JAG (1995–2005): Season 6, Episode 18 - Liberty - full transcript

♪ In a little cafe just the
other side of the border... ♪

( raucous conversation)

♪ So I started walking her way ♪

Hey!

♪ She belonged to bad man Jose ♪

♪ And I knew, yes I
knew I should leave ♪

♪ When I heard
her say, yeah... ♪

Buenas noches.

Hi.

I bet my friends over there

you'd let me buy you a drink.



You win.

Por favor. Si.

Gracias.

So, uh, what's your name?

( giggling)

Colina. Yours?

Mikey. Mike.

Do you like to
dance, Mikey-Mike?

Yeah.

♪ ...just one little
kiss so exciting ♪

♪ Then I heard the
guitar player say ♪

♪ "Vamoose, Jose's on his way" ♪

( speaking indistinctly) ♪
Then I knew, yes I knew ♪

♪ I should run, but I
heard her say, yeah ♪



♪ "Come a little bit closer,
you're my kind of man ♪

♪ "So big and so strong ♪
Hey!

♪ "Come a little bit
closer, I'm all alone ♪

♪ And the night is so long... ♪

( gasps) ¿Que haces, huh?

Hey, hey, hey! Hey, you
don't hit women, okay?

Okay.

( all yelling)

Go, go, go!

SAILOR: Yeah,
show him, baby! Go!

♪ ♪

( whistle blows)
MAN: Shore Patrol!

( indistinct shouting)

( whistle blows)

( clamoring voices)

Over this way!

♪ Then I heard Jose say ♪

COLINA: ¿Efren, estas bien?

♪ "Man you know
you're in trouble plenty" ♪

♪ La la-la-la la-la ♪

♪ La la-la-la la-la ♪

♪ La la-la-la la-la ♪

( groans)

♪ La la-la-la la-la ♪

♪ Come a little bit
closer, I'm all alone ♪

♪ And the night is so long ♪

Esta muerto.

♪ La la-la-la la-la ♪

♪ La la-la-la la-la... ♪

ROBERTS: What do you
suppose the admiral wants

at 1745 on a Friday?

I don't know, but I
hope you didn't make

any plans for the weekend.

TINER: He's on the
phone with Admiral Guter.

Admiral Don Guter? Yes, sir.

SECNAV's Special
Assistant for Legal Affairs.

Why is the admiral talking

to the Secretary's
top troubleshooter?

Actually, Lieutenant, I
think they're old friends.

He's off the phone.

CHEGWIDDEN: Enter.

Have a seat.

Petty Officer Third Class

Michael Roberts was
apprehended in Mazatlan

in a bar last
night for fighting.

( laughs) I just can't
picture my brother

in a barroom
brawl in Mexico, sir.

Are you sure it's the
same Michael Roberts?

Unfortunately, I am.
RABB: Fighting on liberty

usually warrants
an administrative

action, sir. Why
is JAG involved?

Because the man
he was fighting with...

A Mexican citizen...
Died earlier this morning.

Where's Mikey now, sir?

On the way to the
brig in San Diego,

pending an investigation.

Permission denied, Lieutenant.

Look, Bud, I know you
want to go to San Diego

and help your brother.

But the last time you
did that, you ended up

in the brig alongside
him. But, sir...

As you were, Lieutenant.
RABB: Sir, if there's any

way that I can be of service to

Petty Officer Robe...
MacKENZIE: Admiral, I'll be

happy to look into this.

( sighs)

Colonel, I need you here.

So, Commander, it looks
like you're going to San Diego.

Yes, sir.

That'll be all. Aye, sir.

Admiral... sir... with
your permission,

I'd like to have Lieutenant
Roberts sit second chair.

( sighs)

You keep him out of trouble.

Aye, aye, sir.

( door shuts)

MIKE: I never
meant to kill anyone,

and I'm not even
sure how it happened.

Just tell us what you do know.

I was dancing
with this girl, Colina,

when this guy comes over.

He starts slapping her around.

So, I stepped in,

except you know
what Dad told us...

Watch out for the sucker punch?

Yeah, well, I forgot.

So, he hit you first.

Yes, sir.

And then he hit me again,
but I blocked it this time.

And then I hit him,
and then he hit me

and the next thing I know,
they're pulling me off the guy.

How much did you
have to drink that night?

Three, four beers.
Watered-down beers.

So, heat of passion,
provocation...

No intent to kill.

What were you thinking
when you hit him?

I wasn't thinking
anything, really, sir.

Well, witnesses say
they saw you slam him

against a pillar and
hit him repeatedly.

It was a fight.

