All language subtitles for JAG S05E12 Into the Breech

Captain, what do you say to
congressional critics who call these

dinosaurs that have outlived their
youthfulness?

Ms. Conlon, 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

a small car and a lot more lethal, as
you shall see.

Lieutenant, pass the word to man up gun
stations.

Aye, sir.

General Porter, General Porter.

All hands, man your battle stations.
We're going to re -exercise.

Logan, round five.

Coming. Keep it coming.

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. All right, sir.

Gun turret three, fire.

Turret three, fire eye.

Gun turret two, fire.

Turret two, fire eye.

Gun turret one, fire.

Gun turret one, fire eye.

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. And now. But how do you... You
know, this is ridiculous.

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

Cut!

Reset. Okay, back to work. Reset.

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 and subordinate
conduct? It sounds like we're back in

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, sir?

Yeah, I'll tell you the problem,
General.

Add. Whatever.

The problem is that the Navy is 18 ,000
sealers short and can't fill its quotas.

The problem is that I had been hired to
shoot a recruiting commercial, and

rather than being given Navy pilots or
Navy seals like a certain feature

director, I was given Navy lawyers.

I see.

Ms. Peterson, could you excuse us for a
moment?

Why not?

Lunch, half hour. That's lunch, one half
hour.

Robert, what a time to be. Sir,
Commander, about your acting, you need

to find an internal motivation,
different levels, colors, if you will.

Sir, well, I was technical advisor on
Field of Gold. I picked up a few things.

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

With me, Commander.

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

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

Gregory Reardon, sir? That's right.
That's the explosion aboard the USS

Minnesota.

Occurred with 29 counts of first -degree
murder.

Reardon's been dead for 10 years, sir.
He died in that explosion.

It's my court -martial. Iron Forge Naval
Academy.

Prep school, sir?

One that produces outstanding candidates
for Annapolis, Colonel.

Commandant Hayden's a retired JAG
officer, an old friend of mine, looking

couple of volunteers to put his students
through their paces.

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

Commander, you can assist with the
prosecution.

Well, second chair to a high school
student.

Well, second chair there, first chair
with Ms. Peterson.

Your choice.

We will prove beyond a reasonable doubt
that the defendant, gunner's mate,

second class Gregory Reardon, 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 breach of
the gun barrel.

Twenty -nine.

Twenty -nine of his crew members died
horrible death.

at that despicable coward's hand.

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.

Sustain.

It's prejudicial to ask the members to
put themselves in 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 your return with verdicts of guilty

is charged.

Thank you.

The propellant used in the Minnesota's
guns was manufactured during World War

II, and the summer before the explosion
had been stored on an open barge in the

sun. Neither the rammer man 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

These are only a few of the factors that
could have caused that explosion.

Accidentally.

So lame.

You were fine, Louisa. A little
technical, maybe. Remember, you have to

your client. Jurors acquit people they
like and convict those they don't. Oh,

that case, we're screwed.

Billy. Look, Reardon's a scapegoat.
Isn't it obvious?

That's one way to go.

Colonel? Commander?

We were just going over the flaws in
your case.

What flaws, ma 'am?

Trimotives. Reardon blew up the ship
because the other guys hazed him? Right.

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

I've been punked. I'm not going to 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

still in the barrel?

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

You know, I never thanked you for that,
did I?

Doctors don't make accusations unless
you've got proof to back it up.

Gentlemen, this pretrial conference is
over.

Commander, see you at lunch?

Methol meatloaf?

Wouldn't miss it.

Reardon is guilty.

It's all on 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.

I am Professor Heinrich Dohler, Director
of Forensics at the Naval Research

Laboratory in Washington.

I supervise 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.

Yes, sir.

Professor Zoller, 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,

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 Exhibit 7.

That's Gregory Reardon with a souvenir
he bought on leave in Portugal.

The boda bag is made from untanned goat
skin. I filled a similar boda bag

with... Ethyl... Ethyl acetate.

