaffee: They were following orders, Sam.

Lt. Weinberg: An illegal order.

Kaffee: You think Dawson and Downey knew it was an illegal order?

Lt. Weinberg: It doesn't matter what they knew. Any decent human being would have refused.

Kaffee: They're not permitted to question orders.

Lt. Weinberg: Then what's the secret? Huh, what are the magic words? I give orders every day nobody follows them.

Kaffee: Sam, we have softball games and marching bands. They work at a place where you have to wear camouflage or they might get shot! I need you. You're better at research than I am and you know how to prepare a witness.

Galloway: [Galloway arrives] I have medical reports and Chinese food. I say we eat first.

[pause, Weinberg is pondering, remains silent]

Galloway: [confused] What?

Lt. Weinberg: You got any Kung Pao chicken?

Kaffee: [pointing to their chalkboard with his baseball bat] Alright, here's our defense. Intent, no one can prove there was poison on the rag. Code reds, they're common and accepted in Guantanamo Bay. The order, A, Kendrick gave it, B they had no choice but to follow it. That's it.

Lt. Weinberg: What about motive?

Kaffee: We're a little weak on motive they had one.

Galloway: Just because a person's got a motive doesn't mean they're guilty.

Kaffee: Relax, we'll deal with the fence line shooting when it comes up. For now, let's start with intent. I don't know what made Santiago die, I don't want to know. I just want to show that it could have been something other than poison. Jo, talk to doctors find out everything there is to know about lactic acidosis. Sam, find out who else was in the emergency room that night.

Col. Jessup: Have you ever spent time in an infantry unit, son?

Kaffee: No, sir.

Col. Jessup: Ever served in a forward area?

Kaffee: No, sir.

Col. Jessup: Ever put your life in another man's hands, ask him to put his life in yours?

Kaffee: No, sir.

Col. Jessup: We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It's that simple. Are we clear?

Kaffee: Yes, sir.

Col. Jessup: [slower and louder] Are we clear?

Kaffee: Crystal.

Galloway: [in her office] Lieutenant, this letter makes it look like your client had a motive to kill Santiago.

Kaffee: Gotcha, and Santiago is, who?

Galloway: [irritated] The victim.

Kaffee: [sarcastically, to Sam] Write that down.

Kaffee: [at Luther's magazine stand] How's it going, Luther?

Luther: Another day, another dollar, captain.

Kaffee: You gotta play them as they lay.

Luther: What goes around comes around.

Kaffee: Can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Luther: At least I got my health.

Kaffee: [hands him money before leaving] Well, then you got everything... See you tomorrow, Luther.

Luther: Not if I see you first.

Downey: [after the verdict was read] I don't understand... Colonel Jessup said he ordered the Code Red.

Galloway: I know but...

Downey: [nervously] Colonel Jessup said he ordered the Code Red! What did we do wrong?

Galloway: It's not that simple...

Downey: [anxiously] What did we do wrong? We did nothing wrong!

Dawson: Yeah we did. We were supposed to fight for people who couldn't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willy.

Kaffee: Commander, from what I understand, if this thing goes to court, they won't need a lawyer, they'll need a priest.

Galloway: [in her office] No, they'll need a lawyer.

Col. Jessup: [refering to Santiago] I felt his life might be in danger.

Kaffee: Grave danger?

Col. Jessup: [sarcastically] Is there another kind?

[In the film edited for TV on NBC dubbed in the Modified Version. Judge Randolph dismisses the jury after Jessup's revelation on the stand about the Code Red]

Col. Jessup: What the hell is this? Colonel, what's going on? I did my job. I'd do it again. I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

Judge Randolph: You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's, guard the Colonel.

M.P.: Yes, sir.

[MP's take to the post. And Col. Jessup find out what's going on]

Judge Randolph: Captain Ross.

Col. Jessup: What the hell is these?

Capt. Ross: Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent; Any statement you make may be used against you in a trial by court-martial or in other judicial or administrative proceedings. You have the right to consult with a lawyer prior any further questions. This lawyer may be a civilian lawyer retained by you at your own expense...

Col. Jessup: I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is...

[Turning to Kaffee and lunging at him. But the MP's restrain Colonel Jessup]

Col. Jessup: ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and puke into your dead skull, you messed with the wrong marine!