I mean, if I'm guilty, I'll
take my punishment, only...

Only what?

Only he started it, sir.

I mean, I'm sorry he's dead,
and all, but he started it.

Okay. Mikey, just,
just calm down.

Bud, I'm trying, but
three years in prison...

Who told you three years?

Lieutenant Ferrari,
the JAG officer on base.

FERRARI: That's
right, I talked to him.

He hadn't been
detailed counsel yet.

You offered him
negligent homicide?

Subject to Captain
O'Byrne's approval, of course.

Lieutenant, any offers
you have for my client

from here on out go through me.

Is that understood?

In fact, don't
talk to him at all

unless one of us is present.

I've got a stack
of files on my desk

two feet high, Lieutenant.

Any chance for a deal I take.

Look, Lieutenant, this is
not about your caseload.

This is about my brother's life.

You want to go to trial?

Up the ante?

Voluntary manslaughter.

You're going to have a
hard time proving intent.

With the eyewitnesses
I've got? I don't think so, sir.

But it would be time-consuming,
which is why I prefer to deal.

But, as you say, Lieutenant,
it's your brother's life.

Commander.

What bilge did the Navy
pump him out of, sir?

Try to focus on the offer,
Bud, not the man making it.

You're not considering a
plea bargain, are you, sir?

I'm not ruling it out.

Sir, Mikey's

just a kid.

Pleading guilty,
his life is over.

Bud, Mikey is an adult

and he's looking at a possible
15 years in Leavenworth.

Pleading guilty might
be his best chance.

Particularly if he is guilty.

MacKENZIE: You consider Sergeant
Dutch a flight risk, Lance Corporal?

SOLDIER: Yes,
ma'am... most definitely.

Still, I hate to
see him confined.

I take it you're
a friend of his.

I like to think so, ma'am.

How much do you
know about his UA?

Not much, ma'am.
Uh, late one night

he snuck out of the
gate and went to town.

Has this happened before?

I'm his lawyer, Lance Corporal.

Whatever you tell me
is strictly confidential.

Well, yes, he has gone
over the hill before, ma'am,

but he's always been back
before Friday evening parade.

But not this time?

This time the police brought
him back in a paddy wagon.

He'd been gone for
three days, ma'am.

During which, he allegedly
impregnated a civilian female.

Now her family is
suing the Marine Corps.

Found himself a willing
bitch, I guess, ma'am.

Lance Corporal, I don't
appreciate that kind of language.

Sorry, ma'am. It
seemed appropriate.

Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie,
meet Sergeant Joe Dutch.

( growls)

You could have told me it
was the Sergeant Dutch, sir.

Well, it was in
the file, Colonel.

Didn't you read the file?

I-I glanced at it.

I figured a paternity suit...

Wasn't worth your time?

No, involved humans.

I guess I should
never assume, sir.

Well, Mac, you're a dog owner.

I thought you'd
jump at the chance

to defend the Marine mascot.

However, we could always, uh,
pass it on to Lieutenant Singer.

No, no, I'll handle it, sir.

Good.

The colonel's defending a dog?

That's not just a dog, Tiner.

The bulldog is a symbol
of the Marine Corps.

Sergeant Joe Dutch is a Marine.

With ID card, service
number, rank...

Does he, like, tell other
Marines what to do?

Get back to work.

O'BYRNE: Lieutenant Ferrari

offered you a deal, Commander.

I suggest you take it.

Negligent homicide seems
a little harsh, Captain.

Does it?

What do you have in mind?

Well, sir, given,
the circumstances

and Petty Officer Roberts'
overwhelming remorse, sir...

nonjudicial punishment.

A man died, Commander.

ROBERTS: The death
was unintentional, sir.

The result of a barroom brawl.

The victim struck
the first blow.

I don't give a damn who
struck the first blow, Lieutenant.

My men will behave in a
civilized manner on liberty

if I have to request a
court-martial for every last

one of them, starting
with Petty Officer Roberts.

Sounds like you're planning

to make an example of
Petty Officer Roberts, sir.

Six months ago I paid $1,000

to a guy who got
hit by a pool cue

by one of my
chief petty officers.

I'm sick of paying
damages to Mexican citizens

who get beat up by my crew.

It was only a matter of
time before someone died.

Captain, your men are
at sea for months at a time

doing arduous work, living
under strict regulations.

I know how hard my men
and women work, Commander.

That doesn't excuse
improper behavior.

The days of
drinking and fighting

on liberty are over,
at least on my watch.

Negligent homicide, gentlemen.

Take it or leave it.

Sir!

( knocking at door)

Yes?

Bud told me I'd find
you in here, Commander.

