Few Good Men, A (1992)

FADE IN:

EXT.  A SENTRY TOWER--

--in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere.

Small beams of light coming from lamps attached to the tower
cut through the ground mist.  We HEAR all the unidentifiable
sounds of night in the woods.  We also HEAR, very, very
faintly, a slow, deliberate drum cadence. And as this starts,

we begin to MOVE SLOWLY UP THE TOWER, more becomes visible
now: ... the sandbags on the ground piled ten-high... the
steel, fire escape-type stairway wrapping around the
structure and leading to the lookout post, and finally... THE
LOOKOUT POST, maybe forty feet off the ground.

Standing the post is the silhouette of A MARINE.  He's
holding a rifle and staring straight out.

The drum cadence has been building slightly.

						CUT TO:

A WIDER SHOT OF THE FENCELINE.  And we see by the moonlight
that the tall wire-mesh fence winds its way far, far into the
distance.

Subtitle: united states naval bas guantanamo bay- cuba.

The drum cadence continues, and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  A MARINE BARRACKS

We HEAR two pairs of footsteps and then

						CUT TO:

THE BARRACKS CORRIDOR

where we see that the footsteps belong to DAWSON and DOWNEY,
two young marines who we'll get to know later.  They stop
when they get to a certain door.  The drum cadence is still
growing.  DAWSON puts his hand on the doorknob and turns it
slowly.  He opens's the door and they walk into

INT.  SANTIAGO'S ROOM - NIGHT

WILLY SANTIAGO, a young, very slight marine, lies asleep in
his bunk.

DAWSON kneels down by the bed, puts his hand on SANTIAGO'S
shoulder and shakes him gently. SANTIAGO opens his yes, looks
at DAWSON, and for a moment there's nothing wrong--

--and then SANTIAGO's eyes fill with terror.  He lunges out
of the bed----but forget about it.  In one flash DAWSON and

.



DOWNEY grab him out of bed, and before the scream can come
out, DOWNEY's shoved a piece of cloth into SANTIAGO's mouth.

Everything that happens next occurs with speed, precision and
professionalism.

--A strip of duct tape is pulled, ripped, and slapped onto
his mouth and eyes--

--A length of rope is wrapped around his hands and feet.

		DOWNEY
		(quietly)
	You're lucky it's us, Willy.

--An arm grabs him tightly around the neck, not choking him,
just holding his head still--

--The drum cadence has built to a crescendo.  We HEAR four
sharp blasts from a whistle and we

						SMASH CUT TO:

EXT.  THE WASHINGTON NAVY YARD - DAY

and the drum cadence we've been hearing has turned into
Semper Fidelis and it's coming from

THE U.S. MARINE CORPS BAND, a sight to behold in their red
and gold uniforms and polished silver and brass.

The BAND is performing on the huge and lush parade grounds
before a crowd made up mostly of TOURISTS and DAY-CAMPERS.

As the TITLES ROLL, we watch the BAND do their thing from
various angles. Incredible precision is the name of the game.
Each polished black shoe hitting the ground as if they were
all attached by a rod.  Each drumstick raised to tho same
fraction of a centimeter before striking.  A RIFLE DRILL TEAM
that can't possibly be human.  Flags, banners, the works.

SUBTITLE:  THE WASHINGTON NAVY YARD, WASHINGTON, D.C.

						CUT TO:

HIGH ANGLE of the entire band an we end credits.

						CUT TO:

EXT.   A RED BRICK BUILDING - DAY

It's an important building, a main building.  A few SAILERS
enter and exit and

						CUT TO:

.



A WOMAN

as she walks across the courtyard toward the brick building.
The WOMAN is

JOANNE GALLOWAY, a navy lawyer in her early 30's.  She's
bright, attractive, impulsive, and has a tendency to speak
quickly.  If she had any friends, they'd call her JO.  As she
walks, she mutters to herself ...

		JO
	I'm requesting... I'm... Captain, I'd like
	to request that I be the attorney assigned
	to rep--I'd like to request that it be
	myself who is assigned to represent--
		(she stops)
	"That it be myself who is assigned to
	represent"? ...Good, Jo, that's confidence
	inspiring.



We follow JO, still muttering, as she walks into the brick
building which bears the seal of the

UNITED STATES NAVY - JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL'S CORPS

						CUT TO:

INT. WEST'S OFFICE - DAY

As JO  enters.  CAPTAIN WEST and two other officers, GIBBS
and LAWRENCE, sit around a conference table.

