Army Wives s04e10 Episode Script

Previously on Army Wives Hi, honey.
Meet my new study group.
I just got a phone call from the police department.
- I got an interview Friday.
- You're kidding? Nope.
Maybe things are starting to look up.
I found a set of your ACUs in Sara Elizabeth's closet.
- I didn't put them there.
- Well, I know I didn't put them there.
I got new orders today.
I'm not a recruiter anymore.
I thought that job was for three years.
I deploy to Afghanistan next month.
What are the facts of this case? Greg? The defendant filed a motion to delay his trial until the completion of the 2010 census.
And why is that, Shari? The murderer says that - Alleged murderer.
The alleged murderer says that the county's racial makeup has changed since the last census.
He wants the jury pool to reflect that.
So, does he have a case? Mark? Absolutely.
The Constitution guarantees trial by a jury of your peers.
Actually, it doesn't.
Really? Is that so? The Sixth Amendment simply guarantees trial by jury.
It doesn't say anything about peers.
Granted.
But there have been clarifications since then.
Take Duren v.
Missouri.
That prohibited exclusion of a specific class.
No one's being excluded in this case.
Well, maybe not, but our defendant merely wants the jury to accurately reflect his community, and what's wrong with that? Nothing.
It's an imaginative argument, but it's not the law.
Oh, so now you're the Supreme Court, hmm? Uh, Professor Chandler, the Constitution guarantees that every citizen is equal under the law, but to compel a jury composition based on the defendant's argument implies that an impartially assembled jury pool isn't equal enough, which contradicts the underlying precept.
Therefore, to act on that basis is inherently unconstitutional.
Hmm.
Anyone care to argue? Looks like you just won your case.
You really have to leave so early on your last day? Lots to do.
Gotta hand over my files, make sure Farina's good with everything.
It's not fair.
Babe, I got my orders two weeks ago.
You have to accept the fact that I'm gonna be deploying.
You were supposed to be a recruiter for three years.
I know.
Rox, do we really have to go over this again? Having another baby was my idea.
Nobody's more upset about this than I am.
Sorry.
I just don't think it's fair.
Okay, I'll see you later.
I don't think Sara Elizabeth's moved an inch since we put her down.
Talk about a good night's sleep.
Right.
What about you? You were tossing and turning.
I didn't realize you were studying my sleep patterns.
Simple question, Joan.
Look, I know deployment's on your mind.
It's on mine, too.
Just making sure you're all right.
Sorry.
Headache.
Your belt.
I got it.
- Whoa! Mom.
- What do you think? Cool.
You look like you're gonna go trick-or-treating.
Great.
Thanks.
Okay, you guys go grab your backpacks or you're gonna miss the bus, and I am not gonna be late on my first day.
Okay.
Take a seat.
Come on, guys.
Settle.
Take your seats.
We got a big day today.
Item one, we have a new officer joining us today.
Meet Pamela Moran.
Clay Boone will be her field training officer.
I know you'll all make Officer Moran feel welcome.
Item two, armed robbery last night.
Convenience store at King and Tyler.
Mom, you should not be in here.
- Paint fumes? Baby? - Nontoxic paint.
- Better safe than sorry.
- Jeremy.
While Dad is in DC, you are on my watch.
Gotta make sure you don't start climbing ladders and stuff.
Oh, yeah.
With my belly, that's not likely.
See, I don't know if there's actually a baby in here, or if it's just all the peach pie I've been eating.
Mmm.
So is it true, what they say about cravings during pregnancy? Absolutely.
So what'd you crave when you were pregnant with me? Um What? Broccoli, believe it or not.
- Broccoli? - Mmm-hmm.
- I hate broccoli.
- Yeah, maybe that's why.
I'm sorry.
Do you know what, honey? You don't have to help me.
I'm sure there are a million other things you'd rather be doing with your time off.
Mom, when I'm in Afghanistan, I'm not gonna miss playing video games at the barracks.
I'm gonna miss you, this house.
There's nothing I would rather be doing right now.
Oh.
Now get out.
- Jeremy.
- I mean it.
Go.
- Ooh.
Okay, okay.
- I'm serious.
I'm out.
I'm out.