Yeah, well, I figured
you'd show up eventually.

My boy's in trouble.

I want to help.

( chuckling)

You're always working a con
game, aren't you, Roberts?

What do you have to
offer, except bad advice?

I've gone across the
lines before, Commander.

I admit that, but maybe
that's the kind of person

you need on your team.

Yeah, well, if I do,
I'll let you know, okay?

How's your brother?

Still in a Chechen prison?

Why would that matter to you?

Just...

it's an awful feeling

knowing that someone
you care about

is looking at a prison sentence

and there's nothing
you can do about it.

Mikey could never kill
anyone, not on purpose.

You can take that to the bank.

( door closes)

Your mongrel is a
menace to the community,

Colonel MacKenzie.

You should get rid of him.

Joe's no mongrel, sir.

He's a pureblood
English bulldog.

I don't care if he's descended
from Mary, Queen of Scots.

He had no business
going near Mishka.

Mishka's your
dog, I take it, sir?

No. She's my maid.

Of course, she's my dog.

I extended the fence since
your sergeant tunneled in

for his little "visit."

Czarina Mishkova

Katarina Makarovska.

Mishka.

She's beautiful.

( growls)

( sighs) She's
been acting like that

since she got pregnant.

What is she?

Borzoi.

The Russians bred
them to hunt wolves.

Good-looking dog.

Took Best of Group
at Westminster.

I was going to breed her.

Do you know how much
pedigree Borzoi pups sell for?

Up to a couple of thousand each.

Now, I have to wait

at least six months.

Yes, your-your Sergeant Dutch
is costing me a lot of money.

How can you be sure it was him?

I caught him.

Flagrante delicto.

It's a sight I'll never forget.

Way to go, Joe.

You did the right
thing in that bar.

You acted like a man.

Well, that's great, Dad.

I'll tell Commander Rabb

to go with the "I acted
like a man" defense.

Hey, don't wise off to me.

I'm trying to help you.

( sighs)

How about you, Dad?
Did you ever kill a man?

No.

Hey, look, he started it.

Right? You think he'd
care if he killed you?

I don't know, but I
know how I feel and...

( sighs)

I broke the watch you gave me.

It must have happened
when the fight started.

Forget the watch.

Commander...

Bud.

I was just leaving.

Oh, no, wait. Sir, can he stay?

There's an official
offer on the table.

Negligent homicide.

What does he get?

Dishonorable discharge,

forfeiture of all pay
and allowances,

three years confinement.

Three years?

Or we can go to trial.

They'll charge you with
voluntary manslaughter.

RABB: If you lose

you're looking at a
possible 15 years.

He can't do three, let alone 15.

What are my chances
if we go to trial, sir?

RABB: I can't make any promises.

I understand Ferrari's
a very good lawyer.

Are you afraid of
him, Commander?

I'm afraid of his case.

Mikey?

I'll do whatever you
and Bud advise, sir.

Mikey, did you want him to die?

I mean, even for a second?
When he slapped the girl?

While you were
fighting? When he hit you?

Did you want to kill him?

No, sir, not even
for one second.

Let's go to trial.

I need background information
on the victim. Yes, sir.

List of all sailors who
were there that night.

I want to establish that the
victim struck the first blow.

Aye, sir. All right,
now, they're gonna try

to establish that
Mikey's aggressive...

That he solves his
problems with violence.

We have Mikey's clean
record, and per Captain O'Byrne

the high incidence of sailors

getting involved in
fights in Mazatlan.

Get me a copy of
the Shore Patrol's log

and the coroner's report, huh?

Aye, sir.

( dialing phone)

( phone ringing)

Oh, man!

Hello?

RABB: Gunny, did I wake you?

No, sir, I was up.

I need information.

Go ahead, sir.

List of Mexican
citizens in Mazatlan

who collected damages
from the U.S. Navy

over the past five years.

Who are they? What happened?

The specifics.

Mazatlan?

Aye, aye, sir.

First flight I can get.

Ms. Ojeda, can you describe
the defendant's demeanor

when he approached you?

Demeanor?

Comportamiento.

Ah, si.

He was drunk, rude,
he tried to pick me up.

And did you want
to be picked up?

No. I was waiting
for my boyfriend.

Your boyfriend being
the victim, Efren Minas?

Si.

Yes.

Please tell us what happened.

He insisted on a
dance, so I agreed.

One dance, hoping
he would go away.

Then Efren came.

Naturally, he got jealous

and wanted us to
stop dancing, but...

he didn't want us to
stop, so he beat Efren up.

Thank you, Ms. Ojeda.

That's not how it happened, sir.