		GIBBS
	Jo, come on in.

		JO
	Thank you, sir.

		GIBBS
	Captain West, this is Lt.  Commander
	Galloway.  Jo, you know Mike Lawrence.

		JO
	Yes sir.
		(to WEST)
	Captain, I appreciate your seeing me on
	such short notice.

		WEST
	I understand there was some trouble over
	the weekend down in Cuba.




.



		JO
	Yes sir..This past Friday evening.  Two
	marines, Corporal Harold Dawson and
	Private Louden Downey, entered the
	barracks room of a PFC William Santiago
	and assaulted him. Santiago died at the
	base hospital approximately an hour later.
	The NIS agent who took their statements
	maintains they were trying to prevent
	Santiago from naming them in a fenceline
	shooting incident.  They're scheduled to
	have a hearing down in Cuba at 4:00 this
	afternoon.

		LAWRENCE
	What's the problem?

		JO
	Dawson and Downey are both recruiting
	poster marines and Santiago was known to
	be a screw-up.  I was thinking that it
	sounded an awful lot like a code red.

Jo lets this sink in a moment.

		WEST
		(under his breath)
	Christ.

		JO
	I'd like them moved up to Washington and
	assigned counsel. Someone who can really
	look into this.  Someone who possesses not
	only the legal skill, but a familiarity
	with the inner workings of the military.
	In short, Captain, I'd like to suggest
	that... I be the one who, that it be me
	who is assigned to represent them.
		(beat)
	Myself.

Jo looks around the room for a response.

		WEST
	Joanne, why don't you get yourself a cup
	of coffee.

		JO
	Thank you, sir, I'm fine.

		WEST
	Joanne, I'd like you to leave the room so
	we can talk about you behind your back.

		JO
	Certainly, sir.

.



JO gets up and walks out.

		WEST
	I thought this Code Red shit wasn't going
	on any-more.

		LAWRENCE
	With the marines at GITMO?  Who the hell
	knows what goes on down there.

		WEST
	Well lets find out before the rest of the
	world does, this thing could get messy.
	What about this woman?

		LAWRENCE
	Jo's been working a desk at internal
	affairs for what, almost a year now.

		WEST
	And before that?

		GIBBS
	She disposed of three cases in two years.

		WEST
	Three cases in two years?  Who was she
	handling, the Rosenbergs?

		GIBBS
	She's not cut out for litigation.

		LAWRENCE
	She's a hall of an investigator, Jerry--

		GIBBS
	In internal affairs, sure.  She can crawl
	up a lawyer's ass with the best of 'em,
	but when it comes to trial work--

		WEST
	I know.  All passion, no street smarts.
	Bring her back in.

LAWRENCE goes to the door and motions for JO to come back in.

		WEST
		(continuing)
	Commander, we're gonna move the defendants
	up here in the morning.

		JO
	Thank you, sir.

		WEST
	And I'll have Division assign them
	counsel..
.



		JO
		(beat)
	But ... not me.

		WEST
	From what I understand from your
	colleagues, you're much too valuable in
	your present assignment to be wasted on
	what I'm sure will boil down to a five
	minute plea bargain and a week's worth of
	paper work.

		JO
	Sir--

		WEST
	Don't worry about it. I promise you,
	division'll assign the right man for the
	job.

						CUT TO:

EXT. SOFTBALL FIELD - DAY

THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB

His name is LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE DANIEL ALLISTAIR KAFFEE,
and it's almost impossible not to like him. At the moment
he's hitting fungoes to about a dozen LAWYERS who are spread
out on the softball field on a corner of the bass. The '27
Yankees they're not, but they could probably hold their own
against a group of, say, Airforce dentists.

KAFFEE's in his late 20's, 15 months out of Harvard Law
School, and a brilliant legal mind waiting for a courageous
spirit to drive it. He is, at this point in his life,
passionate about nothing ... except maybe softball.

		KAFFEE
		(calling out to the
		 team)
	Alright, let's get two!

He smacks one to the SECOND BASE. The ball bounces right
between his legs.

		SECOND BASE
	Sorry!

		KAFFEE
	Nothing to be sorry about, Sherby.  Just
	look the ball into your glove.