C4H8O2, a solvent in common use on the
ship.

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

It ate through the goat skin in minutes
and ignited the propellant.

Kaboom. And did the investigators ever
find Reardon's boda bag? They searched

the ship, but never found it.

And that's why your report named Gregory
Reardon is causing the explosion?

Not only that.

A week before the explosion, Reardon
told a shipmate he knew how terrorists

could think 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

for purposes of our exercise.

I'm out of questions.

I mean, you're a witness.

Gunner's mate Reardon wasn't the only
one in the gun turret with access to the

propellant bags, was he, Professor?

No. The cradle operator, primer man,
rammer man, a bunch of others were

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 boda bag?

It's the only one we found. What about
static electricity igniting the

propellant or a misfire where the breach
is prematurely opened?

We couldn't duplicate those in the lab.

But are they possible?

I don't know.

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 cadet.

Actually, Commander, we're enjoying it.
It's a relief to try a case where the

verdict doesn't matter.

Oh, it matters to them.

Come in.

At ease.

Sorry to interrupt, sirs, ma 'am, but...
We found a real witness.

Go on.

Terrence Conner, sir. He was a gunner's
mate on the Minnesota.

He's Scott Armstrong's uncle, sir. He
knew Reardon.

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.

Terrence Connor, gunner's mate to first
class, honorably discharged.

I served aboard the Minnesota in 1989
and 1990.

So you knew Gregory Reardon?

Sure. I was gun captain in turret two.
He was captain in one.

You might say we were competitors.

In what way?

Reardon's team set the speed record for
loading a 16 -inch gun.

37 seconds.

And did that make him popular?

No. He was a loner.

And a perfectionist.

Made extra work for his crew and
everyone else.

That's probably why he was hazed.

Tell us about the hazing.

Well, there's not much to tell.

He got some blanket parties thrown in
his honor.

That blanket tossed over his head while
a couple of guys pounded him.

And, well, I heard a few guys gave him a
swirly.

You know, shoved his head in the toilet
and flushed.

Objection. And move to strike if
hearsay.

Sustained.

Mr. Conner, you can't repeat what you
heard.

Were you present at any hazings?

Oh, once or twice, Your Honor.

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

Well, I played a couple of tricks on
Reardon, but nothing dangerous.

Nothing that would make him blow up the
ship.

What kind of tricks?

Well, little stuff.

He had this wine bag he liked.

Kind of a souvenir from Spain or
Portugal or somewhere.

We'll never ask a question unless you
know the answer.

Thank you, Mr. Connor. That's all.

What about the wine bag, Mr. Connor?

Well, he was proud of the thing.

You know, 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 it 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 Reardon no longer had the wine bag on
the day of the explosion?

No, it was a thousand feet down and a
thousand miles away.

You want to reopen the investigation?

The Navy conducted hundreds of
interviews, performed countless number

and spent millions...

on some sort of evidence from a kiddie
court -martial? Admiral, the Navy claims

that Reardon used the Boda 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, Reardon was a gunner's mate.

Could he use some other method to ignite
the propellant? Then respectfully, sir,

let the Navy prove it.

What the hell is going on down there?

and need some damn revolution.

Now just finish the mock trial. Get your
butts back here and get back to work

like everybody else.

Miss Peterson, is this really necessary?

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

You blind your enemies with a 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.

How am I supposed to compete with that?

Mr. 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

Whatever their specialty, they are
essential to our national security.

The Navy can't function without its
cooks. It can't function without its

doctors, its mechanics, its lawyers,
trained in the art

of war and the profession of peace.

Admiral.

You have great presence.

But it's too hokey. It would never sell.

Okay, ready to go again. Hugo, let's
tilt the light a little off his head. Is

there a mocha on this?

Right face!

Halt! Halt!

Order! Halt!

Platoon!

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. Always looking for
a loophole, Tompkins.

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

Going over document, looking for
inconsistencies, new leads, possible

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 the 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?

Louisa.

So, am I going to see you tonight?

I don't know, Steve.