Capt. Ross: Colonel Jessup, do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

Col. Jessup: You friggin' people. You have no idea how to defend the nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son,

Kaffee: Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.

[Glares at Jessup]

Kaffee: The witness is excused.

[Colonel Jessup calms down, taking a deep breath to cool off, bend down and grab his hat on the floor, and MP's taken Colonel Jessup away into custody]

Galloway: The doctor's wrong.

Kaffee: [jokingly, in his apartment] What a relief. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to use the liar-liar-pants-on-fire defense.

Kaffee: [feeling guilty after having lost his temper] Is your father proud of you?

Lt. Weinberg: Don't do this to yourself

Kaffee: I'll bet he is, I'll bet he bores the shit out of the neighbors and relatives, "Sam's made Law Review, his working on a big case right now, his arguing, his making an argument

Lt. Weinberg: I ever tell you I wrote a paper about your father in college?

Kaffee: Yeah

Lt. Weinberg: One of the best trial lawyers ever

Kaffee: Yes, he was

Lt. Weinberg: If I were Dawson and Downey and if I had to choose between you or your father to represent me in this case I'd choose you any day of the week and twice on Sunday, you should've seen yourself thunder away at Kendrick

Kaffee: Would you put Jessup on the stand?

Lt. Weinberg: No

Kaffee: You think my father would?

Lt. Weinberg: With the evidence we got, not in a million years, see here's the thing and there's no way of getting around this, neither Lionel Kaffee nor Sam Weinberg in lead counsel for the defense on the matter of the U.S. versus Dawson and Downey would you put Colonel Nathan Jessup on the stand, so there's only one question, " what would you do?"

Galloway: [talking privately before Jessup takes the stand] How you feeling?

Kaffee: I feel Jessup is going to have his hands full today

Galloway: Listen, when you're up there today if you feel like it's not going to happen if you feel like his not going to say it don't go for it you could get in trouble I'm special counsel for internal affairs and I'm telling you, you can get in a lot of trouble

Kaffee: You're not suggesting I back off from the material witness?

Kaffee: [in Sam's office after work hours] I don't believe it, Dawson's is going to jail despite me. Fine, if he wants to jump off a cliff, I'm not going to hold his hand the way down. I want to get him a new lawyer and how do I do it?

Lt. Weinberg: Just make a motion tomorrow morning at the arraignment the judge will ask if you want to enter a plea and you tell him you want new counsel assigned.

Kaffee: That's that.

Galloway: [as Danny leaves Sam's office] One thing though: When you ask the judge for new counsel, be sure to ask "nicely"

Kaffee: [in the hallway] What do you want from me?

Galloway: Why are so afraid to be a lawyer? Were daddy's expectations really that high?

Kaffee: Dawson and Downey will have their day in court, they'll just have it with another lawyer

Galloway: Another lawyer won't be good enough, they need you, you know how to win. You know they have a case and you know how to win. If you walk away from this now, you've sealed their fate.

Kaffee: Their fate was sealed the minute Santiago died.

Galloway: [in West's office] I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice.

Capt. West: Would you like to sit down?

Galloway: I'm fine sir.

Capt. West: Have a seat.

Galloway: [embarassed] OK.

Capt. West: I understand we had some trouble over the weekend down in Cuba?

Galloway: [as she hands him their files] Yes sir. This past Friday two marines, a Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey entered the barracks room of a Pfc. William Santiago and assaulted him. Santiago died approximately an hour later. The NIS agent who took Dawson and Downey's statements maintained they were trying to prevent Santiago from naming Dawson in a fence line shooting incident. They're scheduled to have a hearing down in Cuba this afternoon at sixteen hundred. Dawson and Downey are both "recruiting poster" marines. Santiago was known to be a screw up. I was thinking it sounded a lot like a code red.

Capt. West: Christ.

