JAG s08e04 Episode Script

MAN: Having been appointed to this office do you solemnly swear to serve and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic? I solemnly swear to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of Should've known when my butt was being served up in that committee my job was next on the menu.
Washington politics, sir.
All these years we've had our battles, Admiral.
I know I've often been a pain in your neck.
Yes, you have, sir.
( laughs ) Well, it's all history now, Admiral.
Yes, it is, Mr.
Secretary.
You're going to have to stop calling me that, A.
J.
And faithfully discharge the duties of the office which you are about to enter, so help you God? I swear.
Congratulations, Mr.
Secretary.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce to you our new Secretary of the Navy, Edward Sheffield.
( applause ) ( camera shutters clicking ) Dennis, thank you, thank you.
Congratulations, Mr.
Secretary.
Uh, thank you, Admiral.
Well, I guess having your accuser become your boss is a little odd.
That's one way to put it, sir.
Well, rest assured however I viewed my predecessor's judgment I hold you and JAG in the highest esteem.
I'll do my best to, uh, honor your trust, sir.
Well, if that's the case, you could start now.
There's a talented young attorney that I would like you to consider adding to your staff.
You won't be sorry.
( cameras clicking ) They're on the way, Colonel! CHEGWIDDEN: Colonel, Commander, have a seat.
I assume by now, that you've heard about this accident.
A SEAL team was conducting a guerrilla war game among the civilian population.
They had a run-in with a local deputy a Virginia highway.
Heard about it on the way in, sir.
Deputy was killed.
It should come as no surprise that the Navy's taking a beating on this one.
Local authorities going to prosecute, sir? Actually, they're kicking this one back to us.
That's got to be a first, Admiral.
Navy's presence in the area is important to the local economy and it just so happens the state's attorney is head of the local chamber of commerce.
Commander, you will prosecute.
Convening authority is referring charges of disobeying orders and negligent homicide against Lieutenant Reynolds the SEAL team leader that led the Chase.
Sir, it's my understanding that the deputy lost control of his car.
In pursuit of a fugitive which opens up the lieutenant to possible culpability.
Colonel, you'll defend.
Commander Turner will be your second chair.
Two against one, sir? Actually, no.
I'm having Commander Rabb break in a new partner.
A lieutenant commander Tracy Manetti.
UVA, Harvard Law Review two years in the public defender's office in Atlanta.
Comes recommended by the new SECNAV.
Whew.
A Mata Hari in our midst.
Don't worry, Admiral I'll keep a close eye on her.
As a former SEAL I have a special interest in this case.
Let's make sure justice is served.
That'll be all.
Aye, aye, sir.
Aye, sir.
Oh, by the way, uh Lieutenant Roberts is being released from Bethesda today going home.
After he settles in, it might do him some good to see some friendly faces.
Yes, sir.
Are you sure you don't have other motives keeping an eye on Commander Manetti? Well, I've always had a thing for Italian women, Mack.
I remember this girl in High School, she.
Oh, I don't need to hear about that.
Good news about Bud, huh? Looks like he'll be back soon.
He's going to have to fight to stay in, Mack.
It's not going to be easy.
MAN: It was a war game training our people to infiltrate an indigenous population disguised as locals.
In this case, Virginians.
We're testing our men in unconventional warfare, Colonel.
That requires staging games in the local communities using real-life scenarios.
It's impossible to replicate that on base.
Hmm.
What was the mission? The team was on the way to a rendezvous and Lieutenant Reynolds was the lead vehicle.
The exercise had just begun.
The lieutenant was on the road leading from the base when the deputy tried to pull him over.
Why didn't he stop? He thought the deputy was part of the game.
Does that happen much? No.
Look, we want the police out of the way.
That's why local law enforcement authorities are notified before exercises happen.
Was notification sent? A week ago by fax.
I followed up by phone that morning.
What's your assessment of the lieutenant as a an officer? He's squared away.
He's aggressive An over-achiever qualities you want in a SEAL.
You think it's possible he crossed the line this time? ( inhales ) I support my people, Colonel.