He smacks one out to the same place.  It bounces off the heel
of SHERBY's glove and into center field.


.



		SECOND BASE (SHERBY)
	Sorry!

		KAFFEE
	You gotta trust me, Sherby.  You keep your
	eyes open, your chances of catching the
	ball increase by a factor of ten.

SPRADLING, a young naval officer, sweaty and out of breath,
walks up behind the backstop.

		SPRADLING
	Kaffee!

		KAFFEE
	Let's try it again.

		SPRADLING
	Kaffee!!

		KAFFEE
		(turning)
	Dave.  You seem upset and distraught.

		SPRADLING
	We were supposed to meet in your office 15
	minutes ago to talk about the McDermott
	case.  You're stalling on this thing.  Now
	we got this done and I mean now, or no
	kidding, Kaffee, I'll hang your boy from
	a fuckin' yardarm.

		KAFFEE
	A yardarm?
		(calling out)
	Sherby, does the Navy still hang people
	from yardarms?

		SHERBY
		(calling back)
	I don't think so, Danny.

		KAFFEE
		(back to SPRADLING)
	Dave, Sherby doesn't think the Navy hangs
	people from yardarms anymore.
		(back to the field)
	Let's go, let's get two!

He goes back to hitting fungoes.

		SPRADLING
	I'm gonna charge him with possession and
	being under the influence while on duty.
	Plead guilty and I'll recommend 30 days in
	the brig with loss of rank and pay.

.



		KAFFEE
	It was oregano, Dave, it was ten dollars
	worth of oregano.

		SPRADLING
	Yeah, well your client thought it was
	marijuana.

		KAFFEE
	My client's a moron, that's not against
	the law.

Swapp!  The THIRD BASEMAN takes one in the face.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Ow. That had to hurt.
		(calling out)
	Way to keep your head in the play, Lester.
	Walk it off!

		SPRADLING
	I've got people to answer to just like
	you, I'm gonna charge him.

		KAFFEE
	With what, possession of a condiment?

		SPRADLING
	Kaffee--

		KAFFEE
	Dave, I've tried to help you out of this,
	but if you ask for tall time, I'm gonna
	file a motion to dismiss.

		SPRADLING
	You won't got it.

		KAFFEE
	I will get it.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	And if the MTD is denied, I'll file a
	motion in liminee seeking to obtain
	evidentiary ruling in advance, and after
	that I'm gonna file against pre-trial
	confinement, and you're gonna spend an
	entire summer going blind on paperwork
	because a Signalman Second Class bought
	and smoked a dime bag of oregano.

		SPRADLING
	B Misdemeanor, 20 days in the brig.


.



		KAFFEE
	C Misdemeanor, 15 days restricted duty.

		SPRADLING
	I don't know why I'm agreeing to this.

		KAFFEE
	'Cause you have wisdom beyond your years.
	Dave, can you play third base?

INT.  CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

About 16 NAVY AND MARINE LAWYERS (several of whom are women)
are taking their seats around a large conference table.

A PARALEGAL is handing out folders and some photocopied
papers to the LAWYERS.

We might notice that one of the lawyers is Lieutenant Junior
Grade SAM WEINBERG.  Sam's serious and studious looking.  If
he weren't in uniform, you wouldn't guess that he was a naval
officer.

CAPTAIN WHITAKER walks in.

		WHITAKER
	'Morning.

		LAWYERS
		(school class)
	'Morning Captain Whitaker.

		WHITAKER
	Sam, how's the baby?

		SAM
	I think she's ready to say her first word
	any day now.

		WHITAKER
	How can you tell?

		SAM
	She just looks like she has something to
	say.

KAFFEE walks in.

		KAFFEE
	Excuse me, sorry I'm late.

		WHITAKER
	I'm sure you don't have a good excuse, so
	I won't force you to come up with a bad
	one.


.



		KAFFEE
	Thank you, Isaac, that's nice of you.

		WHITAKER
	Sit-down, this first one's for you.

He hands KAFFEE some files.

		WHITAKER
		(continuing)
	You're moving up in the world, Danny,
	you've been requested by Division.

"Oooh"'s and "Ahhh"'S from the other LAWYERS. (Subtle Note:
Kaffee doesn't want to move up in the world.)

		KAFFEE
	Requested to do what?

WHITAKER hands him a file.

