Original subtitles

Captain, what do you say to congressional critics

who call these battleships dinosaurs

that have outlived their usefulness?

Ms. Conlan, these battleships remain

one of the most powerful weapons systems

in the history of warfare.

Our 16-inch guns can hit a target 25 miles away

with a projectile as heavy as a small car and a lot more lethal as you shall see.

Lieutenant, pass the word to man up gun stations.

Aye, aye, sir.

General quarters! General quarters!

All hands man your battle stations for gunnery exercise.

-Load one round! -Load one round!

Aye!

Keep it coming, keep it coming.

Whoa.

Gun turrets, are you loaded and cycled?

Gun turret three, rounds at the ready.

Gun turret two, rounds at the ready.

Gun turret one... rounds at the ready.

One round spotting. Fire in rotation, local control.

One round spotting, aye, aye, sir.

Gun turret three... fire.

Turret three, fire, aye.

[explosion]

Gun turret two... fire.

Turret two, fire, aye.

Gun turret one... fire.

Gun turret one... fire, aye.

[indistinct emergency PA announcement]

[theme music playing]

RABB: Isn't it true

-you confessed to the FBI? -Yes, but...

but now, you deny selling secrets, nuclear secrets,

-to the north Koreans. -Yes, sir.

So, were you lying then or are you lying now?

-Then... uh... now. -But how do you...?

you know, I can't... This is ridiculous.

I... this is really not real. I can't do this.

Cut!

Reset!

Okay, back to one. Reset.

Hey, Brian, how we looking?

Of course, it isn't real.

With all due respect, Commander, your reality is boring.

Ma'am, this scenario does not address

the fine points of military law.

Unauthorized absence, insubordinate conduct?

It sounds like we're back in high school.

Missing a movement, what is that?

Is that a crime or an intestinal ailment?

Miss Peterson, you apparently

don't understand what JAG lawyers do.

You don't do anything.

You don't fire torpedoes or storm beaches. You... talk.

-Is there a problem here? -Sir...

Yeah, I'll tell you, General.

Admiral.

Whatever.

The problem is that the Navy

is 18,000 sailors short and can't fill its quota.

The problem is that I have been hired to shoot a recruiting commercial

and rather than be given Navy pilots

or Navy Seals, like a certain feature director

I was given Navy lawyers.

I see... um...

Miss Peterson, could you excuse us for a moment?

Why not?

Lunch. Half hour.

MAN: That's lunch! One half hour.

Robert, what I'm trying to do...

-Sir... -Uh, Commander, listen.

About your acting.

You need to find an internal motivation

uh... different levels, colors, if you will.

-Sir... -Well...

I was technical advisor on Field of Gold

and I picked up a few things.

Weren't you fired from Field of Gold,sir?

With me, Commander.

Admiral... I... I didn't mean to...

Admiral. Commander.

How would you two like to assist in the court-martial of Gunner's Mate Riordan?

-Gregory Riordan, sir? -That's right.

Set the explosion aboard the USS Minnesota.

Charged with 29 counts of first-degree murder.

Riordan's been dead ten years, sir. He died in that explosion.

It's a mock court-martial at Iron Forge Naval Academy.

Prep school, sir?

One that produces outstanding candidates for Annapolis, Colonel.

Commandant Haden's a retired JAG officer

and old friend of mine looking for a couple of volunteers

to put his students through their paces.

Colonel, why don't you assist with the... defense?

Commander, you can assist with prosecution.

Well, second-chair to a high school student.

Well, second-chair there.

First-chair with Ms. Peterson. Your choice.

♪ I wanna be a Navy pilot ♪

CADETS: ♪ I wanna be a Navy pilot ♪

♪ I wanna fly an F-14 ♪

CADETS: ♪ I wanna fly an F-14... ♪

We will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant

Gunner's Mate, Second Class, Gregory Riordan,

that man right there

intentionally caused the explosion in gun turret one

in a twisted attempt to get back at shipmates who hazed him

and made him the butt of cruel jokes.

He placed a homemade ignition device between the propellant bags

causing a cataclysmic explosion in the breech of the gun barrel.

Twenty-nine... 29 of his crew members died horrible deaths

at that despicable coward's hands. Imagine the horror

as a wave of scalding heat and explosive gases swept through the turret.

Put yourself in the position

of those brave but doomed sailors...