That said, we have clear Op orders on these war games.
Running from the police doesn't fit any scenario I know.
Roberts: Wow.
It's even bigger than it looked in the photos.
Let's go, sweetie.
( grunts ) Let's go show Daddy the house, okay? ( chuckles ): It's going to be really fun when it comes time to repaint.
It's really close to work there's plenty of room for little A.
J.
Please tell me you like it.
A lot more than I thought I would.
Daddy, come up and see my room.
Maybe later, okay, buddy? Maybe you can play in your room for a little while? Okay.
Thank you.
I moved everything you'll need into the den.
We got a big-screen TV.
( giggles ) Please, tell me you bought it on sale.
My Dad bought it for us.
You'll love it.
You'll see.
Um I put a bed in here.
The kitchen's right there.
There's also a bathroom at the far end of the hall.
And I brought some clothes down that I thought you might want from upstairs and just hung them in the hall closet.
Great.
SHERIFF: Navy never notified us, Commander.
Come on in.
You never received a fax? Doesn't surprise me.
Damn thing's busted most of the time.
The SEAL commander told us he also called your office three hours before the exercise started at 0700.
He got the machine.
I wasn't here.
My other deputy had called me out on a domestic disturbance call.
I came back by the time I checked the machine the whole thing was over.
Do you know why Deputy Gault tried to pull the lieutenant over? I heard Ray on the radio.
Said he was chasing two Navy boys out on Johnson's Mill Road.
How fast were they going? Speed gun clocked them at 55 in a 45 zone.
You say "two Navy boys.
" Did the deputy know they were SEALs? Road led out of the base.
It's a safe bet.
Fits the MO, too.
SEAL boys like to push things.
This time, one pushed too far.
CHEGWIDDEN: My yeoman can show you the rest.
Commander.
I'd like you to meet Lieutenant Commander Manetti.
Oh, Commander Commander Manetti.
Commander Rabb, it is a pleasure, sir.
The admiral was just singing your praises.
Well You have an impressive bio yourself, Commander.
Harvard Law Review.
Just the luck of the Irish.
It's a little joke, sir.
( chuckles ) Excuse me.
Admiral? SECNAV's on the line.
I can tell him you're at lunch.
I'll take the call, Tiner.
Yes, sir.
Sorry, sir.
Thank you, again, Admiral.
Where? Where you from, Commander? Uh, Southern Virginia.
Accent give me away? ( chuckles ): Yeah, a little.
I know Southerners are supposed to be polite but if it's all the same to you I'd like to get up to speed on this case.
Well, I applause the initiative.
Why don't you start with these.
They ought to bring you up to speed.
Aye, aye, sir.
MacKENZIE: Why didn't you stop, Lieutenant? Reynolds: I was intent on getting my team to the rendezvous point on time, ma'am.
But you were in a police pursuit.
I thought they were part of the exercise, ma'am.
You were aware of the Op orders Local authorities weren't supposed to be part of the game.
In these exercises, they throw all different kinds of things at us, ma'am.
Last month, it was a Fender bender.
An EMS guy held us up while they loaded an ambulance.
We got to our rendezvous point half-an-hour late.
It turns out the entire thing was staged.
My team got dinged because we didn't find a creative solution to the problem.
Well you certainly got more creative this time.
Sheriff said you were speeding I don't see the humor, Lieutenant.
You don't know the police in that town, Commander.
Are you saying they're lying? The good ol' boys with the tin badges have a way of adding miles per hour.
Still no excuse for leading them on a dangerous high-speed Chase.
I am trained in handling speed, ma'am.
I regret the fact that the deputy did not possess the same level of skill and training.
If he had, I wouldn't be sitting here.
I should warn you, displays of arrogance won't win you any friends in court.
I am sorry that you perceive me as arrogant.
I call it confidence.
Confident that you're better than everyone else.
Because I made myself that way, ma'am.
I almost didn't make the SEALs.
I was a D-back in college and my knees took a beating.
Got so that every step was like a knife.
But I realized I had to make a choice.
I could either ring that bell and quit or I could suck it up.
So, I toughed it out.