As you know from your syllabus, part of the workload in this course is assisting my firm with actual litigation.
Now when you're selected for a case, you will sign an affidavit under the student practice rule, which will allow you to work like bona fide attorneys, under my supervision, of course.
Greg, will you hand these out, please? Now you will all be working on this case.
I will only be able to take two of you into court with me.
Thanks.
Here you go.
- So, Mark, Claudia Joy, you'll be my first team this year.
Don't worry.
The rest of you will get your shot on another case.
All right.
Everyone have one? Now, what we have here is a local citizens' group that's suing to prevent the Army from building a waste site close to the water table.
Professor Chandler.
Uh, I'm not sure you know.
I'm married to the Post Commander at Fort Marshall.
Yeah, I'm aware.
Oh.
Well, do you think it's appropriate I work on a case against Fort Marshall? A good lawyer has to be able to argue any side of a case.
Understood.
I was just wondering about conflict of interest.
Are you employed by the Army? No.
Well, I see no conflict, unless Unless you don't think you can maintain your objectivity.
Is that what you're saying, Claudia Joy? You don't think you're capable of being objective in this case? No! No, no, no.
I was I just wanted to make sure that you were aware in the interest of full disclosure.
Well, so noted.
Now this is a tough case, and I want my best team, and that means you.
Okay.
Forty-two? Not worth it? Nope.
You're probably wondering how I ended up a rookie at this age.
Crossed my mind.
I had a few years on the job in Boston before I got married, so I'm not a complete rookie.
My whole family are police and firefighters.
Irish.
So I was in the family business until I met my husband.
He was a soldier.
Got married, had kids.
You know the story.
Yep.
Now we're divorced, and I always missed it, so - What about you? Married? Kids? - No.
And your last partner? What happened to him? Her.
She quit to get married and have kids.
Oh.
Fifty-one.
Hit it.
- Denise, hey.
- Hey.
- Come on in.
- Thanks.
I just stopped by to pick up Sara Elizabeth's old bassinet.
Her bassinet? Yeah, Roland said he told you about me borrowing it for the baby.
Oh! Of course.
Sorry.
- Okay.
Hold on a second.
- Sure.
Uh, Joan, you forgot something on the stove.
I was gonna boil some eggs, and then I got a phone call.
Just too much going on right now.
Yeah, pre-deployment, I believe it.
It happens to Frank, too.
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- I promise I'll take really good care of it.
- Don't worry about it.
- All right.
Bye.
- Bye.
It was your first day, Pamela.
I'm sure he wasn't that bad.
I don't know, Roxy.
He won't even look at me.
I feel like he's got a problem with women.
And even better, I find out that his last partner quit to have babies right after I tell him my same story.
Can you ask for a new partner? No.
It doesn't work like that.
I'm on probation for six months, so I'm supposed to, you know, keep my eyes open, my mouth shut, all that.
That's not gonna happen.
- Thanks.
- I'm just saying.
No.
You're right.
That's what I'm afraid of.
That I'm gonna open my mouth, and say something that's gonna get my fired.
Okay, you need to relax.
It's a new job.
Of course it's gonna be stressful.
You don't understand.
I couldn't wait to get in that squad room, and then I meet my FTO, - and he's just - Excuse me? Your what? My field training officer.
Ugh.
You're as bad as the Army.
Sorry.
It's just I'm nervous enough without wondering if my partner's got it in for me or not, you know? Anyway with it.
What's up with you guys? Did you tell the kids about Trevor yet? No, and I don't want to.
I just keep thinking that maybe the Army's gonna change its mind again.
- Yeah, I get it.
- Good luck with that, right? Lucas did it! - Did not! Did so! Hey, what are you guys doing? Oh, my Roxy, I gotta go.
What did you do? Did you read the report on Fort Ord? Hmm.
Unexploded munitions, TCE in the groundwater, solvents, lead, Looks like the Army created a real hole.
Mmm-hmm.
It says here that the Pentagon owns 10% of all Superfund sites.
- Meade, Tyndall, McGuire - So we establish a system-wide pattern - of disregard for public safety - That's irrelevant.
All they'd have to do is point out that the majority of posts have excellent records.
Oh, of course you're gonna stick up for the Army.
