Colonel Jessup (00:00):
Do you have any other questions for me, counselor?
Judge (00:12):
Lieutenant Kaffee? Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?
Colonel Jessup (00:33):
Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.
Kaffee (00:35):
Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.
Colonel Jessup (00:39):
I beg your pardon.
Kaffee (00:41):
I'm not through with my examination. Sit down.
Colonel Jessup (00:47):
Colonel?
Kaffee (00:48):
What's that?
Colonel Jessup (00:50):
I'd appreciate if he would address me as Colonel or sir. I believe I've earned it.
Judge (00:55):
Defense counsel will address the witness as Colonel or sir.
Colonel Jessup (00:59):
I don't know what the hell kind of units you're running here.
Judge (01:02):
And the witness will address this court as judge or Your Honor. I'm quite certain I've earned it. Take your seat, Colonel.
Colonel Jessup (01:10):
What do you want to discuss now? My favorite color?
Kaffee (01:21):
Colonel, the 6:00 AM flight was the first one off the base?
Colonel Jessup (01:23):
Yes.
Kaffee (01:24):
There wasn't a flight that left seven hours earlier and landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 AM.
Judge (01:29):
Lieutenant, I think we've covered this, haven't we?
Kaffee (01:33):
Your Honor, these are the tower chief's logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews Air Force Base. Guantanamo log lists no flight that left at 11:00 PM and the Andrews log list no flight that landed at 2:00 AM. I'd like to admit them as defense exhibits Alpha and Bravo.
Judge (01:48):
I don't understand. You're admitting evidence of a flight that never existed.
Kaffee (01:51):
Well, we believe it did, sir. Defense will be calling airmen Cecil O'Malley and Airman Anthony Rodriguez. They were working the ground crew at Andrews at 2:00 AM on the 7th.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Your Honor, these men weren't on the list.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
Rebuttal witnesses, Your Honor, called specifically to refute testimony offered under direct examination.
Judge (02:08):
I'll allow the witnesses.
Colonel Jessup (02:09):
This is ridiculous.
Kaffee (02:11):
Colonel, a moment ago-
Colonel Jessup (02:12):
Check the tower logs for Christ's sake.
Kaffee (02:16):
Well, we'll get to the airmen in just a minute, sir. A moment ago, you said that you ordered Lieutenant Kendrick to tell his men that Santiago wasn't to be touched.
Colonel Jessup (02:25):
That's right.
Kaffee (02:27):
And Lieutenant Kendrick was clear on what you wanted?
Colonel Jessup (02:30):
Crystal.
Kaffee (02:32):
Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick ignored the order?
Colonel Jessup (02:35):
Ignored the order?
Kaffee (02:37):
Any chance he forgot about it?
Colonel Jessup (02:39):
No.
Kaffee (02:40):
Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick left your office and said, "The old man is wrong"?
Colonel Jessup (02:45):
No.
Kaffee (02:46):
When Lieutenant Kendrick spoke to the platoon and ordered them not to touch Santiago, any chance they ignored him?
Colonel Jessup (02:53):
You ever served in an infantry unit, son?
Kaffee (02:56):
No, sir.
Colonel Jessup (02:57):
Ever served in a forward area?
Kaffee (03:00):
No, sir.
Colonel Jessup (03:01):
Ever put your life in another man's hands? Asked him to put his life in yours?
Kaffee (03:07):
No, sir.
Colonel Jessup (03:08):
We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It's that simple. Are we clear?
Kaffee (03:17):
Yes, sir.
Colonel Jessup (03:18):
Are we clear?
Kaffee (03:21):
Crystal. Colonel, I have just one more question before I call Airmen O'Malley and Airman Rodriguez. If you gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched and your orders are always followed, then why would Santiago be in danger? Why would it be necessary to transfer him off the base?
Colonel Jessup (03:53):
Santiago was a substandard Marine. He was being transferred-
Kaffee (03:58):
It's not what you said. You said he was being transferred because he was in grave danger.
Colonel Jessup (04:02):
That's correct.
Kaffee (04:03):
You said he was in danger. I said, "Grave danger?" You said, "Is there any other-"
Colonel Jessup (04:06):
I recall what I said.
Kaffee (04:06):
I can have the court reporter read back to you-
Colonel Jessup (04:08):
I know what I said! I don't have to have it read back to me like I'm-
Kaffee (04:11):
Why the two orders? Colonel?
Colonel Jessup (04:17):
Sometimes men take matters into their own hands.
Kaffee (04:19):
No, sir. You made it clear just a moment ago that your men never take matters in their own hands. Your men follow orders or people die. So Santiago shouldn't have been in any danger at all. Should he have, Colonel?
Colonel Jessup (04:28):
You snotty little bastard.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Your Honor, I'd like to ask for a recess.
Colonel Jessup (04:31):
I'd like an answer to the question, Judge.
Judge (04:33):
The court will wait for an answer.
Kaffee (04:36):
If Lieutenant Kendrick gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, then why did he have to be transferred? Colonel? Lieutenant Kendrick ordered the Code Red, didn't he, because that's what you told Lieutenant Kendrick to do.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Object!
Kaffee (04:51):
And when it went bad-
Judge (04:52):
That would be all, counsel.
Kaffee (04:52):
... you cut these guys loose!
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Your Honor?
Judge (04:54):
Counsel, I hold you to contempt.
Kaffee (04:55):
You had Markinson sign a phony transfer order-
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Your Honor!
Kaffee (04:56):
... and you doctored the log book!
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Damn it, Kaffee!
Kaffee (04:59):
You coerced the doctor!
Judge (04:59):
Consider yourself in contempt!
Kaffee (05:00):
Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?!
Judge (05:03):
You don't have to answer that question.
Colonel Jessup (05:04):
I'll answer the question. You want answers?
Kaffee (05:08):
I think I'm entitled to them.
Colonel Jessup (05:09):
You want answers?
Kaffee (05:10):
I want the truth!
Colonel Jessup (05:11):
You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's going to do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom.
(05:28)
You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know, that Santiago's death while tragic probably saved lives and my existence while grotesque and incomprehensible to you saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties. You want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.
(05:54)
We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline.
(06:05)
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!
Kaffee (06:28):
Did you order the Code Red?
Colonel Jessup (06:30):
I did the job.
Kaffee (06:31):
Did you order the Code Red?
Colonel Jessup (06:32):
You goddamn right I did!
Kaffee (06:45):
Please the court, I suggest the members be dismissed so that we can move to an immediate Article 39A session. The witness has rights.
Judge (06:55):
Captain Ross?
Kaffee (07:01):
Jack?
Judge (07:08):
The members of the court will retire to an anti-room until further instructed.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
All rise.
Colonel Jessup (07:14):
What the hell is this? Colonel, what's going on? I did my job. I'd do it again. I'm going to get on a plane and go on back to my base.
Judge (07:24):
You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MPs guard the Colonel.
Captain Ross (07:27):
Yes, sir.
Judge (07:31):
Captain Ross?
Colonel Jessup (07:32):
What the hell is this?
Captain Ross (07:34):
Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent. Any statement-
Colonel Jessup (07:37):
I'm being charged-
Captain Ross (07:37):
... will be used against you-
Colonel Jessup (07:37):
... with a crime?
Captain Ross (07:38):
... to trial by court [inaudible 00:07:40]-
Colonel Jessup (07:39):
Is that what this is?
Captain Ross (07:40):
... judicial or administrative.
Colonel Jessup (07:41):
I'm being charged with a crime?