And what's more, I made myself a leader.
In this case, led poorly, Lieutenant.
I regret what happened.
Truly.
But at the time, I thought that what I was doing was the best thing for my team.
As defense counsel, that's a tough sell.
You do realize that? I have assessed the situation, ma'am.
But I'm a SEAL.
And that's all that I've ever wanted to be.
I made a mistake a tragic mistake.
But I just hope that there's a way I can stay a SEAL.
MANETTI: Commander Rabb.
Just finished these case files.
I'm feeling very confident about this case.
Oh, glad to hear it, Commander.
I do have a question about the charges.
Sir.
Negligent homicide too heavy for you? Too light, sir.
Based on the evidence Lieutenant Reynolds crossed the line into reckless endangerment with foreseeable and lethal consequences.
Going for the home run, huh? Well, like my daddy says, "Why throw a curve when you can bring on the heat?" Your daddy was a baseball player? Tobacco farmer, sir, here in Virginia.
Like my granddaddy and his daddy before him.
Well, I see you didn't go into the family business.
Uh, no.
Got three brothers, Commander.
All lawyers.
Of course, I'm the only one that's not suing the tobacco companies so I still get a smile when I walk through the front door.
Well, I'll give your suggestion some consideration, Commander.
Thank you, sir.
Colonel.
Commander.
How's Manetti doing? She's enthusiastic.
You know, I don't get it.
Manetti, that's Italian, isn't it? Uh, she probably got divorced and kept the name.
Or it's more misinformation, part of the spy package.
Are you sure you're not jumping to a conclusion? All I see is a female officer doing her job.
You're not going to start singing that old song again, are you, Mac? I'm just saying, if the commander were a guy she'd be part of the SECNAV's boys club, not Mata Hari.
You're not going to give it up, are you? Well, a woman with connections can't be powerful, well-positioned.
She-she has to be a spy, have an agenda.
Well, it's odd you should mention that because the commander was just discussing her agenda with me.
Really? What? She wants to raise the stakes to involuntary manslaughter.
What? Th-That's dishonorable discharge, Harm.
Ten years confinement.
Well, charge fits the crime, Mac.
After all, she is just a female officer doing her job.
I'm going to win on character.
Hmm.
Good luck.
( single note plays ) Harriet? Yeah? When did we get a piano? My mom thought lessons might be nice for little A.
J.
So they bought us a piano.
Well, we talked about introducing him to music.
They loaned us the money to buy this house.
Now they're going to furnish it for us? Bud, it's just a piano.
How much did it cost, Harriet? ( doorbell ringing ) I'll get it.
( door opening ) Admiral.
Tiner.
Hi.
Come in.
Thought we'd come by, see how everything was going.
Hope we're not imposing.
No, sir.
Hello.
Hello.
Hey, Lieutenant.
Brought you some DVDs, sir.
Directors' editions of the first two Star Trek movies.
Came with a communicator key chain.
Cool.
Thanks, Tiner.
You're welcome, sir.
Oh, uh, Commander Turner sent his copy of Silent Triumph to you.
( chuckles ): Mm-hmm.
I think the Merlot should get you through the first hundred.
( chuckling ) That is really nice of you, Admiral.
( Sims chuckling ) TINER: Great house, Lieutenant.
It's not the old place but it'll do.
How about the dime tour? You got it, sir.
I've been, uh, bunking in the den here so I haven't actually been upstairs but Harriet assures me there's a master bedroom up there.
Take a look.
I think we'll wait until you can show us the upstairs yourself.
Okay, sir.
( grunting ): The kitchen is this way.
RABB: Sheriff, you are the head of the Somerville police department, correct? SHERIFF: Such as it is.
Just two men now, three old police cruisers two working radios.
My junior deputy's wife bought him a cell phone He's our high-tech boy.
Your statement, Sheriff, indicates you were unaware of the Naval exercises being conducted that morning.
Me and my deputies were in the dark.
Our fax machine's pretty hinky most times.
And the phone call from the Navy? Missed it that morning.
Deputy Burr gave me a shout needed help with a domestic disturbance call.