Objection. Improper opening statement.

Sustained.

[WHISPERS]: It's prejudicial to ask the members

to put themselves into anyone else's shoes.

Counselor?

I'll rephrase, Your Honor.

When considering all the facts presented in this case

without putting yourself in anyone else's shoes, I'm confident

that you'll return with verdicts of guilty as charged.

Thank you.

The propellant used in the Minnesota'sguns

was manufactured during World War II

and the summer before the explosion

had been stored on an open barge in the sun.

Neither the rammerman nor the cradle operator

had ever taken part in a live fire exercise.

Neither was PQS-qualified and neither attended

a pre-firing briefing that day. These are only a few

of the factors that could have caused that explosion...

accidentally.

It was so lame.

You were fine, Luisa.

A little technical, maybe.

Remember, you have to humanize your client.

Jurors acquit people they like

and convict those they don't like.

Oh, in that case, we're screwed.

-Billy. -Look, Riordan's a scapegoat.

Isn't it obvious?

Well, that's one way to go.

Colonel?

Commander.

We were just going over the flaws in your case.

-What flaws, ma'am? -Try motive.

Riordan blew up the ship because they hazed him? Right.

Riordan couldn't take it so he got even the only way he could.

Ah, I've been punked. I'm not gonna blow up the library.

No, you're just the guy that nearly kills everyone at the rifle range.

Commander, have you ever seen someone try to fire

a rifle with the cleaning rod still in the barrel?

I'm not sure if I'd want to. Certainly not at close range.

I never thanked you for that, did I?

Tompkins, don't make accusations unless you've got proof

-to back it up. -Gentlemen, this pretrial

conference is over.

Commander, see you at lunch?

Mess hall meat loaf? Wouldn't miss it.

CADET: Riordan's guilty.

It's all in the Board of Inquiry report, sir.

Those investigators had it easy, Steve.

They didn't have to submit to cross examination or a jury.

You're going to have to prove your case.

MAN [imitating a German accent]: I am professor Heinrich Zoeller

Director of Forensics at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington.

I supervised the investigation

into the explosion aboard the USS Minnesota.

Cadet Armstrong, I realize that you are playing a role

but there is no need to sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[laughing]

Yes, sir.

Professor Zoeller, did you reach

any conclusions as to the cause of the explosion?

Our tests showed that the explosion could be duplicated

only by inserting a chemical ignition device between the...

What do you call it, Steve?

Propellant bags.

-Right. -How would that work, Professor?

A device flexible and small enough to fit between the bags

would ignite the propellant, causing the explosion

and we knew that it had to be made from materials

obtainable on the ship

but couldn't figure out what was used

until investigators found this.

Your Honor, we'd like to submit this as government's exhibit seven.

That's Gregory Riordan, with a souvenir

he bought on leave in Portugal.

The bota bag is made from untanned goat skin.

I filled a similar bota bag with... ethial...?

Ethyl acetate, C4H802

a solvent in common use on the ship.

Right. I placed it between two propellant bags in the lab.

It ate through the goatskin in minutes

and ignited the propellant. Kaboom.

And did the investigators ever find Riordan's bota bag?

They searched the ship, but never found it.

And that's why your report

named Gregory Riordan as causing the explosion?

Not only that.

A week before the explosion, Riordan told a shipmate

he knew how terrorists could sink the ship...

by causing an explosion in the gun turret.

Objection. Hearsay.

Technically, you are correct, Cadet Vasquez

but the statement is contained in the official inquiry report

which I have admitted into evidence

for purposes of our exercise.

I'm out of questions.

I mean... your witness.

Gunner's Mate Riordan wasn't the only one in the gun turret

with access to the propellant bags, was he, Professor?

No. The cradle operator, primerman, rammerman

a bunch of others were around there.

Professor, is it your testimony

that the only way to cause an explosion in the gun turret is

with a flammable solvent found inside a bota bag?

It's the only one we found.

What about static electricity igniting the propellant?

Or a misfire where the breech is prematurely open?

We couldn't duplicate those in the lab.

But are they possible?

I don't know. Uh...

[shuffling papers]

I guess.

I want to thank you both.

I don't think that there's a military academy

in the country that could duplicate the experience

that you're giving my cadets.

Actually, Commander, we're enjoying it.

It's a relief to try a case when the verdict doesn't matter.