No, it's I'm just trying to look at it from their perspective, which is what we have to do to argue our case effectively.
Okay, but what about all this evidence of past problems? Can't we use it? We could talk to Professor Chandler about it.
The entire Army isn't on trial here.
The plaintiffs are arguing one specific waste site in one specific place.
I think we need to stay focused on that, right? - Right, but - But it's Hi, honey.
I didn't mean to interrupt.
No, we're just working on a litigation thing.
Sounds exciting.
Good to see you all.
Does he know what we're working on? Not yet.
You're arguing against the Army? No, I'm not arguing anything, Michael.
I'm assisting Professor Chandler.
- Against the Army.
- It's an assignment.
Does he know you're married to the Commanding General? Yes, I brought it up, and he said, because I don't work for the Army, there's no conflict.
Maybe not for him.
Michael, do you have a problem with this? - Seriously? - I don't know.
I need to think about it.
You know, that lawsuit started long before we came here.
The injunction was filed the minute the plans were drawn up.
The case has been in the JAG's office ever since.
I'm not accusing you of anything.
No, I know.
I know.
It's just You got to admit, it's a bit unusual.
It is, but it's a closed-door hearing.
There's no publicity.
- No one will even know I'm there.
- I will.
I'm gonna be there, too.
You will? Why? JAG requested it, to show the Army takes this case seriously.
Michael, this is a big opportunity for me.
I need you to be okay with it.
I guess I'll see you in court.
I'm thinking, spinach and mushroom omelet this morning.
Sound good? Uh I've gotta get a run in.
I'll whip one up for you when you get back.
No, I'll pick something up on the way to work.
Hey, look, Joan, is there something you're not telling me? - About what? - About why you're not sleeping well, why you're irritable all the time, acting erratically.
I have not been acting erratically.
I am under a lot of pressure, in case you hadn't noticed.
You were under a lot of pressure before you deployed for Iraq, too, - but you weren't behaving like this.
- What are you driving at? Look at what's going on with you, Joan.
Remind you of anything? I don't know what you're talking about.
- Really? - Really.
I'm talking about PTSD.
- What? - We've been here before Shut up, Roland! Just shut up! I'm sorry.
I You're wrong.
Gotta go for a run.
What do you think is going on? Can't be sure without Joan's cooperation, and right now she's in complete denial that anything's wrong.
All I do know is that she's not herself.
She hasn't been for weeks.
You know, that explains the stove.
When I picked up the bassinet yesterday, she had an empty pot on the stove with the burner high, and she'd forgotten all about it.
Right.
She's been doing that a lot lately.
Just zones out.
Could be any number of things, Roland.
- She should really get checked out.
- I know.
I just don't know how to get her to do that.
Look, yesterday, when I said I quit the force to get married - Fifty-four.
- I just want to be clear that Let's hit it.
South Carolina tag number, zero, nine, U, uniform, I, India, A, alpha, Q, Quebec.
That's 0-9-U Is there a problem, Officer? Could I see your license, registration, and proof of insurance, ma'am? Sure.
You mind telling me why? You were doing 54 in a 35-mile-an-hour zone.
I was? And I notice you got a broken taillight, and a cracked windshield.
I guess that's bad, huh? It's not great.
I'm afraid they're both violations, ma'am.
Really? Even if I promise to get them fixed? Pamela! Officer Moran, you know this woman? You bet your butt she does.
We're best friends.
Tell him, Pamela.
Yes, sir.
Run it.
We really are best friends.
You know, we're more than friends.
We're like sisters, practically.
Before Pamela Officer Moran started working for the police department, she worked with me at the Hump Bar.
The one on the boulevard.
I own the place.
Oh, you've gotta be kidding me.
You really haven't heard of it? We've got the best gumbo in town.
And that's not coming from me.
I mean, everyone says that.
You could stop by sometime.
First beer's on me.
Is it clean? Actually, there's a bench warrant in the state of Alabama.
Unpaid speeding ticket.
What? And your friend here just tried to bribe me.
Wait.
What? I said I own a bar.
- This is crazy.
Another word, ma'am, I'm gonna ask you to get out of the car.
Oh! You're gonna arrest me? Okay, hold on.
FTO Boone, can I have a minute, please, sir? Finally.