		WHITAKER
	Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  A marine corporal
	named Dawson illegally fires a round from
	his weapon over the fenceline and into
	Cuban territory.

		KAFFEE
	What's a fenceline?

		WHITAKER
	Sam?

		SAM
	A big wall separating the good guys from
	the bad guys.

		KAFFEE
	Teachers pet.

		WHITAKER
	PFC William Santiago threatens to rat on
	Dawson to the Naval investigative Service.
	Dawson and another member of his squad,
	PFC Louden Downey, they go into Santiago's
	room, tie him up, and stuff a rag down his
	throat.  An hour later, Santiago's dead.
	Attending physician says the rag was
	treated with some kind of toxin.

		KAFFEE
	They poisoned the rag?

		WHITAKER
	Not according to them.


.



		KAFFEE
	What do they say?

		WHITAKER
	Not much.  They're being flown up here
	tomorrow and on Thursday at 0600 you'll
	catch a transport down to Cuba for the day
	to find out what you can. Meantime, go
	across the yard and see Lt. Commander
	Joanne Galloway.  She's the one who had
	'em brought up here.  She'll fill you in
	on whatever she has. Any questions?

		KAFFEE
	The flight to Cuba, was that 0600 in the
	morning, sir?

		WHITAKER
	It seems important to Division that this
	one be handled by the book, so I'm
	assigning co-counsel.  Any volunteers?

		SAM
	No.

		WHITAKER
	Sam.

		SAM
	I have a stack of paper on my desk--

		WHITAKER
	Work with Kaffee on this.

		SAM
	Doing what?  Kaffee'll finish this up in
	four days.

		WHITAKER
	Do various... administrative... you
	know... things.  Back-up.  Whatever.

		SAM
	In other words I have no responsibilities
	whatsoever.

		WHITAKER
	Right.

		SAM
	My kinda case.

						CUT TO:




.



INT.  JO'S OFFICE - DAY

JO sits behind her desk.  KAFFEE and SAM stand in the
doorway.. KAFFEE knocks politely.

JO looks up.

		KAFFEE
	Hi.
		(beat)
	I'm Daniel Kaffee.  I was told to meet
	with--
		(checks notes)
	--Commander Galloway.

JO is staring at him.  KAFFEE doesn't know why.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	About a briefing.

JO is finding this hard to believe.

		JO
	You're the attorney that Division assigned?

		KAFFEE
	I'm lead counsel.  This is Sam Weinberg.

		SAM
	I have no responsibilities here whatsoever.

JO's deeply puzzled.

		JO
		(beat)
	Come in, please, have a seat..

KAFFEE and SAM come into the office and sit.

		JO
		(continuing)
	Lieutenant, how long have you been in the
	Navy?

		KAFFEE
	Going on nine months now.

		JO
	And how long have you been out of law
	school?

		KAFFEE
	A little over a year.



.



		JO
		(beat)
	I see.

		KAFFEE
	Have I done something wrong?

		JO
	No. It's just that when I petitioned
	Division to have counsel assigned, I was
	hoping I'd be taken seriously.

KAFFEE and SAM exchange a look.

		KAFFEE
		(to JO)
	No offense taken, if you were wondering.

		SAM
	Commander, Lt. Kaffee's generally
	considered the best litigator in our
	office.  He's successfully plea bargained
	44 cases in nine months.

		KAFFEE
	One more, and I got a set of steak knives.

		JO
	Have you ever been in a courtroom?

		KAFFEE
	I once had my drivers license suspended.

		SAM
	Danny--

		KAFFEE
	Commander, from what I understand, if this
	thing goes to court, they won't need a
	lawyer, they'll need a priest.

		JO
	No. They'll need a lawyer.

During this, she'll hand KAFFEE a series of files, which
KAFFEE will pass To SAM without even glancing at them.

		JO
		(continuing)
	Dawson's family has been contacted.
	Downey's closest living relative is Ginny
	Miller, his aunt on his mother's side, she
	hasn't been Contacted yet.

None of this really means anything to KAFFEE.


.



		JO
		(continuing)
	Would you like me to take care of that?

		KAFFEE
	Sure, if you feel like it.

JO takes another beat to size this guy up.

		JO
	One of the people you'll be speaking to
	down there is the barracks C.O., Colonel
	Nathan Jessep, I assume you've heard of
	him.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Who hasn't?