I left the station, machine took it.
We don't have anyone on duty answering phones.
But you do have a working radio and you received a dispatch from Deputy Gault, correct? He was in pursuit of two white males in a car, out-of-state plates.
They were speeding.
How fast were they going, Sheriff? Speeds well in excess of that during the pursuit.
And the deputy was unaware he was pursuing Navy SEALs involved in an official exercise, correct? Just a normal traffic stop.
Of course turned out not to be.
Thank you, Sheriff.
Commander, you are the officer who organized this exercise, correct? That's correct, Commander.
Now, when you conduct an exercise of this nature you notify local law enforcement? We send a fax we make a call the morning of the mission.
And if the local police fail to receive notification? There are written Op orders.
In the event that they cross paths with civilian authorities the SEALs are to obey and if need be, identify themselves and their activity.
So, then, when Lieutenant Reynolds evaded the police cruiser, he was disobeying regulations? Unfortunately, yes.
Thank you, Commander.
That'll be all.
Commander, are you familiar with an exercise last month where a traffic accident was staged to prevent Lieutenant Reynold's team from reaching their objective? Objection, Your Honor.
Lieutenant Reynolds is on trial here, not the exercise.
I'm merely trying to supply context for my client's actions.
I'll allow it.
Yes, I'm familiar with the staged accident, Colonel.
A petty officer posed as an EMS worker.
Wouldn't you interpret that as a civilian authority? In the broad sense.
The lieutenant was held up for half-an-hour.
Lieutenant Reynolds was dressed down for arriving late to his rendezvous, isn't that right? It was a challenge he failed.
Isn't it understandable the lieutenant might interpret a seemingly unwarranted traffic stop as yet another staged challenge? I can see where he might arrive at that conclusion, Colonel.
Thank you, Commander.
Ms.
Cavanaugh.
Relax, Jason, I can show myself in.
Yes, ma'am.
A.
J.
, I know you're busy.
But I just wanted to bring you a little morning pick-you-up.
Well, that's a pleasant surprise.
Tiner.
( door closes ) I thought you might like my grandmother's cinnamon breakfast loaf.
Ah.
( sniffs ) Ah, smells delicious.
Is that, um, is that vanilla? No.
( sniffs ) Oh.
Uh, I must've put it in the bag next to my vanilla votive candles.
Oh.
Listen, A.
J.
, about Saturday.
I brought brochures.
Now, we can go horseback riding sea kayaking, or hang gliding.
I say we do all three.
I was, uh, thinking of something a little quieter.
See A Midsummer Night's Dream in town and maybe an intimate dinner afterwards.
An intimate dinner sounds nice.
But A.
J.
, I teach Shakespeare all week long to heavy-lidded college kids.
By the weekend, I need some action.
You think Commander Rabb could be talked into those flying lessons? I'll talk to him.
Great.
We'll do this stuff next weekend.
Ciao.
Bye.
( door opens ) ( sighs ) Huh.
( thudding ) RABB: First of all, thank you, Miss Kendrick, for coming in.
I know that this is difficult for you.
I need you to paint a picture of your fiancé for the court.
Ray was a good man, Commander.
He was going to be a good husband.
And he was a fine police officer.
His record showed him to be a brave man.
One who didn't shy away from trouble.
He was good at his job.
Where most people could get hotheaded, he just stayed cool.
Do you ever know Ray to act negligently or irresponsibly? No.
Never.
Ask anyone.
Thank you.
Your witness.
Miss Kendrick, I appreciate your being here.
Sorry for your loss.
You describe your fiancé as a man who kept his emotions in check.
That's right, Colonel.
Did he ever talk to you about his experiences serving in the Navy? Objection.
Relevance.
The government's raised the issue of the deceased's emotional state of mind, Your Honor.
I'm only continuing the discussion.
I'll allow it.
You may answer the question, Miss Kendrick.
I know Ray went into the Navy for two years after High School.
And did you know he tried to become a SEAL? Yes.
And he didn't make it.
He rang the bell, isn't that correct? That's right, Colonel.