Lt. Kendrick: Private Santiago was a member of second platoon bravo

Col. Jessup: Apparently his not very happy down here because his written letters to everyone but Santa Clause is asking for a transfer and now his telling tales about a fence line shooting Matthew?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I'm appalled sir

Col. Jessup: [in his office] You're appalled, this kid broke the chain of command and ratted on a member of his unit. To say nothing of the fact that he is a US marine, that would appear that he can't run from here to there without collapsing from heat exhaustion. What the fuck is going on in Bravo Company?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I think it's better to hold this discussion in private

Lt. Kendrick: [to Jessup] that won't be necessary I can handle the situation

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: The same way you handled the Curtis Bell incident? Don't interrupt me lieutenant, I'm still your superior officer

Col. Jessup: [to Markinson] And I am yours, I want to know what we're going to do about this

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I think Santiago should be transferred off the base immediately

Col. Jessup: Maybe I'm just spitballing here, maybe we have a responsibility as officers to train Santiago, maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this county to see that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. I'm certain I've read that somewhere once, and now I'm thinking your suggestion of "transferring Santiago" while expeditious and painless might not be in the manner of speaking, the "American way". Santiago stays where he is, we're going to train the lad

Kaffee: [Sarcastically to Harold as he enters the interogation room] looks like someone hasn't been playing and working well with others.

Dawson: Sir yes sir

Kaffee: What's a code red?

Dawson: A code red is a disciplinary engagement

Kaffee: What's that mean exactly?

Dawson: A marine falls out of line then it's up to his unit to get him back on track.

Kaffee: What's a "garden variety" code red?

Dawson: Sir?

Kaffee: You say "sir" and I turn around to look for my father, People call me "Danny", people called my father Daniel Kaffee, "garden variety", "basic", what's a basic code red?

Dawson: A marine refuses to obey the orders he's given on a regular basis.

Galloway: [going over their defense strategy, in his apartment] What about motive?

Kaffee: We're a little weak on motive, they had one.

Galloway: Just because someone has a motive, it doesn't mean they're guilty.

Kaffee: Relax, we'll deal with the fence line shooting when it comes up. For now, we'll start with intent. I don't know what made Santiago die, I don't want to know. I just want to be able to show it could've been something other than poison. Jo, talk to doctors, find out everything there is on lactic acidosis.

Kaffee: Commander, you testified that it takes lactic acidosis twenty to thirty minutes before it becomes lethal.

Dr. Stone: Yes.

Kaffee: Let me ask you, is it possible for a person to have an affliction, some sort of condition which might, in the case of this person, actually speed up the process dramatically?

[awkward pause]

Kaffee: Commander, is it possible?

Dr. Stone: Certainly.

Kaffee: What might some of those conditions be?

Dr. Stone: If a person had a coronary disorder or a cerebral disorder, the process would be more rapid.

Kaffee: Commander, if I had a coronary condition and a perfectly clean rag was placed in my mouth, and the rag was accidentally pushed too far down, is it possible that my cells would continue burning sugar after the rag was taken out?

Dr. Stone: It would have to be a very serious condition.

Kaffee: Is it possible to have a serious coronary condition, where the initial warning signals were so mild as to escape a physician during a routine medical exam?

Dr. Stone: Possibly. There would still be symptoms, though.

Kaffee: What kind of symptoms?

Dr. Stone: There are hundreds of symptoms of a...

Kaffee: Chest pains?

Dr. Stone: Yes.

Kaffee: Shortness of breath?

Dr. Stone: Yes.

Kaffee: Fatigue?

Dr. Stone: Of course.

Kaffee: [Galloway hands Kaffee a medical report for evidence; Kaffee presents it to Stone] Doctor, is this your signature?

Dr. Stone: Yes.

Kaffee: This is an order for Private Santiago to be put on restricted duty. Would you read your handwritten remarks at the bottom of the page, please, sir?

Dr. Stone: "Initial testing negative. Patient complains of chest pains, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Restricted from running distances over five miles for one week."

Kaffee: Commander, isn't it possible that Santiago had a serious coronary condition, and it was that condition, and not some mysterious poison, that caused the accelerated chemical reaction?

Galloway: [referring to her objecting repeatedly that a key expert witness was unqualified to provide testimony] I got it on the record.

Lt. Weinberg: And you got the court members thinking we're afraid of the doctor. You object once so they can hear us say his not a criminologist; you keep after it the way you did, suddenly our great cross looks like a bunch of fancy lawyer tricks. There's a difference between paper law and trial law! Christ, you even had the judge say Stone was an expert!

Kaffee: [to Sam] She made a mistake. Let's not relive it

Lt. Weinberg: I'm going to call my wife. I'll see you tonight.