Oh, it matters to them.

-[knocking] -Come in.

At ease.

Sorry to interrupt, sirs, ma'am, but...

-We found a real witness. -Go on.

Terence Conner, sir.

He was a gunner's mate on the Minnesota.

He's Scott Armstrong's uncle, sir.

He knew Riordan, and he's willing to testify.

What do our JAG officers think about this?

It would add a dose of reality.

And unpredictability.

All right.

Let's have the trial the Navy never did.

Terence Conner, Gunner's Mate First Class

-honorably discharged. -Aye, aye, sir.

I served aboard the Minnesota in 1989 and 1990.

So you knew Gregory Riordan?

Sure. I was gun captain in turret two.

He was captain in one. You might say

-we were competitors. -In what way?

Riordan's team set the speed record

for loading the 16-inch gun, 37 seconds.

And did that make him popular?

No. He was a loner and a perfectionist.

He made extra work for his crew and everyone else.

That's probably why he was hazed.

Tell us about the hazing.

Well, it's not much to tell. He got

some blanket parties thrown in his honor.

Had a blanket tossed over his head while a couple of guys

pounded him. And... uh... well...

I heard a few guys gave him a swirly...

shoved his head in the toilet, and flushed.

-Objection. -[chuckling]

And move to strike as hearsay.

Sustained.

JUDGE: Mr. Conner you can't repeat what you heard.

Were you present at any hazings?

Well, once or twice, Your Honor.

Well, you can tell us what you saw or did.

Well, I... I played a couple of tricks on Riordan,

but you know, nothing dangerous.

Nothing that would make him blow up the ship.

What kind of tricks?

Well, little stuff.

He had this... this wine bag he liked.

Kind of a souvenir from Spain or Portugal

or somewhere.

What do I do?

What's the rule?

Never ask a question unless you know the answer.

Thank you, Mr. Conner. That's... that's all.

What about the wine bag, Mr. Conner?

Well, he was proud of the thing.

He used to drink out of it like it was a canteen

so... uh... well, I messed with it.

Go on.

I filled it with grease when he wasn't looking,

and a few of us waited around

and saw him take a swig out of it.

He cursed all of us out and threw the bag overboard.

So Riordan no longer had the wine bag

on the day of the explosion?

No. It was a thousand feet down and a thousand miles away.

CHEGWIDDEN: You want to reopen the investigation?

The Navy conducted hundreds of interviews

performed a countless number of tests and spent

millions of dollars and now you want to do it all over again

based on some sort of evidence from a kiddie court-martial?

Admiral, the Navy claims that Riordan used the bota bag

as a combination timer-ignition device.

If the bag was thrown overboard prior to the explosion there's no case.

You two have seen enough investigations to know

that not all loose ends are tied up in pretty, neat bows.

Hell, Riordan was a... was a gunner's mate.

He could have used some other method to ignite the propellant.

Then, respectfully, sir, let the Navy prove it.

What the hell is going on down there?

You're supposed to be teaching a bunch of high school students

the basics of military justice not fomenting some damn revolution.

Now, just finish the mock trial,

get your butts back here and get back to work like everybody else.

Ms. Peterson, is this... is this really necessary?

Well, we could tell everyone you're the Navy's secret weapon.

You blind your enemies with the glare from your head.

Look at this, Admiral. Navy Seals.

...someone who can go hard or go home.

Not a lot of people know what the Seal does.

I kind of like the idea of that.

How am I supposed to compete with that?

Ms. Peterson...

the Navy is not just about its warriors.

Most of the 400,000 men and women in uniform will never see

a single day of combat.

God willing.

Now, maybe their expertise is engineering

or electronics or nuclear propulsion.

Whatever their specialty they are essential to our national security.

The Navy can't function without its cooks.

They can't function without its... its doctors,

its mechanics, its lawyers...

trained in the art of war and the profession of peace.

Admiral, you have great presence.

[laughs]

But it's too hokey it would never sell.

Okay, ready to go again.

Hugo, let's tilt the light off his head.

Is there a mocha on the set?

Right, face!

Forward, halt!

Order, halt!

[chattering]

Platoon, dismissed!

Aye, aye, sir!

Tompkins, are you sure you want to be a Marine?

No, sir, my father wants me to be a Marine.

I want to be a lawyer.