Did he talk about what happened? He said he couldn't take it.
The exhaustion going days with almost no sleep swimming miles in the freezing ocean.
Shivering on the beach until he almost passed out.
So, he quit? It's understandable, Colonel.
Just as it would be understandable if, after an experience like that the deputy might have hated SEALs, resented them.
Maybe even had something to prove when he raced after Lieutenant Reynolds that morning.
Ray hated washing out of the SEALs.
But he loved his time in the Navy.
And he still loved the SEALs.
He respected them, Colonel.
I have no further questions.
TV REPORTER: As the court-martial of Lieutenant Brad Reynolds stretches into a second week protesters gathered at this vigil today in Somerville, Virginia, for Deputy Sheriff Ray Gault the local lawman killed in a high-speed Chase with Navy SEALs.
We can answer all those people's prayers right now, Harm.
My offer's still on the table.
May it rest in peace.
I'm still going to win on character.
Mac, if you go to character, it is really over.
I see your new colleague's putting in the hours.
She's motivated, Mac.
Her father's a farmer, raises tobacco right here in Virginia.
I heard he was a big contributor to the new SECNAV's last Senate campaign.
Really? So daddy got her the job.
I guess so.
I thought Sheffield was anti-tobacco when he was Senator.
Well, you know, when facing fall elections principles go out of season quickly.
Do I detect an anti-Manetti tone? Well, I'll admit, Mac I am having a problem with the commander.
Yeah, what is it? I'm finding it difficult to dislike her.
Oh, I can help you with that.
What happened to female solidarity? Went out the window when she decided my client was a killer.
MacKENZIE: Petty Officer Pittman, you've served with Lieutenant Reynolds.
Is he a good leader? Oh, yes, ma'am.
I found that there are two kinds of officers: Wheno you're dying at the end of a five-mile hike uphill with a 50-pound pack there are those that'll scream at you from the top and those that'll run down, alongside you yank you up, if need be.
The lieutenant leads by example, ma'am.
Do you believe on the morning in question that he was acting like a good leader? He thought he was doing the right thing.
And that's good enough for me, ma'am.
Thank you, Petty Officer.
Did you think it was right, Petty Officer? Running from the police? Well, we couldn't be sure they weren't part of the exercise, ma'am.
Ah.
Did you think they were part of the exercise? No, ma'am, I didn't.
Thank you, Petty Officer Pittman.
Deputy Burr, Deputy Gault was camped out on Johnson's Mill Road that morning, correct? That's right.
Now, other than Naval base traffic there's not much activity on that road, right? It's slow most times.
Two males, in a sedan, out-of-state plates on Johnson's Mill Road It's a safe assumption they were Navy personnel SEALs isn't it? SEALs, yes.
SEALs on exercise, no.
Uh, Deputy Gault clocked the lieutenant's car going ten miles over the speed limit, is that correct? Yeah, that's right.
This is the radar gun that was recovered from Deputy Gault's car, undamaged.
Can I assume this is the radar gun that he used? We only got one.
That's it.
Have you used this radar gun? I sure have.
Would you show me how it works, please.
Go ahead, point it at, uh Point it at Commander Rabb.
Take a reading.
( beeping ) What does the gun say? It says ten miles per hour.
Didn't realize the commander moved that quick.
We had a lab check your department's radar gun.
Did you know that the calibration was off by ten miles per hour? No, I didn't.
That would mean that Lieutenant Reynolds was driving at the speed limit that morning, wouldn't it? If the gun was off that day, yeah.
Sheriff said your fax machine was hinky.
Guess your radar gun's kind of hinky, too wouldn't you say? I can understand how the deputy thought the lieutenant was speeding but if he was driving at the speed limit can't you understand how the lieutenant might have thought the deputy was chasing him for another reason? Like maybe he was a part of the exercise? Objection, calls for speculation.
Withdrawn.
CHEGWIDDEN: Commander have a second? Yes, sir.
Um walk with me.
I need to ask a little favor.
Name it, sir.
Um, remember when, uh, Meredith, uh Remember when Meredith mentioned she was interested in taking flying lessons? Oh, no.