Ms. Ojeda, was your boyfriend
jealous of all your customers?

Objection. Are you

a prostitute? Your Honor...!

Approach.

Do I have to rein
you in, Commander?

ROBERTS: Your Honor,
we have police reports

and sworn affidavits
from three crew members

stating that they paid
Ms. Ojeda for sex.

FERRARI: Neither her profession
nor sexual activity were brought up

in direct, and it's
completely irrelevant.

Your Honor, it
goes to credibility.

The witness is claiming
she was passively

waiting for her boyfriend

when the defendant
made unwanted advances.

It's inflammatory,
prejudicial and it's untrue.

Ask the question, Commander.

Thank you, sir.

Are you a prostitute, Ms. Ojeda?

And I remind you,
you are under oath.

I have been, yes.

So men approach
you all the time. In fact,

it's encouraged, isn't it?

That doesn't mean I
say yes to everyone.

I have rights like
everyone else.

I was not working that night.

When Efren Minas
arrived, he hit you, didn't he?

He slapped me, yes.

Yes, and he would
have struck you

again if the defendant hadn't
stopped him, wouldn't he?

Still, he didn't deserve
to be beaten to death.

She's lying, sir.

I know she's lying.

Why didn't you
go after her, sir?

We've already established
that she's a hooker.

The members will have to
draw their own conclusions

about her character, but
if we get rough with her

it'll look like we're bullies

trying to beat up on
a helpless woman.

( cell phone rings)
And a pretty one, at that.

Commander Rabb.

GALINDEZ: Commander.

Gunny. What do you got?

Sir, I've located
a couple of guys

who collected
money from the Navy.

Did you talk to them?

Yeah, I talked to one of them.

His name's Hector Valdez.

He's a fisherman.

What about the other one?

He's up in San Diego.

His name's Ramirez.

Santos Ramirez.

R-A-M-I-R-E-Z.

FERRARI: Mr. Ramirez,

were you in The Iguana
the night of the homicide?

Objection.

The night of the fight.

Yes.

Please tell the
court what you saw.

That man went up
to Colina at the bar.

He bought her a drink,

they talked a little,
and then they danced.

What happened next, Mr. Ramirez?

Efren came.

He saw that sailor
with his woman.

They exchanged words, and then

that sailor punched
him in the face.

Meaning,

the accused punched the victim?

Yes, and then the
other sailors jumped in

and there was a fight.

FERRARI: What happened next?

Efren was against the, uh...

how do you say... pillar.

And then that sailor
kept hitting him.

I tried to get to them,

but there was too
many people around.

I-I couldn't get through.

Then the Shore Patrol

came, and they
took the sailors away.

Where was the victim?

I found him outside where...
he collapsed, and he died.

FERRARI: Thank you, Mr. Ramirez.

Your witness.

Mr. Ramirez, did
you collect $5,000

from the United States
Navy two years ago?

Yes.

Why?

Because two sailors beat me up.

Was that proven in court?

No, and the Navy
thought my bruises

and my broken nose
was proof enough.

ROBERTS: So it'd stand

to reason you have a grudge
against sailors. Do you?

I have a grudge against
sailors who attack Mexicans, yes.

In fact,

I'm here to see one
of them punished.

Move to strike. Nonresponsive.

You asked, Lieutenant. Move on.

Do you know the deceased's
mother, Mrs. Maria Minas?

Yes, I know her.

She's right there.

Are you aware that she's filed

a half a million dollar
wrongful death claim

against the Navy?

Yes, but I did not
know the amount.

ROBERTS: Are you
helping her with this claim?

RAMIREZ: I recommended a lawyer.

Petty Officer
Roberts' conviction

would pretty much guarantee
Mrs. Minas collects, won't it?

There are no guarantees, señor.

No, indeed, there are not.

Do you expect to
share in this award?

Only the satisfaction of
seeing this unfortunate

woman compensated

for the death of her only son.

RABB: Ferrari coaches
his witnesses well.

ROBERTS SR.: "Witnesses."

I could go to Mazatlan

and find a dozen "witnesses"

to swear Mikey
wasn't even there at all.

I remember one time in Saigon...

Dad, this is not the time
for one of your sea stories.

FERRARI: Commander Rabb.

There's someone
I'd like you to meet.

This is Mrs. Minas.

Efren era un buen hijo.

El me ayudaba.

¿Ahora que hago?

El hombre que asesino
a mi hijo tiene que pagar.

El tiene que pagar
por su crimen.

Si, señor.

FERRARI: She said...

I got the gist
of it, Lieutenant.

Lo siento, ma'am.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Vamanos, Señora.