		SAM
		(to KAFFEE)
	He's been in the papers lately.  He's
	expected to be appointed Director of
	Operations for the National Security
	Counsel.

Passing KAFFEE another file--

		JO
	These are letters that Santiago wrote in
	his 8 months at GITMO--

		SAM
		( whispering to
		 kaffee)
	Guantanamo Bay.

		KAFFEE
	I know that one.

		JO
	He wrote to his recruiter, the fleet
	commander, HQ, Atlantic, even his senator.
	He wanted a transfer.  Nobody was
	listening.  You with me?

		KAFFEE
	Yes.

		JO
	This last letter to the Naval
	investigative Service--

She hands it to KAFFEE who hands it to Sam--



.



		JO
		(continuing)
	--where  he offers information about
	Corporal Dawson's fenceline shooting in
	exchange for a transfer, was just a last
	ditch effort.

		KAFFEE
	Right.  Is that all?

		JO
		(beat)
	Lieutenant, this letter makes it look like
	your client had a motive to kill Santiago.

		KAFFEE
	Gotcha.
		(beat)
	And Santiago is .... who?

		JO
		(beat)
	The victim.

		KAFFEE
		(to SAM)
	Write that down.
		(to JO)
	Am I correct in assuming that these
	letters don't paint a flattering picture
	of marine corps life in Guantanamo Bay?

		JO
	Yes, among other--

		KAFFEE
	And am I further right in assuming that a
	protracted investigation of this incident
	might cause some embarrassment for the
	security counsel guy.

		JO
	Colonel Jessep, yes, but--

		KAFFEE
	Twelve years.

		JO
	I'm sorry?

		KAFFEE
	Twelve years. I can get it knocked down to
	Involuntary Manslaughter.  Twelve years.

		JO
	You haven't talked to a witness, you
	haven't looked at a piece of paper.
.



		KAFFEE
	Pretty impressive, huh?

		JO
	You're gonna have to go deeper than just--

		KAFFEE
	Commander, do you have some sort of
	jurisdiction here that I should know about?

		JO
	My job is to make sure you do your job.
	I'm special counsel for Internal Affairs,
	so my jurisdiction's pretty much in your
	face.  Read the letters.  You're not under
	any obligation, but I'd appreciate a
	report when you get back from Cuba.

		KAFFEE
	Sure.

KAFFEE gets up without waiting for JO to say--

		JO
	You're dismissed.

		KAFFEE
	Sorry, I always forget that.

KAFFEE's gone.  SAM's standing in the doorway.

		SAM
	He's a little preoccupied.
		(beat)
	The team's playing Bethesda Medical next
	week.

		JO
	Tell your friend not to get cute down
	there.  The marines in Guantanimo are
	fanatical.

		SAM
	About what?

And in VOICE OVER we HEAR--

		SANTIAGO (V.0.)
	Dear Sir,

		JO
	About being marines.

						CUT TO:



.



EXT. CUBAN FIELD - DAY

A SERIES OF SHOTS - DAY

And while we HEAR the letter read in V.0., what we're seeing
is this: SANTIAGO's life in Guantanimo Bay over the last 8
months. He had a rough time of it.

The shots should include:

--SANTIAGO running along at the rear of a group of MARINES.
It's been over seven miles and he's matted with sweat. A
SERGEANT runs up along side, grabs his back, and pushes him
to keep up with the group. SANTIAGO falls, struggles to get
back up and keep running, and

						CUT TO:

EXT. MARINE BARRACKS - DAY

-- SANTIAGO doing push-ups alone in the rain. He's being
supervised by a SERGEANT who sees to it that his face hits
the mud every time down and

						CUT TO:

INT. MESS HALL - DAY

--SANTIAGO sitting alone in the mess hall, not a friend
within four seats of him and

						CUT TO:

EXT. MARINE BARRACKS - DAY

--SANTIAGO being chewed out by a Lieutenant in front of his
squad and

						CUT TO:

EXT. ROCKY HILL - DAY

--SANTIAGO running with the squad of MARINES again, this time
down a rocky hill. It's hot as hell and it looks like he's
gonna pass out.

He stumbles, and the SERGEANT picks him up and pushes him
down the hill.  He rolls about 30 feet before he stops. Over
this, we HEAR

		SANTIAGO (V.0.)
	"...My name is PFC William T. Santiago.
	I am a marine stationed at Marine
	Barracks, Rifle Security Company Windward,
	Second Platoon Delta.