Please, sir Commander, I completely understand your reluctance but, uh, my back is against a wall here.
She's been dreaming up these weekend plans and Hell, this is the safest one.
Safe for who, sir? ( sighs ) Look, all I'm suggesting is that This may sound mean, but just take her up, get her sick cure her of this flying bug.
Is this an order, sir? Of course not, Commander.
I'll, um, I'll come up with another idea.
When, sir? All right, I'll gas up Sarah.
Sarah? I didn't know you named your Stearman after Colonel MacKenzie.
It's after my grandmother, Admiral, sir.
Oh, right.
I owe you one, Commander.
COATES: It can't be easy, sir.
Roberts: Harriet's being great.
Except when she's babying me.
Sometimes I feel like a little kid.
She loves you, sir.
She just wants to take care of you.
I guess you're right.
How are you surviving Lieutenant Singer? It's not me you should worry about, sir.
She spent three days trying to find the Starbucks on the ship before someone finally told her it doesn't exist.
I only looked for an hour.
And she gets seasick everyday.
I don't believe it.
I'm actually feeling sorry for Singer.
Pretty scary, sir.
That she is.
Take care of yourself, Jen.
You too, sir.
Reynolds: I thought that the police were a part of the exercise, ma'am.
I made a split-second decision.
Did you think the police cruiser would Chase you? Not like that, no.
I took it as another staged event.
Like the phony accident last month.
When the police cruiser continued its pursuit at high speed, why didn't you stop then? Ma'am, at that speed, with the deputy on top of me it wasn't safe.
I had been trained in evasive maneuvers and I was concerned for the safety of myself and that of Petty Officer Pittman.
You refer to your SEAL training, Lieutenant.
Do believe what you did that morning was in keeping with that training? Yes, I do believe that my actions that day were in keeping with what I have been trained to do.
Still I deeply regret what happened.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Commander.
May I have a moment, Your Honor? I wondered if you were going to make it.
I'm sorry, sir.
Lieutenant, are you familiar with the Op orders governing this exercise? As they exist on paper, yes, sir.
"In the event "of an encounter "with law enforcement authorities "you are to identify yourself and your activity and offer no resistance.
" That's pretty clear, isn't it? Yes, sir.
Yet you chose to disobey these orders, Lieutenant.
I had cause to believe that that traffic stop was bogus, sir.
Your Honor, new information has just come to the government's attention.
Objection, we haven't seen this before, Your Honor.
It has just come to light, Your Honor.
And it goes to past acts.
I'll allow it.
Go on, Commander.
You familiar with the Red Lion Tavern in Somerville, Lieutenant? I've been there, yes, sir.
I have an arrest report from ten days prior to the incident in which a SEAL Petty Officer Francis Garvey was arrested for assaulting an officer during a barroom brawl.
Your name's mentioned.
You remember the incident? I would not call it a brawl, sir.
What would you call it, Lieutenant? An altercation, sir.
I was on liberty with some of the guys, having beers.
Petty Officer Garvey saw Deputy Gault sitting with Deputy Burr.
He went over to them to have a discussion.
What did they discuss, Lieutenant? Speeding tickets, sir.
He told the deputies that he felt it was out of line for them to be targeting SEALs.
Deputy Gault got in his face Petty Officer pushed him he fell back, but there were no punches thrown, sir.
Were any other SEALs arrested? No, sir.
I interceded.
I was the ranking officer in the room at the time.
How did you intercede, Lieutenant? I stepped between the deputies and the SEALs.
Is that all? I told the deputies that if they were to continue to harass the SEALs that they would be sorry.
You threatened the police officers.
You challenged them to a fight, is that it? That was not my intent, sir, no.
Just like it wasn't your intent to engage the deputy in a high-speed Chase which lead to his death? Objection, counsel's providing his own testimony, Your Honor.
Withdrawn.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
I have no further questions, Your Honor.
You, uh, want to try a redirect? Damage control? How do you patch the Titanic? SECNAV: Budget hearings start soon and I have every intention of getting more than our fair share.