I'm saving her for
the sentencing phase.

You really are a
piece of work, Ferrari.

I'm a piece of work?

Master Chief Bud Roberts...

Big Bud... court-martialed
two years ago for illegal

disposition of Navy property.

He was acquitted.

That's right, and
you defended him.

It's real handy having
a lawyer in this family,

huh, Master Chief?

That'll be enough, Lieutenant.

And if I'm not mistaken,

you prosecuted that
case, Commander.

Top-notch litigator
like yourself, sir?

Yet somehow you
failed to get a conviction.

Which leads you to believe what?

Nothing, sir, just
making an observation.

Like father, like son.

I wonder how your
kids'll turn out, Lieutenant.

Lieutenant...

He just gave us our defense.

RABB: Master Chief Roberts,
how long were you in the Navy?

30 years, sir.

And do you remember
how many port visits

you made during this time?

Oh... over a hundred.

Over a hundred.

Hmm. You ever get in a fight?

I've been in my share of scraps.

Of course, uh, the other guy
always struck the first blow...

Sir. But you're not the type to
shy away from one, are you?

Ah, I'm not saying we
had fights all the time.

On the other hand, I
couldn't trust a squid

who's never mixed it
up in a bar once or twice.

( chuckles)

Navy has changed a lot
since then, wouldn't you say?

Yes, sir.

In my day, kids joined up

to see the world,
have fun, adventure.

We'd go in a bar,
people stepped aside.

Now... ( scoffs) half the time

sailors don't even
wear uniforms in port

for fear of being targeted.

I remember one time in Subic Bay

there was this big, jealous
Filipino that came after me...

FERRARI: Your Honor.

While I'm certain the
Master Chief's sea stories

are wildly entertaining,
what is the point?

The point is,
nobody raised a stink

when somebody had
a little fun on liberty.

Thank you.

Your witness.

No questions.

You may step down, sir.

RABB: Your Honor,
the defense calls

Petty Officer Michael
Roberts to the stand.

Do you affirm the evidence
you give in this case

shall be the truth,
the whole truth

and nothing but the truth? I do.

Have a seat.

State your name
and duty station.

Fire Controlman Third
Class Michael Roberts.

USS Wake Island.

Petty Officer, did your
father ever share any of these

"wildly entertaining" stories

that occurred
during his liberties?

Yes, sir, more than once.

In fact, you were
raised on sea stories

about exotic ports of call,
fast women, drunken brawling...

Yes, sir, but the,
uh, fast women

were before my dad met my mom.

FERRARI: Objection.

Relevance? RABB: Your Honor,

I believe I can
establish relevance

if I'm allowed a
little leeway here.

You've got me curious. Proceed.

RABB: Thank you, sir.

So you were taught
from a very early age that

carousing and
brawling on liberty

was a part of Navy life.

Dad used to say, "Trouble
ashore, tight ship afloat."

RABB: Shared
experiences on liberty

form a bond among shipmates.

Yes, sir.

In any of these fighting
stories that your father told you

did anybody die?

No, sir.

No. So when you got in
a fight with Efren Minas

in a bar in Mazatlan, did you

expect him to die? No, sir.

No.

Did you want him to die?

No, sir. I never wanted
to kill anybody in my life.

RABB: What was your
intent, Petty Officer?

To protect the girl

and, um, not embarrass
myself or my ship, sir.

Thank you.

Your Honor.

Looks like you've got a
sea story of your own now,

Petty Officer Roberts.

And like all sea stories

it changes with the telling.

Objection.

Ask a question, Lieutenant.

So there you are

thinking you're
going to get lucky...

when the boyfriend shows up.

It's like getting between
a dog and his bone.

Make you mad?

It made me mad
when he hit her, sir.

Even madder when
he hit you, I bet?

Did your dad ever hit you?

RABB: Objection. Relevance.

Counsel opened the door

by introducing "lessons
learned from Dad."

I'm just going a bit
further, Your Honor.

Objection overruled.

Answer the question,
Petty Officer Roberts.

He hit me sometimes, sir.

Did he ever hit your mom?

I don't remember.

Let me jog your memory.

In 1984, Base Security

at Mayport Naval
Station received

a domestic disturbance call

from your home.

Your mother claimed
she bruised her face

walking into a closet shelf.

Now, think hard.

Did your dad ever hit your mom?

Yes, sir, sometimes.

Did you ever want to stop your
dad from abusing your mom?

Of course, sir.

You ever want to hit him?

I guess so.

You ever want to kill him?

Your Honor?

Answer the question, son.

I don't know, sir.

You don't know?