.




	I am writing to inform you of my problems
	with my unit here in Cuba and to ask for
	your help.  I've fallen out on runs before
	for several reasons such as feeling dizzy
	or nauseated, but on May 18th, I'd fallen
	back about 20 or 30 yards going down a
	rocky, unstable hill.  My sergeant grabbed
	me and pushed me down the hill.  Then I
	saw all black and the last thing I
	remember is hitting the deck.  I was
	brought to the hospital where I was told
	I just had heat exhaustion and was
	explained to by the doctor that my body
	has trouble with the hot sun and I
	hyperventilate.  I ask you to help me.
	Please sir.  I just need to be transferred
	out of RSC.  Sincerely. PFC William T.
	Santiago.  U.S. Marine Corps."

At this point, with SANTIAGO's letter still in V.0., we

						CUT TO:

INT.  JESSEP'S OFFICE - DAY

THE LETTER - DAY

It's the last paragraph of the letter we've been hearing, and
at the moment, we can't see the hands that are holding it.

		SANTIAGO (V.0.)
	"P.S. In exchange for my transfer off the
	base, I'm willing to provide you with
	information about an illegal fenceline
	shooting that occurred the night of August
	2nd."

And as these last words are spoken, we PULL BACK TO REVEAL
COLONEL NATHAN R. JESSEP, who drops the letter he's been
reading on his desk, where it joins a stack of other letters
just like it.

JESSEP's a born leader, considered in many circles to be one
of the real fair-haired boys of the Corps.  He's smart as a
whip with a sense of humor to match. As soon as he drops the
letter, he says

		JESSEP
	Who the fuck is PFC William T. Santiago.

He's talking to his two senior officers. CAPTAIN MARKINSON is
in his late 40's.  He's a career marine and a nice guy in a
world where nice guys may not finish last, but they sure as
shit don't finish first. Lt. JONATHAN JAMES KENDRICK is 26,
from Georgia, and an Academy graduate.

.



If you asked him he'd tell you that the gates to heaven are
guarded by the U.S. Marine Corps.

		KENDRICK
	Sir, Santiago is a member of Second
	Platoon, Delta.

		JESSEP
	Yeah, well, apparently he's not very happy
	down here at Shangri-La, cause he's
	written letters to everyone but Santa
	Claus asking for a transfer.  And now he's
	telling tales about a fenceline shooting.

He tosses the letter over to MARKINSON.  MARKINSON is looking
it over. JESSEP is waiting for a response.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Matthew?

		MARKINSON
	I'm appalled, sir.

		JESSEP
	You're appalled?  This kid broke the Chain
	of Command and he ratted on a man of his
	unit, to say nothing of the fact that he's
	a U.S. Marine and it would appear that he
	can't run from here to there without
	collapsing from heat exhaustion.  What the
	fuck's going on over at Windward, Matthew?

		MARKINSON
	Colonel, I think perhaps it would be
	better to hold this discussion in private.

		KENDRICK
	That won't be necessary, Colonel, I'll
	handle the situation.

		MARKINSON
	The same way you handled the Curtis Barnes
	incident? You're doing something wrong,
	Lieutenant this--

		KENDRICK
	My methods of leadership are--

		MARKINSON
	Don't interrupt me, I'm still your
	superior officer.

		JESSEP
	And I'm yours, Matthew.

The room calms down for a moment.
.



		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	I want to know what we're gonna do about
	this.

		MARKINSON
	I think Santiago should be transferred off
	the base.  Right away.

		JESSEP
	He's that bad, huh?

		MARKINSON
	Not only that, but word of this letter's
	bound to get out. The kid's gonna get his
	ass kicked.

		JESSEP
	Transfer Santiago.  Yes I suppose you're
	right.  I suppose that's the thing to do.
	Wait.  Wait.  I've got a better idea.
	Let's transfer the whole squad off the
	base. Let's -- on second thought-Windward.
	The whole Windward division, let's
	transfer 'em off the base.  Jon, go on out
	there and get those boys down off the
	fence, they're packing their bags.
		(calling out)
	Tom!

The ORDERLY cones in from the outer office.

		ORDERLY
	Sir!

		JESSEP
	Got me the President on the phone, we're
	surrendering our position in Cuba.