Good to hear, Mr.
Secretary.
Uh, how's Manetti working out? She seems to know what she's doing.
I told you.
She's an ace.
Hey, here she is.
Tracy, hi.
Mr.
Secretary.
Admiral.
How are they treating you? Fine, sir.
Thank you for asking.
I've known her since she was this high and she was formidable even then.
( chuckling ) How does lunch sound, next week? Have to ask the Admiral.
Uh, no.
He can spare you for an hour.
Good seeing you, Admiral.
Yes, sir.
Admiral, if I may? I'd like to say for the record, sir that whatever agenda the secretary's pursuing my dad is his longtime campaign donor, not me.
I'm grateful for the opportunity but I don't expect any special treatment.
Well, Commander, you won't be disappointed.
Carry on.
Thank you, sir.
MacKENZIE: Why didn't you tell us about the run-in at the bar, Lieutenant? It was just guys being guys, ma'am.
It doesn't look like that now.
No, it looks like you had a beef with a deputy sheriff whom you then sent crashing to his death.
We didn't have a beef, ma'am.
Nothing would have even happened that night if the sheriff hadn't showed up and started stirring things up.
The sheriff was involved? He was the instigator, sir.
Petty Officer Garvey and Deputy Gault were arguing.
Just words, it ended, Deputy Gault backed off.
That's when the sheriff started goading him on.
What did he do? He shamed him in front of everyone.
He told all the SEALS how the deputy rang the bell and washed out of the program.
He then called the deputy a coward.
And that's why the deputy got in the petty officer's face? Yes, ma'am.
That's what started the shoving match.
Let's pay the sheriff another visit tomorrow.
Yeah.
( alien weapons firing ) ( buildings exploding ) ( doorbell rings ) ( mutes sound ) ( doorbell rings ) I got it, sweetie.
Commander, hi.
RABB: Hey.
How are you? I'm good.
Come in.
Nice to see you.
Thank you.
Nice to see you.
Hey.
Hey.
Bud, how you feeling? Great! Great to see you, sir.
Wow look at that TV.
Man, if you had surround sound you could charge admission.
I, I it does have surround sound, sir.
( chuckling ): Whoa.
Nice.
Hey, listen, I didn't know what you needed so, I got you something you didn't need.
Uh, hope you like it.
( laughs ) A virtual tour of the starship Enterprise! You know, Tiner brought around some DVDs.
I could probably start my own convention.
( doorbell ringing ) You know what? It had some, some cool features on the back.
Colonel, hi.
Hi.
Come in.
How are you? Good.
Good to see you.
You, too.
Hey.
Hi.
How you doing, Bud? Good, Colonel.
I thought since you and little A.
J.
Were spending some time together Oh, that's great! Thank you! Wow.
Sweetie, why don't you sit down? Colonel, Commander, I was about to make lunch.
Would you like to stay? Let's order Chinese.
They deliver.
Okay.
I'll make the call.
No, no, no, I-I'll call.
Okay.
You guys, uh, can take a self-tour and, uh, we'll catch up in a minute.
Okay.
Okay.
Guess everyone's struggling to deal.
Yeah.
So, you got plans this weekend? No, I've got a courtroom disaster to recover from.
You? Actually, uh ( rueful chuckle ) I have a potential disaster of my own brewing.
( Cavanaugh whooping ) Commander, this is outstanding! ( laughing ) Ooh! Whoo-hoo! All right, Meredith, it's your turn.
Take the stick and gently ease it forward.
Oh, this is positively ethereal! RABB: All right, now, Meredith Meredith, let me have the stick back.
Meredith, let go of the stick! Meredith! Let me have the stick! Cavanaugh: Whoo-hoo-hoo! Oh! Hey, I wonder if I could see A.
J.
Meredith, look out, you're standing on the rudder! There's a tall man standing over by the hangar.
Do you think that's A.
J.
? Meredith, get off the rudder! Oh, sorry.
You know, I think I'm getting the hang of this, Commander.
Do you think I'm ready to solo the next one? I think it's time for ground school.
Oh.
You mean we're going down? Landing yes.