Galloway: [while in a seafood restaurant] I think you're an exceptional lawyer I watch the court members they respond to you they like you I see you convincing them and I think Dawson and Downey will end up owing their lives to you

Kaffee: I think you should prepare for the fact that we're going to lose. Ross's opening statement was all true let's pretend for a minute that it actually mattered to the court that these guys were given an order. I can't prove it ever happened we'll keep doing what we're doing and we'll put on a show but at the end of the day all we have is the testimonies of two people accused of murder

Galloway: We'll find Markinson

Kaffee: We're going to lose, and we're going to lose huge

Kaffee: [entering his apartment from the back door, drenched from the rain] Downey wasn't even in his room, wasn't even there, that was an important piece of information we should've known about don't you think?

Galloway: It was a set back and I'm sorry but we fix it and move on to Markinson.

Kaffee: [sitting on the couch] Markinson's dead, really got ahead of those federal Marshalls, boy it's not like he hung himself with his shoelaces or slashed his wrists with a concealed butter knife this guy got into full dress uniform, stood in the middle of that room, drew nickel plated pistol from his holster and fired a bullet into his mouth.

Galloway: We go to Randolph in the morning and make a motion for a continuance for twenty four hours.

Kaffee: Why would we possibly want to do that?

Galloway: To subpoena colonel Jessup.

Kaffee: What?

Galloway: Listen for a second.

Kaffee: No.

Galloway: Just hear me out.

Kaffee: No, I won't listen and I won't hear you out your passion is compelling it's also useless. Louden Downey needed a trial lawyer today.

Galloway: You chicken shit, you're going to use what happened today as an excuse to give up.

Kaffee: Its over.

Galloway: Why did you ask Jessup for the transfer order?

Kaffee: What?

Galloway: In Cuba, why did you ask Jessup for the transfer order?

Kaffee: What does it matter? I wanted the damn transfer order

Galloway: Bullshit, you could've got the transfer order by calling any one of the dozen departments at the Pentagon you, didn't want the transfer order, you wanted to see his reaction when you asked for the transfer order, you had an instinct and it was confirmed by Markinson so damn it lets put Jessup on the stand and end this thing.

Kaffee: [to Dawson and Downey in the interrogation room referring to the government's offer of a plea bargain deal in exchange for a lesser sentence with Joanne present] here's the story: the government's offering involuntary manslaughter, you'll get two years, home in six months

Kaffee: [after Dawson and Downey remain silent for several minutes, sarcastically] wow Kaffee you're the greatest lawyer in the world, how can we ever thank you, fellas did you hear what I just said? You're going home in six months.

Dawson: I'm afraid we can't do that sir

Kaffee: do what?

Dawson: make a deal sir.

Kaffee: what are you talking about?

Dawson: we did our job and if that has consequences then I'll accept them, but I won't say that I'm guilty sir.

Kaffee: [to Dawson in the interrogation after he declined the government's plea bargain deal in exchange for a lighter sentence] you don't like me very much, do you?

Kaffee: [Dawson after he was silent for a few minutes and gave him a sharp angry look] forget I asked, it doesn't matter

Kaffee: you know Downey worships you, he's going to do whatever you do, are you really let this happen to him because of a code?

Lt. Weinberg: [to Dawson in the interrogation room with Danny and Downey present] on the night of August 2nd, did you fire a shot across the fence line into Cuba?

Dawson: yes sir

Lt. Weinberg: why?

Dawson: my "mirror" engaged, sir

Kaffee: his mirror"?

Lt. Weinberg: [to Danny] for every American century post there's a Cuban counterpart, they're called "mirrors. "Lance Corporal is claiming his mirror was about to fire at him

Kaffee: Santiago's letter to the NIS said you fired illegally, he's saying that guy, the "mirror," he never made a move.

Kaffee: [in an interrogation room with Sam and Downey present] if Santiago didn't anything on you, why did you give him a code red?

Dawson: because he broke the chain of command sir

Kaffee: he what?

Kaffee: he went outside of his unit sir, if he had a problem, he should've spoken to me sir.

Galloway: [in her office, after sensing he prefers his clients to accept a plea bargain instead of going to trial] Have you ever been in a courtroom?

Kaffee: I once had my driver's license suspended.

Lt. Weinberg: [implying to him that he should answer her questions respectfully] Danny...