		ORDERLY
	Yes sir!

		JESSEP
	Wait a minute, Tom.

The ORDERLY stops.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Don't call the President just yet.  Maybe
	we should consider this for a second.
	Maybe--and I'm just spit balling here-but
	maybe we as officers have a responsibility
	to train Santiago.



.




	Maybe we as officers have a responsibility
	to this country to see that the men and
	women charged with its security are
	trained professionals.  Yes.  I'm certain
	I once read that somewhere.  And now I'm
	thinking that your suggestion of
	transferring Santiago, while expeditious,
	and certainly painless, might not be in a
	manner of speaking, the American way.
	Santiago stays where he is.  We're gonna
	train the lad.  You're in charge, Jon.
	Santiago doesn't make 4.1 on his next
	fitness report, I'm gonna blame you. Then
	I'm gonna kill you.

		KENDRICK
	Yes sir.

		MARKINSON
	I think that's a mistake, Colonel.

		JESSEP
	Matthew, I believe I will have that word
	in private with you now.  Jon, that's all.
	Why don't you and I have lunch at the "O"
	club, we'll talk about the training of
	young William.

		KENDRICK
	Yes sir, I'd be delighted to hear any
	suggestions you have.

		JESSEP
	Dismissed.

KENDRICK is gone.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Matthew, sit, please.

MARKINSON sits.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	What do you think of Kendrick?

		MARKINSON
		(beat)
	I don't know that--






.



		JESSEP
	I think he's kind of a weasel, myself.
	But he's an awfully good officer, and in
	the end we see eye to eye on the best way
	to run a marine corps unit.  We're in the
	business of saving lives, Matthew.  That's
	a responsibility we have to take pretty
	seriously.  And I believe that taking a
	marine who's not yet up to the job and
	packing him off to another assignment,
	puts lives in danger.

MARKINSON starts to stand--

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Matthew, siddown.
		(beat)
	We go back a while.  We went to the
	Academy together, we were commissioned
	together, we did our tours in Vietnam
	together. But I've been promoted up
	through the chain with greater speed and
	success than you have.  Now if that's a
	source of tension or embarrassment for
	you, well, I don't give a shit.  We're in
	the business of saving lives, Captain
	Markinson. Don't ever question my orders
	in front of another officer.

JESSEP grabs his hat and walks out, leaving MARKINSON sitting
all alone, and we

						CUT TO:

EXT. WASHINGTON NAVY YARD - MAIN GATE - DAY

It's maybe a little hazier today than it was yesterday. An
M.P. is waving a procession of three Military Police sedans
and a fourth unmarked car through the gate. The cars drive
through and we

						CUT TO:

EXT. THE BRIG - DAY

Another red-brick building. A few M.P.Is stand out front as
the cars pull up. As soon as they come to a stop, all the
doors swing open and various uniformed and non-uniformod
officers hop out and move to the unmarked sedan where they
escort DAWSON and DOWNEY, in handcuffs, out of the car.
HAROLD DAWSON's a handsome, young, black corporal. Intense,
controlled, and utterly professional.

LOUDEN DOWNEY's a 19-year-old kid off an Iowa farm.  He's
happiest when someone is telling him exactly what to do.

.



DAWSON's his hero.

The two prisoners stand still for a moment.  They might as
we'll be in Oz.

		DOWNEY
	Hal?

DAWSON doesn't say anything.

		DOWNEY
		(continuing)
	Is this Washington, D.C.?

		M.P.
	Alright, let's move.

						CUT TO:

EXT.  SOFTBALL FIELD - DAY

and KAFFEE's at it again.

		KAFFEE
	Alright, let's get tough out there!

JO walks up from behind the backstop.

		JO
	Excuse me.

		KAFFEE
	You want to suit up?  We need all the help
	we can get.

		JO
	No, thank you, I can't throw and catch
	things.

		KAFFEE
	That's okay, neither can they.

		JO
	I wanted to talk to you about Corporal
	Dawson and Private Downey.

		KAFFEE
	Say again?

		JO
	Dawson and Downey.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Those names sound like they should mean
	something to me, but I'm just not--

.



		JO
	Dawson!  Downey!  Your clients!

		KAFFEE
	The Cuba thing!  Yes!  Dawson and Downey.
		(beat)
	Right.
		(pause)
	I've done something wrong again, haven't I?