Well, do you need any help, Commander? No.
No, no.
No.
( chuckling ) Good.
Whoo-hoo! Oh, A.
J.
That was so exhilarating! Ha! Thank you, Commander.
Can't wait to do it again.
SHERIFF: Thought we'd been through this.
I didn't get the fax, Colonel.
You mind if we check the machine? Help yourself.
This is Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie, JAG.
I need the number for the fax machine used to send out SEAL notifications of exercises.
Thank you.
( beeping ) What's going on? ( beeping ) Your fax received log shows a call from the SEAL base was received one week before Deputy Gault was killed.
Told you, Colonel.
Didn't get it.
( phone ringing ) ( clearing throat ) Hello.
Yeah.
Now's not a good time, honey.
Let me call you back.
Sorry about that.
Turner: Colonel? I think we're done here.
Thank you, Sheriff.
Y'all come back ya hear? MacKENZIE: Tiner, thanks for giving up your Saturday night.
No problem, ma'am.
Got the deputy's cell phone records.
On a weekend?! You didn't break any laws, did you, Tiner? Gunny left me a list of his contacts, sir.
Hard to break the law when you're talking to it.
There it is.
The deputy's call to the sheriff the morning the Navy sent notification.
A domestic disturbance.
Actually, he made two calls to the sheriff.
Look at the times.
Good work, Tiner.
Thank you, ma'am.
Sheriff, in your statement you said you received a cell phone call from Deputy Burr on the morning of the accident, correct? That's right.
He needed help with a domestic disturbance.
What time did that call come in? A little before the records.
Actually, he made a second call, didn't he? Yeah.
I forgot.
He'd scribbled down the address.
Left it back at the diner.
He needed to go get it.
He called back five minutes later, at 7:03.
Sounds about right.
And you were in the office then? Yes, Colonel.
Hmm.
With the calls on that line do you pick them up or screen them and let the machine pick up? Depends on the situation.
Like whether it's a call from the Navy notifying you of a SEAL exercise? ( whispering ): Should we object, sir? According to their records the Navy called at exactly 0700.
You were there.
You heard the message, isn't that right? You knew exactly when the SEALS were going to be on Johnson's Mill Road.
Why else would you have Deputy Gault staked out there? According to your own statement you were in radio contact with Deputy Gault.
I responded to the call, yeah.
You told him to pursue the Lieutenant even though you knew the SEALS were on an exercise and you were supposed to stay on the sidelines, right? You're the one who instigated the confrontation aren't you, Sheriff, that night at the bar and again that morning when you ordered your deputy to pull over the SEALs? They were speeding.
Broke the law.
No, Sheriff, you broke the law when you lied under oath about the notification.
And you broke the public trust when you sent your deputy on a reckless and fatal Chase.
Nothing further, Your Honor.
The government has no questions for this witness, Your Honor.
Very well.
I'm sure the state's attorney will have plenty.
This court is adjourned.
( gavel pounds ) MacKENZIE: The government's agreed to a deal.
You plead to negligent homicide.
Given the mitigating circumstances there'll be no confinement but you'll take a reduction in pay rate.
There's no guarantee you'll return to duty as a SEAL, Lieutenant but, uh, the Colonel and I will do everything we can during the Navy's administrative review.
Thank you for everything that you've already done, Colonel, Commander.
MacKENZIE: You're welcome.
Turner: Glad to do it.
But I'm not sure that I can go back.
I've been thinking about Deputy Gault That I'm responsible for his death.
Deputy rang the bell, washed out of the SEALs because he couldn't hack it.
My training holds me to a high standard.
One I don't think that I've met.
I think I rang the bell on myself that morning when I led that Chase.
Are you sure about that, Lieutenant? I'm sure about one thing, ma'am.
I still want to serve my country.
I want to stay in the Navy.
I'm just not sure that I'm still worthy to be a SEAL.
Colonel, Commander.
Did he take the deal? On his own terms.
The lieutenant's taking responsibility for what happened.
He's volunteered to take a career hit.
Sounds like a SEAL.
Yes, it does.