Galloway: [in the interrogation room, after Dawson criticizes Danny and enraging him causing him to respond with a profanity] Alright, at ease, let's sort this thing out. There was a platoon meeting on September sixteen at four in the afternoon, Lieutenant Kendrick said he gave strict instructions that nothing was to happen to Santiago, no is this true?

Dawson: [Dawson and Downey remain silent]

Galloway: I want you to speak freely

Dawson: Ma'am that's correct, then he dismissed the platoon then we all went to our rooms.

Galloway: And what happened then?

Dawson: Lieutenant Kendrick came to our room Ma'am

Kaffee: When?

Dawson: About five after the meeting broke sir, about 1620.

Kaffee: And what happened then?

Dawson: Lieutenant Kendrick ordered us to give Santiago a code red.

Kaffee: [to Dawson in the interrogation room, referring to Joanne, after he refused the government's plea deal] Did she put you up to this?

Galloway: [sitting nearby] No.

Dawson: We have a code sir...

Kaffee: [interrupts him] Oh well, zip a dee doo dah you and your code, plea not guilty, you will be in jail for the rest of your life.

Kaffee: [after Dawson remains silent for a few minutes, pleading with him] I'm telling you you'll be home in six months, do it, six months, it's nothing, it's a hockey season.

Kaffee: [to the court while Jessup is on the witness stand, eventually reading a list of Santiago's belongings] After Dawson and Downey's arrest on the night of the sixth, Santiago's barracks room was sealed off and its contents inventoried: four pairs, camouflaged pants, three long sleeve kaki shirts, three pairs of boots, four pairs green socks, three OD green t-shirts.

Capt. Ross: Please the court, is there a question anywhere in our future?

Capt. Ross: were you present at a meeting held on the afternoon of September sixth with the members of the second platoon?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: yes sir

Capt. Ross: would you tell the court the substance of that meeting?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: Lieutenant Kendrick told us we had a informer in our group, that Private Santiago had gone outside the chain of command and reported to the NIS a member of our platoon

Capt. Ross: did that make you mad?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: [remains silent]

Capt. Ross: you can tell the truth Corporal, it's alright, did that make you mad?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: yes sir

Capt. Ross: how mad?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: Private Santiago betrayed a code we believe in very deeply sir

Capt. Ross: were the other members of the squad angry?

Kaffee: object, speculation

Capt. Ross: were Dawson and Downey?

Kaffee: please the court, is the government counsel honestly asking this witness to testify to as to how my clients felt on September sixth?

Judge Randolph: sustained

Capt. Ross: Corporal, did Lieutenant Kendrick leave a standing order at that meeting?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: yes sir

Capt. Ross: what was it?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: well it was clear that he didn't want us taking matters in our own hands

Capt. Ross: what was the order?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: Sir, he said Santiago wasn't to be touched.

Capt. Ross: [to Danny] your witness

Kaffee: were you in Dawson and Downey's room five minutes after this meeting?

Cpl. Carl Hammaker: no, sir

Kaffee: thanks, I have no more questions.

Kaffee: name some reasons why a Marine would relieve a code red?

Cpl. Barnes: [while on the witness stand] being late for platoon or company meetings, keeping his barracks in disorder, falling back on a run.

Kaffee: have you ever received a code red?

Cpl. Barnes: yes sir, we were doing seven man assault drills and my weapon slipped. It was just so it was over a hundred degrees and my palms were sweaty and I forgot to use the resin like we were taught

Kaffee: what happened?

Cpl. Barnes: that night the guys in my squad threw a blanket over me, took turns punching me in the arm for five minutes, then they poured glue in my hands and it worked too because I ain't dropped my weapon since

Kaffee: was Private Santiago late for platoon meetings?

Cpl. Barnes: yes sir

Kaffee: were his barracks ever in disorder?

Cpl. Barnes: yes sir

Kaffee: did he ever fall back on a run?

Cpl. Barnes: all the time sir

Kaffee: did "ever" prior to the night of September sixth ever receive a code red?

Cpl. Barnes: no sir

Kaffee: never?

Cpl. Barnes: no sir

Kaffee: you got a code red because your palms are sweaty

Kaffee: why didn't Santiago, this burden to his unit, ever get one?