Billy and I have to prepare for
tomorrow.

I mean, you've been spending a lot of
time with that loser.

He's my client.

Hey, Louisa, wait up. Teenagers.

Yeah.

Remember when it was like harm, trying
to figure out who you are and 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 MIA and was
always trying to be the man of the

you know?

I guess I should have been at a disco.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Seeing 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?

Yes, sir.

Call your witness.

Shepard Carman. They call me Shep.

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

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

That's right, miss.

I was down on deck five checking out
some refrigeration equipment.

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

short circuits and the bad brakes on the
hoist cars.

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

Self -taught.

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 HEARF 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.

Lieutenant Roberts.

Bud, it's Harm.

Do you think you could locate the
medical records for 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
Sickbay with a bloody nose on March

1990.

I'll do my best.

Sir, isn't that the day... That's right,
bud.

That's the day that Sickbay became the
morgue.

I can't believe Billy even brought
him... Carmen.

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

You always follow leads. Sometimes
witnesses who can hardly find the

have important information.

All right, flex your knees.

Here, watch me.

Okay.

I can't do that.

Okay. All right, try this.

Double up on the jab.

Stick and move, okay?

Try that.

Keep your hands up.

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 know, if
you compete with men and retain your

femininity. Well, it's easy. You just
have to do everything better than they

But don't rub their noses in it, you
know? Be smart. Think like a woman, but

like a man.

All right?

Easy. Anyway, it's better not to get
involved with someone who you have to

all the time, no matter how you feel
about them.

Louisa!

You're not going to believe it. What?

I was right.

About what?

Martians did blow up the gun turret?

Commander Rav just heard from his friend
at JAG.

And? Fifteen minutes before the
explosion, petty officer Michael

gunner's mate, reported to sickbay with
a broken nose.

So what?

Maybe he walked into a bulkhead in a gun
turret.

No, 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.

Sanders, United States Navy, retired,
born 8 August 1911.

I don't think so.

Using the Internet to try and find
someone, sir?

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.

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 them the old
-fashioned way?

Driver's license, court files, auto
registration, real estate records.

I once found a fugitive by looking at
hunting licenses.

The guy never missed a deer season.

Interesting.

I'd be happy to help you, sir.

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
Reardon, 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 Reardon?

A few.

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 Reardon, back home in
Arkansas, did you explode homemade

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

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

life was, quote, hell on earth, unquote?

I refer to Exhibit 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.

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.

Hey, Lieutenant.

We play mutt and Jeff.

You want to be a good cop or bad cop?

Well, uh, let's see.

Good cop.

Absolutely.

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, did he owe you money, or did he
steal an aircraft carrier?

We're out of liberty to say, ma 'am.

Neither am I.

I 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

sure that he's going to get it.

And you need a warrant for that?

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.

Just what does a yeoman do, Petty
Officer Tyner?

The yeoman 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.

Ms. Peterson, let me guess. You sort the
paperclips.

I'm an attorney.

Lieutenant Lauren Singer?

I was wondering if Admiral Chaglin 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 9mm Berettas outside a Newport
bar.

So, what about the body count?

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

Still, he sued 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?

Low night.

Can't tell one from another.

What can I get you?

Whatever's on tap.

You ever in the Navy?

I got one of those faces.

A lot of folks think they know me.

Served down in Minnesota, didn't you?

You got me mixed up.

Gunners made Saunders.

Man, you'd be a cop, right?

You got NCIS written all over you.

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

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. Conant.

Man, that was a long time ago.

March 20th, 1990.

You broke your nose.

Yeah? Told a corpsman at sickbay that
you broke it near your birthing

compartment.

This ship blew up that day. Twenty -nine
men died.

Why are you worried about where I broke
my nose?

Where did you break it?

Near my birthing compartment.

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

Why would you lie?

Because I broke it in a fight.

Who'd you fight?

Greg Reardon.

The guy who blew up the ship.

The night before, that was the worst.

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

Then we carried him up on the main deck.