Commander, what did the admiral say?

The admiral has told us to put a lid on it.

Well, that's not fair.

It is disappointing, sir.

An order is an order.

No use crying about it.

It's not an order to us. We don't work for that admiral.

We're still running a court-martial here.

You're always looking for a loophole, Tompkins.

It is true. You could keep doing what you're doing.

Going over documents, looking for inconsistencies, new leads, possible witnesses...

at the very least, it would be a good learning experience.

Yeah, especially if we get court-martialed.

Well, I don't understand, Commander.

Why would we want to find witnesses

who will trash our case?

We should all have the same goal,

to find the truth.

We have names and social security numbers

of all 1,500 crew members.

I can use people search on the internet.

There have to be some within driving distance.

Ma'am... sir.

Luisa, so am I going to see you tonight?

I don't know, Steve. Billy and I have to prepare for tomorrow.

You've been spending a lot of time with that loser.

He's my client.

-STEVE: Hey, Luisa, wait up! -Teenagers.

Yeah.

Remember what it was like, Harm?

Trying to figure out who you are? Where you fit in?

Or did that just come easy to you?

You know, sometimes I think I missed out on being a kid.

Having a father that was M.I.A.

I was always trying to be the man of the house, you know

and I guess I should have been at a disco.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I've seen you dance.

He's here.

Your Honor.

The defense has found a crew member

who was outside the gun turret on the day of the explosion.

We'd like permission to call him out of order.

This is getting complicated, Cadet Vasquez.

Are there any objections?

-No. -Yes, sir.

Call your witness.

Shepard Carman. They call me Shep.

Uh... I was a master chief on the Minnesota 'till they mothballed her.

So, you were aboard the ship the morning of March 20, 1990?

That's right, Miss. Uh... I was down on deck five

checking out some refrigeration equipment.

Uh, you get much lower than that and you'll be hanging on to the keel.

What did you observe?

The powder flat hatch flew open

and this sailor, I don't know his name,

came running out of turret one with a bloody nose.

Well, 15 minutes later that turret blew up.

I figured that was the luckiest nosebleed in this man's Navy.

Did you tell the Navy's investigators what you saw that morning?

You bet, about that

and that old gal's steam leaks and corroded hatches

and electrical short circuits and... uh...

and the bad brakes on the hoist cars.

So, you're a safety expert, Mr. Carman?

Self-taught. The Navy considered me

a "mess management specialist."

I ran the galley.

Nothing further.

That's it?

Don't you want to see the documentation?

Now, I wrote the captain

and the fleet commander and the SecNav. I told them

what caused that explosion.

It was a "HERF" gun.

"High energy radio frequency."

You see, the Ruskies had a sub in the area.

Well, they surfaced and bleeped us

with those electro gizmos.

[phone ringing]

-Lieutenant Roberts. -Bud, it's Harm.

You think you could locate the medical records of the Minnesota?

Uh, sure, they'd be archived at the Navy Yard in D.C.

The index system there isn't the best

but I have a friend there who owes me a favor.

See if anybody reported to Sick Bay

with a bloody nose on March 20, 1990?

I'll do my best. Sir, isn't that the day...

That's right, Bud.

That's the day the Sick Bay became the morgue.

[chattering]

I can't believe Bill even brought in that tweaker Carman.

If this was a real court-martial would you check out his story?

You always follow leads.

Sometimes witnesses who can hardly find the courthouse

have important information.

All right, flex your knees.

Here, watch me.

Okay?

I can't do that.

MACKENZIE: Okay, all right, try this.

Double up on the jab, stick and move, okay?

Try that.

[chattering]

Keep your hands up. Good.

You're so together, Colonel. I wish I could be like you.

I'm trying to beat Steve in court and he's hitting on me.

I don't know how you do it. You can compete with men

-and retain your femininity. -Well, it's easy.

You just have to do everything better than they do.

But don't rub their noses in it. Be smart.

Think like a woman, but act like a man.

Right... easy.

Anyway, it's better not to get involved with someone

who you have to see all the time no matter how you feel about them.

Luisa! You're not gonna believe it.

-What? -I was right.

About what? Martians did blow up the gun turret.

Commander Rabb just heard from his friend at JAG.

-And? -15 minutes before the explosion

Petty Officer Michael Saunders, a gunner's mate

reported to Sick Bay with a broken nose.