I'd know if I wanted
to kill someone

and I think so did you.

Objection. Asked and answered.

I don't think so. I think
he wanted to kill his father

just like he wanted to kill
Efren Minas when he hit the girl.

Lieutenant, objection sustained.

The members will

disregard counsel's comments.

Isn't it true, Petty
Officer Roberts,

that Efren Minas wasn't
fighting back anymore?

No, sir. He was
still hitting me, sir.

So you slammed him against
that pillar again and again.

You wanted to
kill him, didn't you?

Then he'd never touch
you or your mom ever again.

Your Honor. He
deserved to die, didn't he?

Lieutenant!

That's enough.

I'm done, Your Honor.

I think we know
the sort of legacy

Master Chief
Roberts left his sons.

( Marine calling cadence)

COLONEL: He's a
renegade, Colonel.

Constantly violates
rules and regulations

no respect for his superiors.

Colonel, he's a dog.

His father was a dog, too.

But that was one
squared-away Marine.

Right, Lance Corporal?

Very squared-away, sir.

Master Sergeant Joe Dutch, Sr.

Awarded the Good
Conduct Medal twice,

promoted rapidly, never
had to be counseled

for breach of conduct
or loss of military bearing.

He did chew Slim
Jims in formation, sir.

He never bit General
Mullen's beagle.

The beagle tried to
mount Sergeant Dutch, sir.

He did what any Marine would do.

I understand Sergeant Dutch

is very popular with
the local children.

Whom he visits regularly.

His unauthorized
liberties are unacceptable.

Now this paternity suit.

I have no choice but to consider

administrative discharge.

In begging the colonel's pardon,

the sergeant is
entitled to a hearing.

Isn't he, ma'am?

As any Marine would be.

All right. I want to be fair.

I assume you'll be
representing him?

If he'll have me.

MARINE: Right,
left, right, left...

FERRARI: Was he provoked? Yes.

Did he repeatedly
strike the victim,

banging his head
against the pillar?

Yes.

Did he intend to kill?

Ah. Now we come to it.

The defendant testified, under
oath, that he'd never wanted

to kill anyone in his life.

Yet, only seconds later,

he claimed "not to know"

whether he wanted
to kill his own father?

I submit, when Efren
Minas hit the woman

and then the defendant,

the defendant was
overcome with blind rage.

In a fury, he struck
again and again,

fulfilling a long-held
desire to punish the man

who abused him and his mother.

It's now your unwelcome task

to make sure Petty
Officer Roberts

is punished for his misdeed.

Thank you.

( jet engines
whooshing overhead)

Trial counsel's
distorted oedipal theory

is total nonsense.

There is no conclusive
evidence that Petty Officer Roberts

intended to kill Efren Minas.

Mikey Roberts was
brought up to believe

that he wasn't a true sailor

unless he lived up to his
father's riotous sea stories.

Carousing is a
part of Navy life.

Fighting is the rite of
passage into manhood...

and nobody dies.

Petty Officer Roberts didn't
go into the bar that night

looking for a fight,

but when he was
provoked, he fought back.

Who among you would not

do the same thing?

Which man here would not step in
when a woman was being attacked?

This death is nothing
more than a tragic accident.

You can't punish a man for that.

( door opens) ( whines)

You're the hearing officer? Yes.

To effect the most expeditious
disposal of the case, yes.

I move you recuse
yourself. On what grounds?

Because you've already
made up your mind.

Motion denied.

I'm all you've got.

So stop whining
and start convincing.

Since the Battle of Belleau Wood
in 1918 when German soldiers

labeled U.S. Marines
"devil dogs," the English

bulldog has been the Marine
mascot. I'm aware of the history,

Colonel. Can you bring
us more up to date?

( panting)

Well, admittedly, Sergeant
Dutch is not an ideal Marine.

He has weight problems.

Often disobeys orders,

avoids PT...

So far we're in agreement.

Yet these very flaws could
make him an inspiration.

RAVENSWOOD: Inspiration?

Excuse me, but that creature

is a threat to every female
canine in the community.

Who are you, sir?

I'm the victim's owner.

Was she in heat?

Yes.

Then sit down, sir,

before I rule it was entrapment.

You were saying, Colonel?

If we can turn
Sergeant Dutch around,

he'd be an example
to every Marine.

And how do you
propose we accomplish

this miraculous
transformation, Colonel?

Boot camp.

( whines)

Petty Officer Roberts,

would you and your
counsel rise, please?

Captain Costain, please
announce the findings.

Petty Officer Third
Class Michael Roberts,

this court-martial finds you

on the charge and specification

of voluntary manslaughter...

guilty.