Sir, I know she has a big mouth, but she's not a threat, believe me.
I recommend that we cite her, and send the hit to Alabama, so they know where to send the bill.
And I can personally guarantee that she's good for it.
Okay.
Ma'am, is this your current address on the license? What? How about a warning? Yes, that is her current address.
As project manager, Colonel Winston, you have to admit that there is some risk of this proposed dump site contaminating the local water table, don't you? There's risk in any human endeavor, sir, but as our studies have repeatedly demonstrated, the safety factors regarding the dump site far exceed minimum standards.
Ah! Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's what they said about the Levees in New Orleans, too, isn't it? Objection.
- Come on.
This is a hearing.
Nevertheless, Mr.
Chandler, let's dispense with the cheap shots, shall we? Sustained.
Very well then, Your Honor.
Colonel Winston, let's talk about something else.
Why was this particular location chosen? It's a good distance from post housing, convenient to our transportation network.
Very few trees, so we'd do the least harm to the environment, which is always a priority of the Army.
Well, now, I am touched.
So the Army likes trees? And yet you seem to have no nervousness at all about burying chemicals right next to a local water source.
As we've already established No, no, no.
I know, I know, I know.
Your tests have shown that there is no danger.
You have the reports.
They speak for themselves.
Your Honor, a moment, please? Granted.
- Why should I call the X O? - He's hiding something.
I can feel it.
So that is your incontrovertible evidence? The X O hasn't even been subpoenaed, and we're gonna have to have a good reason to pull a stunt off like that.
I know officers like Colonel Winston.
Ambitious, arrogant.
If there's a flaw in the project, he'll cover it to advance his own career.
Good X O has a harder time playing with the truth.
Your Honor, I'm finished with this witness.
But I would like to call Colonel Winston's X O, Major Perry to testify.
Objection.
Major Perry wasn't subpoenaed for these proceedings.
We have reason to believe he has probative information, and ask that he be called as a witness.
Overruled.
Major Perry, please take the stand.
Raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? I do.
With the court's permission, Your Honor, I'd also like to ask that my associate, Ms.
Claudia Joy Holden, be allowed to conduct the remainder of this session.
Any objection? The defense does not object.
What are you doing? You said he was hiding something.
- Prove it.
- I can't do this.
Yes, you can.
No, I can't.
Yes, you can.
Ms.
Holden, you may proceed.
Um Anytime, Counselor.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Major Perry, could you tell me, tell the court how many people Could you tell the court how many experts were involved in these water table tests? For the dump project, five experts.
Five? And they all gave their approval? No concerns? No, there were no concerns expressed to me regarding the dump site.
So your summary statement represents the full and unanimous opinion on land parcel 217? As stated, we've handed over all relevant reports concerning the dump site.
The dump site? I asked you about parcel 217.
The dump site is in parcel 217, ma'am.
I understand.
It's part of it, but it's not all of it.
Were there other reports not relating to the dump site? I'm sorry.
I didn't understand the question.
When did the Army initiate the dump project? June 2004.
Yeah.
And my records show that the Army purchased that property in February 2002.
Is there a question in there somewhere? Yes.
Yes, there is.
You see, I've spent most of my adult life on Army posts, and there is one thing they have in common, and that is, there is never enough room.
They're always looking to expand, which makes me wonder why the Army would purchase this property, and leave it sit for two years.
So my question, Major Perry, why did the Army originally buy parcel 217? Objection! Relevance.
This case is about the dump site.
Well, Your Honor, this case is about parcel 217.
I should be allowed to ask any question that deals with that property.
Objection overruled.
The witness will answer.
Uh It was originally acquired by the housing office.
Housing? So why hasn't any housing been built? Major? The housing office concluded that the site was unsuitable for their purposes.
Unsuitable? Why? It had to do with the ground.
What about the ground? They thought it was too porous.
It was too close to the water table to build.
Meaning what? What were the risks? They thought there was a risk of contamination.
And those early reports regarding the site were deliberately kept secret from these proceedings? - Objection.
- Oh.
Withdrawn.
Your Honor, no more questions.
Plaintiffs move that the court require the Army to turn over all inculpatory evidence related to the land parcel 217, dating from 2002 to the present.