Cpl. Barnes: Dawson wouldn't allow it sir

Kaffee: [looking at the jury] Dawson wouldn't allow it

Cpl. Barnes: the guys talked tough about Santiago but they wouldn't go near him, they were too afraid of Dawson sir

Capt. Ross: object, the witness is speculating

Kaffee: I'll rephrase, Jeffery did you ever want to give Santiago a code red?

Cpl. Barnes: yes sir

Kaffee: why didn't you

Barnes: [when asked on the witness stand why he didn't give Private Santiago a code red] because Dawson would kick my butt sir

Kaffee: fair enough

Kaffee: [to Dawson after waving his hand in front of Downey's face and not responding in an interrogation with Sam present] does he ever talk?

Dawson: sir PFC Downey will answer direct questions you ask him

Kaffee: swell, private Downey, the rag you stuffed in Santiago's mouth, was there poison on it?

Downey: no sir

Kaffee: silver polish, Turpentine Anti-Freeze?

Downey: no sir, we were just going to shave his head sir

Kaffee: when all of a sudden?

Downey: we saw blood dripping down his mouth, and we pulled the tape off, and there was blood down his face sir. That's when Lance Corporal Dawson called the ambulance

Kaffee: [to Dawson] did anyone see you call the ambulance?

Dawson: no sir

Kaffee: were you there when the ambulance arrived?

Dawson: yes sir, that's when we were taken under arrest.

Kaffee: [after settling a fight between Sam and Joanne, while leaving the courtroom for the day] what day is it tomorrow?

Lt. Weinberg: Saturday

Kaffee: we'll start at ten

Kaffee: [to Sam as he enters Danny's apartment] what's the word?

Lt. Weinberg: [before Danny grabs the log book and looks in it] I got the tower chief's log from that night, Jessup's telling the truth. 6am flight was the first one out

Kaffee: [hurryingly] let me see this

Agent #1: working late tonight lieutenant?

Kaffee: [before entering Markinson's motel room] oh yeah

Kaffee: [angrily to Markinson as he enters his motel room, before slamming the log book onto the table] there was no flight out at eleven o'clock, what the fuck are you trying to pull?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [as he sits down to look inside the log book] first flight stateside left Guantanamo Bay at twenty three hundred, it arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland a few minutes past two

Kaffee: then why isn't it listed in the tower's chief log?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [shaking his head] Jessup

Kaffee: what're telling me? He fixed the log book?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [scoffs]

Kaffee: maybe he can make it that one didn't take off but I can sure as hell prove one landed. I'm going to get the log book from Andrews

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: you're not going to find anything in the Andrews log book either

Kaffee: he can make an entire flight disappear?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Nathan Jessup was about to be appointed Director of Operations for the National Security Council. You don't get to that position without knowing how to "sidestep a few landmines"

Kaffee: his not going to be able to "sidestep" you

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: you don't still intend to put me on the stand?

Kaffee: [pointing the log book at Markinson, before leaving his motel room] Thursday morning ten o'clock

Galloway: [while in Danny's apartment] There's got to someone who can testify to the flight: a ground crew member, someone?

Lt. Weinberg: this isn't the TWA. There wasn't a regular flight schedule, do you have any idea how many planes take off and land every day? A kid from the ground crew isn't going to remember if a flight that landed four weeks ago...

Galloway: [interrupts him] well, how do you know though? if you don't check...

Kaffee: [interrupts Joanne] forget the flight

Kaffee: [to Sam and Joanne] forget the flight. We'll put Markinson on the stand and we'll deal with Jessup's refusal to transfer Santiago and he'll testify to the forged transfer order and that'll be enough: that and Downey's testimony really ought to be enough

Lieutenant Dave Spradling: [realizing Danny's terms of a plea bargain is more logical because it decreases both of their workloads] I don't know why I'm agreeing to this

Kaffee: because you have wisdom beyond your years

Col. Jessup: [to Danny as he, Sam, and Jo enters Jessup's office for the for the first time] Nathan Jessup, come on in

Kaffee: [as they shake hands, introduces Sam, and Jo] thank you sir, I'm Daniel Kaffee. I'm the attorney for Dawson and Downey.

Col. Jessup: pleasure

Kaffee: [gestures to Jo] This Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway.

Col. Jessup: [as they shake hands] pleasure meeting you Commander.