Sentencing will
begin Monday at 0900.

This court-martial is adjourned.

( gavel bangs)

We'll appeal.

MIKE: I'm not a murderer.

I know that, Mikey.

How could they think I
wanted to kill that guy?

Mikey, look, we still have
the sentencing phase, all right?

We'll get character witnesses.

We'll plead mitigating
circumstances...

Bud, it's 15 years.

Mikey... you are not
going to prison for 15 years.

GUARD: It's time, Lieutenant.

Come here.

Bud, my personal stuff...

They brought it
from the Wake Island.

If you could hold that for me...

for, uh, however long...?

Sure, Mikey.

Bye, Bud.

Hey, Mikey.

What happened to your watch?

It broke at the
start of the fight.

Is this accurate?

Bud, I'm a fire
control technician.

It's accurate to the second.

It has to be.

RABB: 2240.

Yeah, Mikey said it got
broke at the start of the fight.

Shore Patrol log says
the call came in at 2235.

Somebody called Shore Patrol

five minutes before
the fight began.

Bud, call the Gunny. Tell
him we're on our way down.

Already done, sir.

And I took the liberty
of booking our flights.

( Mexican dance music playing)

MAN: No, no, no.

Yo pago por la cuenta.

GALINDEZ: The guy on
the left is Hector Valdez.

Six months ago,
a chief petty officer

broke his ribs in a
fight over a pool game.

The Navy paid him $1,000.

Captain O'Byrne mentioned him.

Yeah, well, I spoke to
the chief who hit him.

Said he didn't hit him that hard

and he didn't hit
him in the ribs.

Hector did have
broken ribs, sir.

A Navy corpsman verified it.

Nos vemos. Gracias.

La cuenta. Si, Señor. El cambio.

Ven afuera, Hector.

Would you like company?

Uh, sure.

Have a seat.

Hi, I'm Bud.

Adelita.

Would you like
something to drink?

Whiskey sour.

Bartender.

Whiskey sour.

Coming right up.

Who broke your ribs, Hector?

I already told the Navy.

Uh, I fought with a sailor.

But the sailor hit
you in the chin.

No, era mi pecho.

He hit me in my chest.

You're lying.

You cheated the
Navy out of $1,000.

Whoa, hey. Hey, maybe
we should go to the police.

Sueltame. Eso no es necesario.

You're gonna have to give
the money back, Hector.

I don't have the money.

Then you're going to jail.

Al carcel. ¿Entiendes?

I did nothing wrong.

You know what a lie
detector is, Hector?

Who broke your ribs, Hector?

A man asked me if I want
to earn a thousand pesos.

All I have to do
is start a fight.

So, I fight with the sailor.

And after, they-they brought
me out here and they hit me

and broke my ribs.

A thousand pesos?
He gave you $100.

He kept $900 for himself.

Who is the man, Hector?

Who planned the fight?

If I tell you his name,
I'm as good as dead.

♪ ♪

Would you like to
go somewhere private

to drink, Butt?

My room is close by.

It's, uh, it's Bud.

And actually, I was kind of
looking for someone else.

Does Colina still come here?

Colina?

What do you want with her?

I'm much better.

Ask around.

I'm-I'm sure that you are.

I'm just... was told
to ask for Colina.

You ask for Colina,
you ask for trouble.

Why, is there something
wrong with her?

Not her. Her boyfriend.

I used to go with him,
so believe me, I know.

Well, her boyfriend's dead.

For a dead man, he
looks pretty healthy to me.

Oye, ¿como esta?

Santos.

He set up the fight,

then he beat up
Efren afterwards.

Only he went too
far, and Efren died.

Yeah, and pinned it on Mikey.

We need to talk to Santos, sir.

First, Colina.

The base seems pretty
empty without him, doesn't it?

Yes, ma'am.

We all miss him.

I'm sure he'll come back
from retraining a poster Marine.

Thanks for speaking
up for him, ma'am.

If anyone could convince
the XO, it was you.

It's nice of you to keep
his quarters shipshape.

I'm getting ready
for the next occupant.

I don't understand.

Sergeant Dutch is
coming back, isn't he?

Oh, yes, ma'am, and when he does

there'll be a Mrs.
Dutch waiting for him.

That'll keep ol' Joe
down on the farm.

And make Mr. Ravenswood happy.

I was there looking
over the litter.

Some of the guys with
families are taking pups.

They're awful cute.

There's one left,
Colonel. A male...

No, thanks, Lance Corporal.

I've got all the cute
males I can handle.

( rock song plays)

Gentlemen, Commander
Rabb, I'm with the JAG Corps.