Objection.
We had no notice that this motion would be made.
In light of the new evidence, Your Honor Sit down, Mr.
Chandler.
Objection overruled.
The defense is so compelled.
Nice work.
May we at least ask the court for 10 days to review and assemble the documents? Granted.
- Congratulations.
- Oh.
What was that? How could you put me in that position in front of everyone without warning? Whoa, whoa.
Now calling the X O was your idea, Claudia Joy.
I thought you deserved the chance to question him yourself.
Oh, don't play innocent with me.
You wanted me on this case because of my connection to the Army.
No, I wanted you on this case because of your knowledge of the Army.
There's a difference.
And clearly, I made the right decision.
You used me.
No.
I did what was best for the client.
And that makes it okay? Last one.
It's great.
Thank you.
- So where should I put it? - Right over there.
Nice.
So what do you think? Well, it's certainly not mine anymore.
Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry.
Hope you don't mind losing your old room.
Are you kidding me? I've always wanted a little brother or sister.
- Really? - Yeah.
Handing my room over is kind of cool.
Makes me feel like I'm a part of it.
In fact Oh, Jeremy, you shouldn't have.
This is not for you.
This is for the baby.
- Oh, this is beautiful.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Did you make this? - Yeah.
I figured since I'm not gonna be around for a while, - better write down some advice.
- That is so sweet.
Well, I want to make sure the kid knows who I am before I get back.
- So - So what? So maybe we should talk about what happened today.
What happened today is that my best friend threw me under the bus.
Are you kidding me? I stuck my neck out for you, Roxy.
You know how things are with me and Boone, and yet you go asking for special favors.
It was a little favor.
A little favor? There is a bench warrant for your arrest.
You can't just overlook things like that.
And how could you be so stupid as to skip out on a speeding ticket? Stupid? Well, let me see.
At the time, I could have either paid the state of Alabama or fed my kids.
But, hey, now I owe $400 to two different states, and I have to go to traffic school, and I have to buy a new car because my old car has basically been declared illegal, and costs too much to fix.
Well, don't blame me.
None of this is my fault.
You were the one who was speeding.
- Come on.
It wasn't even that fast.
- Roxy, how would you know? Your speedometer hasn't worked since the day I met you! You listen, Officer! I have got customers! And now I need every tip I can get.
Thank you very much.
Okay, men.
Commence operation new car.
And by that, I mean new used car.
This is cool.
Okay.
So what kind of car should we get? - I want a truck with really big wheels.
- I want a purple one.
Hmm.
A purple monster truck, huh? That's interesting.
Okay, let's think about this for a second.
- This car is for Mom, right? - Mmm-hmm.
And we gotta have something with plenty of room for all of us to ride around in.
- And Lucky.
- Especially Lucky.
So why don't we start with minivans and station wagons? - Oh, man.
- Okay, okay.
We can throw SUV in there, too.
- Yes.
- Now let's say no more than ten years old, no more than $8,000.
- Anything else? No? - Mmm-mmm.
Okay, Finn, when you hit this button, our dream car should appear.
Come on, autotrader.
com.
Autotrader.
com! Yes! Perfect.
Which one's ours? Well, now we're gonna have to make some calls, Finn.
Get the phone.
Go.
Go.
This one has a DVD player.
All right, so let's start with that one.
Thank you, bud.
Should have never been in that courtroom, Claudia Joy.
Oh, Michael, we talked about this.
You didn't have a problem before.
That's because I thought you were just gonna be sitting there.
Yeah, so did I.
I had no idea Professor Chandler would pull something like that.
- You could've refused.
- Right.
And how would that look? Your JAG officer could have objected to the change of counsel.
He didn't.
Face it, Michael.
We were both ambushed today.
Yeah, but only one of us looks ridiculous.
You don't look ridiculous.
Nobody's holding you accountable.
I am accountable, Claudia Joy! The mistake might have been made before I got here, but it's my mess now.
And to make things worse, my JAG officer is wondering - where you got your inside information.
- Oh, God.
I didn't have inside information.
I was fishing.
You know that.
I may know that, but think about how it looks.
Okay, Michael.
I am sorry.
I'm sorry if I embarrassed you.