So what?

Maybe he walked into a bulkhead in the gun turret.

No, no. Saunders told the corpsman he tripped over a knee-knocker

near his compartment which is nowhere near the turret

where Master Chief Carman saw him running out bleeding.

-So Saunders lied? -Right.

And when we figure out why we'll know exactly

-what happened that day. -Oh, Billy!

[laughs]

Whoo!

Come on. Come on.

"Michael Saunders, United States Navy, retired

born 8 August, 1911." I don't think so.

Using the internet to try and find someone, sir?

Oh, trying. Not succeeding.

When I was a deputy sheriff

I rounded up a few missing persons

including some who didn't want to be found.

Gunner's Mate Michael Saunders discharged from the Navy ten years ago.

The Bureau of Navy Personnel doesn't have a current address

and I've already gone through all the people-search sites on the net.

That's just a glorified phone book, sir.

Why don't you try finding him the old-fashioned way?

Driver's license, court files, auto registration

real estate records. I once found a fugitive

by looking in hunting licenses. The guy never missed a deer season.

Interesting.

I'd be happy to help you, sir.

BILLY: There were a number of safety problems aboard the Minnesota.

The guns were over 40 years old. So was the propellant.

The hoist cars sometimes crashed. Training was haphazard.

Petty Officer Riordan were you a victim of hazing aboard ship?

There were some guys who seemed to enjoy tormenting me,

but I didn't try to get even.

I would never hurt innocent people.

Do you know what caused the explosion in the gun turret?

I only know I didn't do it.

Your witness.

Did you have a lot of friends on the Minnesota, Petty Officer Riordan?

A few. I'm... I'm not all that sociable.

And did you have any enemies?

Well, there were some guys who didn't seem to like me.

They're all dead now, aren't they?

-Objection. Argumentative. -Withdrawn.

Petty Officer Riordan, back home in Arkansas

did you explode homemade bombs?

I blew up tree stumps on my family's farm.

So, you know all about explosives?

I am a gunner's mate, Counselor.

Why did you blow up those tree stumps?

Well, they're hell on a plow.

The shipmates made your life hell on earth, didn't they?

What?

Didn't you write letters home saying that

the hazing was so bad

that your life was "hell on earth"?

I refer to exhibits 38, "A" through "F," Your Honor.

Well, I was upset at the time.

And when you were upset with those shipmates

you blew them up just like those tree stumps.

No, I didn't have to seek revenge.

I always knew I was better than anyone who tried to hurt me.

ROBERTS: I'm amazed you found her.

Missing men usually have ex-wives.

This is the same address that was listed on the divorce docket.

What about Saunders' address?

We'll ask her.

Lieutenant, we'll play Mutt and Jeff.

You want to be good cop or bad cop?

Well... ah... let's see.

Good cop, absolutely.

[electronic noises]

Mom!

Go finish your breakfast, honey.

-Kimberly Saunders? -What's this about?

Sorry to bother you, ma'am. We're looking for Michael Saunders.

Why? Does he owe you money or did he steal an aircraft carrier?

We're not at liberty to say, ma'am.

Neither am I.

We can get a warrant, lady.

Why don't you do that, Sergeant?

Actually, ma'am, the Navy owes him three months' pay

and we just want to make sure that he's going to get it.

And you need a warrant for that?

Ah, he's new. There's nothing to worry about, ma'am.

Mr. Saunders isn't in any trouble.

That would be a first.

Try the Little Creek Tavern in Hampton.

He'll be on one side of the bar or the other.

Thank you.

Peterson: Just what does a yeoman do, Petty Officer Tiner?

The yeomen are the glue who hold the Navy together.

In my case, I handle file management

type the admiral's correspondence and arrange his appointments.

You're a clerk?

Yes, but with managerial duties.

The gunny and I reorganized the entire filing system

from an alphabetical to a numerical base.

Cut.

And I took this gig over a job on Animal Planet.

[chattering]

-Ms. Peterson? -Let me guess.

You sort the paper clips?

I'm an attorney. Lieutenant Loren Singer.

I was wondering if Admiral Chegwidden told you about the court-martial

-I just prosecuted? -No, why would he?

For your recruiting commercial, of course.

I convicted two Marines of dueling.

"Dueling"? As in flintlock pistols at 20 paces?