Galloway: Colonel

Kaffee: [to Jessup, gestures to Sam] Lieutenant Sam Weinberg, he'll be assisting

Lt. Weinberg: [as they shake hands] sir

Col. Jessup: [gestures to Markinson and Kendrick] this is my XO Colonel Markinson and platoon leader Lieutenant Kendrick, I've asked them to join us, sit down, please

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [as they shake hands] Lieutenant Kaffee

Kaffee: [as they shake hands] Colonel Markinson

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I had the pleasure of meeting your father once. I was a teenager, he spoke at my high school

Col. Jessup: [to Danny] Lionel Kaffee?

Kaffee: yes sir

Col. Jessup: [to Kendrick] well what'd you know? This man's dad once made a lot of enemies in your neck of the woods. Jefferson versus Madison County School District. Folks down there said a little black girl couldn't go to an all white school. Lionel Kaffee said "well, we'll just see about that."

Col. Jessup: [in his office, meeting for the first time] what could we do for you Danny?

Kaffee: [while looking in his briefcase] not much sir, this is really more of a formality than anything else. The JAG Corps insists we interview all the relevant witnesses

Galloway: [hands Danny a pen] The JAG Corps can be demanding that way

Col. Jessup: [motions to Kendrick] John will take you out to show you what you want to see. After that we can all hook up for lunch, how does that sound?

Kaffee: that sound fine sir

Kaffee: [to Kendrick] I understand you had a meeting with your men that afternoon.

Lt. Kendrick: [while driving Danny, Sam and Joanne to Santiago's living quarters] yes, I did

Kaffee: what'd you guys talk about?

Lt. Kendrick: I told the men that we had an informer among us and despite any desire they might had to seek retribution, Private Santiago wasn't to be harmed in any way.

Kaffee: what time was that meeting?

Lt. Kendrick: sixteen hundred

Lt. Weinberg: [to Danny before showing him four fingers] it's four o'clock

Capt. Ross: [to the Judge] Docket number 411275 VR-5. The United States versus Harold W. Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey. The accused are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conduct of a United States Marine

Judge Randolph: does the defense wish to enter a plea?

Kaffee: [while standing up] yeah, they're not guilty

Judge Randolph: enter a plea of not guilty for the accused, we will adjourn until ten hundred, three weeks from today, at which this general court martial will reconvene

Mr. Dawson: [first meeting each other in court] Lieutenant Kaffee, you are going to save our son, aren't you?

Kaffee: [to both of Dawson's parents] I'll do my best.

Capt. Ross: Mr. Maguire can you raise your right hand please? Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you'll give this general court martial will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?

Robert C. McGuire: I do

Capt. Ross: have a seat please sir

Capt. Ross: would you state your full name and occupation for the record?

Robert C. McGuire: [on the witness stand] Robert C. Maguire special agent, Naval Investigative Service

Capt. Ross: thank you, Mr. Maguire did your office receive a letter from a PFC William Santiago on three September on this year?

Robert C. McGuire: we did

Capt. Ross: what did that letter say?

Robert C. McGuire: that a member of Private Santiago's unit had illegally fired his weapon over the fence line

Capt. Ross: was that Marine identified in the letter?

Robert C. McGuire: no, I notified the barracks CO Colonel Jessup that I would be coming down to investigate

Capt. Ross: and what did you find?

Robert C. McGuire: the shift only reported one Marine returned his weapon with a round of ammunition missing

Capt. Ross: who was that?

Robert C. McGuire: Lance Corporal Harold Dawson

Capt. Ross: [to Danny] your witness

Kaffee: Mr. Maguire did you question Lance Corporal Dawson about the fence line shooting?

Robert C. McGuire: yes, he "claims" to have been engaged by some manner by the enemy

Kaffee: but you don't believe him?

Robert C. McGuire: it's not my place to...

Kaffee: [interrupts him] Lance Corporal Dawson's been charged with a number of crimes, why wasn't he charged with firing at the enemy without cause?

Robert C. McGuire: there wasn't enough evidence to support such a charge.

Kaffee: thank you

Capt. Ross: Mr. Maguire, 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

Robert C. McGuire: Santiago was the only eyewitness. I never had the chance to interview him so I don't know what he saw

Capt. Ross: And now we'll never know, will we Mr., Maguire?

Robert C. McGuire: No.

Capt. Ross: No more questions.

Capt. Ross: Mr. Maguire can you raise your right hand please? Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you'll give this general court martial will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?