If you'll, uh, excuse
me a moment

I'd like to talk to
the young lady.

Nice to see you
again, Ms. Ojeda.

Hey, your boyfriend Santos

killed Efren Minas.

The fight was a setup.

Your sailor killed Efren.

Your own court said so.

Yeah, well, you and I both
know that that is not true.

If you believe
that, arrest Santos.

What do you want from me?

You were part of the setup.

I want you to tell me exactly
everything that happened.

Already I told what happened.

Well, you know that
Santos did the killing.

So how long before he realizes
that you are a liability, huh?

( sneering): You're crazy.

Am I?

Who's Miguel
watching, me or you?

Miguel has no
reason to watch me.

Well, you know Santos
better than anybody.

Does he really trust you?

Is he going to trust you
after Miguel tells him

you were talking to me?

You should've left when
you had the chance.

Enjoying yourself, Rabb?

Mr. Roberts,

what are you doing here?

Same thing you
are. Helping Mikey.

( slurring): Only it looks
like you're helping yourself.

Hi, sweetheart. You remember me?

Let's take a walk outside.

Hey, no, let's not.

Why don't you take a walk

and I'll sit here and
entertain the lady? Bartender!

A couple more drinks over
here for me and the lady.

Come on.

Hey, don't you grab
me, Commander.

Don't you ever grab me

or disrespect me again.

You don't have the right.

Think about what I said.

Think about it like
your life depended on it.

Yeah, think about this, Rabb.

( raucous laughter)

SAILOR: Pocket full of
pay, ready to spend it.

SAILOR 2: Hey, what'd
you guys get in the port?

( boisterous conversations)

How'd it go in there?

Your father showed up.

Drunk?

Oh, yeah.

Come on, honey.

Hey, I, I just want to
talk to you, that's all.

Hey, what's your hurry?

Come on, hey, it's just...

Hey, what is this,
Mardi Gras already?

No. Wait a minute, what's...?

No me dijo nada.

( gunshots)

Dad!

Dad?

Oh, God, Dad!

No! Please!

I lost him. Speak to me, Dad.

Called an ambulance.
It's on the way.

Dad! How is he?

He's not breathing, sir.

Can you protect me?

Take your chances with Santos.

Please. You were right.

Santos killed Efren.
It was no accident.

After the fight, Efren met
Santos and Miguel outside.

They started to hit him.

Then Santos picked up a brick.

I tried to stop
him, but I couldn't.

( echoing): Santos!

Santos knew he could
persuade Señora Minas

to share the award with him.

It would be our
one last big score.

Then we were going away.

Get her out of here, Bud.

Yeah, but, sir...

Look, I'll take
care of your dad.

Go, the ambulance
will be here soon.

Go. Quick.

Come on.

( car doors slam)

( engine starts)

( tires squealing)

Is he okay?

Oh, yeah.

Nice job.

Thank you, sir.

Geez, you look better
with the mask on.

RABB: You were
right, Master Chief.

You were an asset
to the operation.

Thank you, sir.

We'll make a con
man out of you yet.

( chuckles)

MacKENZIE: Sir, I'm pleased
to report that Sergeant Dutch

is making excellent progress

and will be returned to
active duty in two weeks.

And the paternity suit?

Oh, the sergeant's
progeny have all

been adopted by Marine families.

And the Corps will
reimburse Mr. Ravenswood

for his expenses.

Nice job, Colonel.
Thank you, sir.

Admiral Guter, very
nice to meet you, sir.

Same here, Colonel.
Keep up the good work.

Thank you, sir.

CHEGWIDDEN: That'll
be all. Aye, aye, sir.

She defended a dog?

And won.

And I thought troubleshooting
for SECNAV was interesting.

Don, anytime
you want this job...

A.J., you couldn't

pay me enough to be the
Judge Advocate General.

( chuckles)

Mikey, although Admiral Bennett
has set aside your conviction

he says you're going to spend

the next ten liberties
chipping paint.

That suits me just fine, sir.

The Mexicans may want
you to come and testify

at Santos's trial.

Looking forward to it, sir.

I'm just glad I
didn't kill anybody.

And, uh, Bud...

could you tell Dad I'm
sorry about what I said?

On the stand?

You should probably
do that yourself.

Come here.

Love you, brother.

Take care, Mikey.

Yes, sir.

Oh, by the way, whatever
happened with that girl?

Uh, the Navy and the
Mexican authorities

worked out an arrangement.

She's in a witness
security program.

Any chance I could,
uh, visit her, sir?

Okay, I guess not.

Sir.

Stay out of trouble, Mikey.

Like father, like son, huh?