More like nine-millimeter Berettas outside a Newport bar.

So, what was the body count?

The Marines missed each other but mortally wounded a traffic light.

They'll each do six months in the brig.

But the case shows how versatile JAG lawyers have to be.

The Marines had a friend videotape the whole thing.

Have you tried Jerry Springer?

MAN: Oh!

Slow night.

Can't tell one from another.

What can I get you?

Whatever's on tap.

You ever in the Navy?

Ah, I got one of those faces.

A lot of folks think they know me.

Served on the Minnesota, didn't you?

You got me mixed up.

Gunner's Mate Saunders.

And you'd be a cop, right?

You got NCIS written all over you.

I'm with JAG, but it's not official.

Well, how'd you find me?

My ex? My boy doing okay?

He's good.

I haven't been out there in a while.

This is about the Minnesota, Mr. Saunders.

Oh, man, that was a long time ago.

March 20, 1990, you broke your nose.

Yeah.

You told a corpsman in Sick Bay that you broke it near your berthing compartment.

The ship blew up that day. 29 men died.

Why are you worried about where I broke my nose?

Where did you break it?

In my berthing compartment.

We have witness who says you broke it in gun turret one.

Why would you lie?

'Cause I broke it in a fight.

Who'd you fight?

Greg Riordan, the guy who blew up the ship.

The night before, that was the worst.

[grunts]

We threw a little blanket party. Pounded him pretty good.

Then we carried him up on the main deck.

He was crying like a baby.

[sobbing]

We picked him up by the ankles, had him over the rails

let him dangle there, right over the screws.

Do it. Do it.

SAUNDERS: He was sobbing, swearing, yelling...

He said he'd get even. He swore he'd kill us all.

[knocking]

Enter.

Excuse me, Admiral, I know you're busy with the law of the sea

or the Treaty of Versailles or whatever...

-What is it, Ms. Peterson? -I've won two Cleos.

I directed an independent film that was shown at Sundance

and yet still I can't find a way to make this work, so I quit.

Ms. Peterson, have you explored every option?

I mean, Lieutenant Roberts here, he's third-generation Navy.

His grandfather served on a battleship. His father was a master chief.

I'm not doing the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Oh, oh.

I... I am... I am so sorry. I'm not usually like this.

Look, your Commander Rabb almost works

if only he'd done something else besides practice law.

Well, actually...

Female on deck.

Luisa, what are you doing in here?

Thinking like a woman, acting like a man.

Did Steve do this to you?

Can we talk about this someplace else?

-You should report him. -No.

You can't let him get away with this.

He won't. I'll beat him in the courtroom.

Not if that means winning an acquittal for Riordan. At ease.

What happened, Commander? Did you find Michael Saunders?

We did.

Billy, what happened to your eye?

I saluted too hard, ma'am. What did he say, sir?

He buried Riordan.

TOMPKINS: Maybe he's lying, sir?

Could he have told a different story to anyone else, sir?

His ex-wife Kimberly in Norfolk.

Norfolk?

Wait, wait, wait a minute, sir.

Okay, here it is.

Exhibit 477-B, a postcard sent to Greg Riordan in March 1990,

a few days before the explosion.

Investigators found it in his locker.

Postmarked Norfolk.

"See you in port. Can't wait! I love you, Kimberly."

Kimberly loves Riordan.

Kimberly marries Saunders after Riordan dies.

Saunders told me that he and Riordan

were fighting over hazing.

Hi, is your mom home? Ma'am?

Reinforcements?

I'm Commander Rabb, ma'am.

This is Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie.

We're with the JAG Corps.

We'd like to ask you a few questions if we could.

Look, I have to help my son finish his homework.

This won't take long. We have questions about Greg Riordan.

-About me? -No, son, not about you.

But I'm Greg Riordan.

Why don't you two come in for a cup of coffee.

I was young and I thought it was fun

having two sailors fight over me.

Michael Saunders and Greg Riordan?

Hmm. One boyfriend too many.

When I finally figured that out, I chose Greg.

An odd time to kill yourself when you finally get the woman you want.

That's what I always thought.

But it's tough to argue with the Navy.

So far, I've shielded Greg, Jr.

from what they say about his father.

Saunders led me to believe that he was the child's father.

He wasn't a bad substitute... when he was sober.

Michael is the only father that Greg knows

and they love each other.