Robert C. McGuire: [before sitting down] I do

Capt. Ross: have a seat please sir, would you state your full name and occupation for the record?

Robert C. McGuire: Robert C. Maguire special agent, Naval Investigative Service

Capt. Ross: thank you, Mr. Maguire did your office receive a letter from a PFC William Santiago on three September on this year?

Robert C. McGuire: we did

Capt. Ross: what did that letter say?

Robert C. McGuire: that a member of Private Santiago's unit had illegally fired his weapon over the fence line

Capt. Ross: was that Marine identified in the letter?

Robert C. McGuire: no, I notified the barracks CO Colonel Jessup that I would be coming down to investigate

Capt. Ross: and what did you find?

Robert C. McGuire: the shift only reported one Marine returned his weapon with a round of ammunition missing

Capt. Ross: who was that?

Robert C. McGuire: Lance Corporal Harold Dawson

Capt. Ross: [to Danny] your witness

Kaffee: Mr. Maguire did you question Lance Corporal Dawson about the fence line shooting?

Robert C. McGuire: yes, he "claims" to have been engaged in some manner by the enemy

Kaffee: but you don't believe him?

Robert C. McGuire: it's not my place to...

Kaffee: [interrupts him] Lance Corporal Dawson's been charged with a number of crimes, why wasn't he charged with firing at the enemy without cause?

Robert C. McGuire: there wasn't enough evidence to support such a charge.

Kaffee: thank you

Capt. Ross: Mr. Maguire, 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.

Robert C. McGuire: Santiago was the only eyewitness. I never had the chance to interview him so I don't know what he saw.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: [TV edited on NBC Movie. Seeing Markinson in the back seat of his car. Kaffee gasping] Oh, Jeez!

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: You left the door unlocked.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: You scared the hell out of me.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Just keep driving.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Are you aware that you're under subpoena?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes. I'm also aware that the lives of two Marines are in your hands. If there were something I could do about that, I would. But since I can't, all I can do is help you, Lieutenant.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: What do you know?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I know everything.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Was it a code red?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Did Kendrick give the order?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yes.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Did you witness it?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I didn't need to...

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Did you witness it?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: No.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Then how do you know?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I know.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Yeah, you know zilch.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: He was never gonna to be transferred off that base.

[Kaffee turns the corner, stops the car, and pull over. Turns around in his seat to face him]

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Jessup was gonna keep him on the base. He said he wanted him trained.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: We've got the transfer order. Its got your signature.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Yeah, I know. I signed that the morning you arrived in Cuba. 5 days after Santiago died.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: I'm gonna get you a deal. Some kind of immunity with prosecutor. And in about 4 days, you're going to appear as a witness for the defense and you're going to tell the court exactly what you just told me. So right now, I'm going to get check you into a motel room and we're gonna to start from the beginning.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I don't want a deal and I don't want immunity. I want you to know that I am proud neither of what I have done nor what I am doing.

Agent #1: Working late tonight, Lieutenant?

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Oh, yeah.

[Knocking the door in a hotel room. Parkinson opened the door]

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: That was no flight at 11:00. What the hell are you trying to pull?

[He tosses log book at the table]

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: The first flight stateside left Guantanamo Bay at 11 and it arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland at a few minutes past 2.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Really? Then why isn't it listed on the tower Chief's Log?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Jessep.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: What are you telling me? He fix the log book?

[Markinson scoffs]

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Well, maybe he can make it so a plane didn't take off, but I can sure as hall prove that one landed. I'll get the log book from Andrews.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: You're not going to find any Andrew's log book either.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: He can made an entire flight disappear?

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: Nathan Jessep is about to be appointed Director of Operations for the National Security Council. You don't get to that position without knowing how to side-step a few land mines.

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Well, he's not gonna be able to side-step you.

Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: You still don't intend to put my on the stand?

Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Thursday morning. At 10:00.

Kaffee: What do you want from me?

Galloway: [referring to Dawson and Downey] I want you to let them be judged. I want you to stand up and make an argument

Lt. Weinberg: An argument didn't work for Calley at My Lai. An argument didn't work the Nazis at Nuremberg

Kaffee: Oh for Christ's sake Sam, do you really think that's the same as two teenage marines executing an order they never believed it would result in harm? These guys aren't the Nazis

Galloway: Don't look now Danny but you're making an argument