But we need to put our egos aside, and focus on what's important here.
The Army knew that site was potentially risky, and yet they went ahead with it.
That's what matters here.
That's what you should be mad at.
I'm going upstairs.
Let me be clear about this.
I was not aware of the original report.
The actions of my team were based on information provided by Colonel Winston, information that we assumed was accurate.
Well, understood, General.
The question is, what now? Colonel Winston is being removed from the project.
His actions are being dealt with internally.
Well, that's fine.
But we have no intention of dropping this case.
We plan to scour through those earlier reports, - and when the news gets out - That won't be necessary.
We're moving the dump site, and we invite you to review any new plans we develop, full transparency.
Well, I like the sound of that.
In return, you will agree to a joint press release saying both parties are happy with the settlement, and that the Army has chosen to act in the best interests of the community.
I'll talk to my clients.
Thank you.
One more thing.
Was it really necessary for you to put my wife in that position? You could have done that questioning yourself.
Yeah.
I could have.
I can't believe it.
After all these years, - bye-bye, Mustang.
- Babe, you should be excited.
We finally got something dependable.
I've known that car longer than I've known you, Trevor.
I've slept in it, cried in it.
I almost had T.
J.
in it.
Not to mention, it's where you and I first - you-knowed in it.
- Yeah.
And I still got the scar from that broken spring to prove it.
It's just like losing an old friend, is all.
Do you want me to keep it around? I could work on it when I get back.
Um, no.
I'm good.
Claudia Joy, a minute? Uh, I have class.
Listen, I thought about what you said, and you were right.
I shouldn't have sprung it on you like that, and I'm sorry.
You're sorry? You knew exactly what you were doing.
Well, okay.
Fair enough.
What if I'd given you the choice? What if I'd taken a recess so we could talk about it? What would you have done? I would have refused, of course.
Exactly, and you would've regretted it I doubt it.
Come on, now.
Who's being disingenuous now? Excuse me? Claudia Joy, it wasn't about me in there.
It wasn't about the Army, and it wasn't about your husband.
It was about you finding the truth.
You could have just sat there, listened.
But you didn't.
You wrote that note.
You chose to get involved.
Now you can blame me if you want, but don't tell me that you didn't love going after that witness.
Love the feeling of discovery, love winning your case.
Huh? And that is what is gonna make you one of a lawyer.
I'll see you in class.
Hey.
Just driving by in my new wheels.
Thought you might want to take a test drive.
Don't let her fool you.
She might be eight years old, but she goes really fast.
Well, if you know that, I'm guessing it has a speedometer that works, huh? I'm sorry.
I was wrong.
I'm sorry for calling you stupid.
Are we okay? Of course.
Oh! - And by the way, I did some checking.
- Mmm-hmm.
And because you got rid of the Mustang, you can actually get a few hundred dollars off that ticket - for vehicle violation.
- Really? - Yeah.
It pays to know a cop.
- Yeah, after she's busted you.
Yeah.
Hey, Officer! Sir, you remember my friend, Roxy? Hard to forget.
Well, there's still a frosty one waiting for you whenever.
No strings.
No strings.
Ladies.
Was that actually kind of a smile? Yeah.
Well, I have that effect on people.
Can I take you for a spin? Hmm.
A couple of cool chicks in a minivan.
Let's do it.
Hey, come on in.
I've been doing a lot of thinking, Michael.
So have I.
If I had known I was going to conduct any part of that hearing, I wouldn't have agreed.
But I can't be sorry about the end result.
And I wouldn't want you to be.
Colonel Winston acted deceptively.
I took out my anger on you.
I apologize.
Thank you.
I expect more from my people.
The Army expects more.
I know.
You really kicked in there.
I did, didn't I? - Mmm.
- Yeah.
I just hope, next time, we're on the same team.
Honey, we're always on the same team.
Always.
All you need to know is School is really important, so always try your best.
We've got the best parents in the world, and they'll love you no matter what.
Crushed up potato chips on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are awesome.
I'll always have your back, because I'm your big brother.
Baby, what happened? - Okay, baby.
Hey.
- I fell.
Oh, it's okay.
Sara Elizabeth's fine.
Everything's okay.
No, it isn't, Roland.
Something is not right.