He stops by once in a while and takes him fishing or camping.

You married Saunders after the explosion?

I was four months pregnant

when Greg came home in a body bag.

Greg, Jr. needed a father and I needed somebody, too.

Did Saunders ever talk about

what happened that morning in the gun turret?

He wasn't there.

Yes, he was.

Oh, my God.

Ah, you I'm done with.

Hi, Dad.

-Hey. -Can I have a root beer?

Greg, over here.

You know, the boy shouldn't be in here.

He shouldn't be seeing me like this.

I'm sure you look great to him.

His other father is a mass murderer.

He doesn't know about that.

He will.

Someone at school will tell him.

They might even beat him up.

You'd know about that, wouldn't you?

What do you want from me?

Tell the boy the truth.

Don't let this lie ruin his life, too.

It's too late.

It's not too late for him.

MAN: It's an honor to have a distinguished visitor with us today.

Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden

the Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy.

Are you ready to proceed, Cadet Vasquez?

Your Honor, although both sides have rested

we move to reopen the evidence

to present a final defense witness.

This has gone on long enough. Motion Denied.

Commandant Haden, may I be heard?

Of course, Admiral.

I came here today because I understood

that you might hear from a witness

who never spoke to the Board of Inquiry.

The Navy did the best job it could

but if there's a chance that we committed a miscarriage of justice

no matter how innocently, we want it corrected.

Call your witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

The defense calls Michael Saunders.

Raise your right hand.

Do you swear the evidence you are about to give

is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

-I do. -Be seated.

State your name and rank for the record, sir.

Michael Saunders.

I was gunner's mate, second class

aboard the USS Minnesota.

Were you aboard ship on March 20, 1990?

Yes, ma'am.

Did you know Gunner's Mate Gregory Riordan?

Yes, ma'am.

Ah, we had hazed him... I hazed him, but that had nothing to do

with what happened that day.

It was about a woman. I wanted her. He had her.

What happened in the gun turret, Mr. Saunders?

Riordan was gun captain,

doing a better job than anybody else, as usual.

I don't know why I went in there.

I didn't belong there. I didn't really belong anywhere.

Load one round.

Load one round, aye.

They'd already loaded the projectile

and the propellant bags were coming off the spanning tray.

Riordan put the lead foils between the first and second bags

just the way he was supposed to.

And then he saw me...

What are you doing here?

I'm just checking up on you.

I heard they threw you a little blanket party last night.

Get out of my turret.

Relax, I'm just here to help you.

You want to help me? Get out.

And I told him that Kim had been

seeing me behind his back.

What did you say?

Don't fool yourself, son.

She's only marrying you because I wouldn't marry her.

It was all a lie.

I just wanted to hurt him.

Anyway, it was the cradle operator's

first live fire exercise and he was nervous enough

but I'm sure I didn't help it by busting in.

Now, I'm not so sure, but I thought...

I saw him... load six bags of propellant instead of five.

Now, Riordan would have caught the mistake

but he never saw it because of me.

Yeah, I could have warned him. I...

could have stopped it, but in that...

split second...

I didn't want to.

I never loaded the gun.

It wasn't my fault, right?

VASQUEZ: Mr. Saunders, what is the effect

of six propellant bags instead of five?

Too much propellant... over-pressurizes the gun.

I am sorry.

Petty Officer Riordan, on all specifications against you,

this court-martial finds you not guilty.

This court-martial is adjourned.

Thank you. Hey, good work.

Nice work, Steven.

Billy...

Congratulations. Cadet Vasquez.

Well done, Cadet Tompkins.

Thanks.

Billy, I was wrong about you.

I know.

What's going to happen to him?

Well, dereliction of duty and manslaughter

would both be barred by the statute of limitations

so the only punishment he'll get

is what he has to live with every day

for the rest of his life.

Thanks, A.J.

Jerry, good to see you.

You bet.

Colonel, Commander, correct me if I'm wrong,

but didn't I advise you to drop the investigation?

It wasn't our investigation to drop, Admiral.

-It wasn't? -No, sir.

We were simply sitting second-chair.

Oh, uh, Commander, I almost forgot.

Can you be at the Washington Monument at 1700?

The Washington Monument at 1700, sir? Why?

I think she called it "magic hour."

Ms. Peterson, she says the light is just perfect then.

Colonel.