He was crying like a baby.

We picked him up by the ankles, had him
over the rails, let him dangle air right

over the screws.

He was sobbing, swearing, yelling.

He said he'd get even.

Swore he'd kill us all.

Tanner?

Excuse me, Admiral. I know you're busy
with the Law of the Sea or the Treaty of

Versailles or whatever.

What is it, Miss Peterson?

I have one -two Cleo's. 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.

Miss Peter, have you explored every
option?

I mean, Lieutenant Robert's 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.

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

Look, your Commander Rab almost works.

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

Well, actually...

Female on deck.

Louise, what are you doing in here?
Thinking like a woman, acting like a

Did the thief 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 Reardon, Eddie.

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 Reardon.

Maybe he's lying, sir?

Could he have told a different story to
anyone else, sir? His ex -wife,

Kimberly, in Norfolk.

Norfolk? Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Okay,

here it is.

Exhibit 477B, a postcard sent to Greg
Reardon 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 Reardon.

Kimberly marries Saunders after Reardon
dies.

Saunders told me that he and Reardon
were fighting over hazing.

Hi, is your mom home?

Ma 'am?

Reinforcements? I'm Commander Rabb, ma
'am. This is Lieutenant Colonel

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.

Well, this won't take long. We have some
questions about Greg Reardon. About me?

No, son, not about you.

But I'm Greg Reardon.

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

I was young. I thought it was fun having
two sailors fight over me.

Michael Saunders and Greg Reardon?

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 turn?

Hmm. He wasn't there.

Yes, he was.

Oh, my God.

Ah, you.

I'm done with.

Hi, Dad.

Hey. Can I have a little 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's 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.

Too late.

It's not too late for him.

It's an honor to have a distinguished
visitor with us today, Rear Admiral A

Tegwiden, 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

present a final defense witness.

This has gone on long enough.

Motion denied.

Commandant Hayden, 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.

You swear that the evidence you are
about to give is the truth, the whole

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 20th,
1990?

Yes, ma 'am.

Did you know Gunner's mate, Gregory
Reardon?

Yes, ma 'am.

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?

Rearing with a 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

anywhere.

Load one round.

Load one round. Aye.

He had already loaded the projectile and
propellant bags were coming off the

banning tray.

And Reardon put the lead foils between
the first and second bag just the way it

was supposed to.

And then he saw me.

What are you doing here? I'm just
checking up on you.

Heard they threw you a little blanket
party last night.

Get out of my turret.

Relax, I'm here to help you.

You want to help me? Get out.

And I told him that Kim had been...

Seeing me behind his back and... 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 wanted to hurt him.

Anyway, it was the cradle operator.

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, Reardon would have caught the
mistake, but he never saw it because of

Now, I could have warned him.

I could have stopped it. But in that
split

second, I didn't want him.

I never loaded the gun, so it wasn't my
fault, right?

Mr. Saunders, what is the effect of six
propellant bags

instead of five?

Too much propellant overpressurizes the
gun.

I am sorry.

Petty Officer Reardon, on all
specifications against you, this court

finds you not guilty.

This court -martial is adjourned.

Thank you. Thank you for all your help.
Nice work, Stephen.

Thank you.

Congratulations. Well done, Cadet
Tompkins.

Billy.

I was wrong about you.

I know.

What's going to happen to him?

Well, dereliction of duty and... Man's
slaughter will both be barred by the

statute of limitations, so the only
punishment he'll get is what he has to

with every day for the rest of his life.

Thanks, A .J. Sure is good to see you.
You bet.

Colonel, Commander, correct me if I'm
wrong, but didn't I advise you to drop

investigation?

It wasn't our investigation to drop,
Admiral.

It was.

No, sir, we were simply fitting second
chair.

Oh, Commander, I almost forgot. Can you
be at the Washington Monument in 1700?

The Washington Monument in 1700?

Sir, why?

I think she called it Magic Hour in Miss
Peterson. She says the light is just

perfect there.

Colonel?