		JO
	I was wondering why two guys have been in
	a jail cell since this morning while their
	lawyer is outside hitting a ball.

		KAFFEE
	We need the practice.

		JO
	That wasn't funny.

		KAFFEE
	It was a little funny.

		JO
	Lieutenant, would you feel very insulted
	if I recommended to your supervisor that
	he assign different counsel?

		KAFFEE
	Why?

		JO
	I don't think you're fit to handle this
	defense.

		KAFFEE
	You don't even know me. Ordinarily it
	takes someone hours to discover I'm not
	fit to handle a defense.

Jo just stares.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Oh come on, that was damn funny.

Jo moves close to KAFFEE to say this with a degree of
confidentiality.

		JO
	I do know you.  Daniel AlliStair Kaffee,
	born June 8th, 1964 at Boston Mercy
	Hospital.  Your father's Lionel Kaffee,
	former Navy Judge Advocate and Attorney
	General, of the United States, died 1985.

.




	You went to Harvard Law on a Navy
	scholarship, probably because that's what
	your father wanted you to do, and now
	you're just treading water for the three
	years you've gotta serve in the JAG Corps,
	just kinda layin' low  til you can get out
	and get a real job.  And if that's the
	situation, that's fine ' I won't tell
	anyone.  But my feeling is that if this
	case is handled in the same fast-food,
	slick-ass ' Persian Bazaar manner with
	which you seem to handle everything else,
	something's gonna get missed.  And I
	wouldn't be doing my job if I allowed
	Dawson and Downey to spend any more time
	in prison than absolutely necessary,
	because their attorney had pre-determined
	the path of least resistance.

KAFFEE can't help but be impressed by that speech.

		KAFFEE
	Wow.
		(beat)
	I'm sexually aroused, Commander.

		JO
	I don't think your clients murdered
	anybody.

		KAFFEE
	What are you basing this on?

		JO
	There was no intent.

		KAFFEE
	The doctor's report says that Santiago
	died of asphyxiation brought on by acute
	lactic acidosis, and that the nature of
	the acidosis strongly suggests poisoning.
		(beat)
	Now, I don't know what any of that means,
	but it sounds pretty bad.

		JO
	Santiago died at one a.m. At three the
	doctor was unable to determine the cause
	of death, but two hours later he said it
	was poison.

		KAFFEE
	Oh, now I see what you're saying.  It had
	to be Professor Plum in the library with
	the candlestick.

.



		JO
	I'm gonna speak to your supervisor.

		KAFFEE
	Okay.  You go straight up Pennsylvania
	Avenue.  It's a big white house with
	pillars in front.

		JO
	Thank you.

		KAFFEE
	I don't think you'll have much luck,
	though.  I was assigned by Division,
	remember?  Somebody over there thinks I'm
	a good lawyer.  So while I appreciate your
	interest and admire your enthusiasm, I
	think I can pretty much handle things
	myself.

		JO
	Do you know what a code red is?

KAFFEE doesn't, but he doesn't say anything.

		JO
		(continuing)
	What a pity.

						CUT TO:

INT. THE BRIG - DAY

And an M.P. is leadinq KAFFEE and SAM down to DAWSON and
DOWNEY's cell.

		M.P.
	Officer on deck, ten-hut.

DAWSON and DOWNEY come to attention.  Through the following,
the M.P. will unlock the call door and let the lawyers in.

		DAWSON
	Sir, Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson, sir.
	Rifle Security Company Windward, Second
	Platoon, Delta.

		KAFFEE
	Someone hasn't been working and playing
	well with others, Harold.

		DAWSON
	Sir, yes sir!

		DOWNEY
	Sir, PFC Louden Downey.

.



		KAFFEE
	I'm Daniel Kaffee, this is Sam Weinerg,
	you can sitdown.

DAWSON and DOWNEY aren't too comfortable sitting in the
presence of officers, but they do as they're told.  KAFFEE's
pulled out some documents, SAM's sitting on one of the cots
taking notes.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing; to
		 DAWSON)
	Is this your signature?

		DAWSON
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
	You don't have to call me sir.
		(to DOWNEY)
	Is this your signature?

		DOWNEY
	Sir, yes sir.

		KAFFEE
	And you certainly don't have to do it
	twice in one sentence. Harold, what's a
	Code Red?

		DAWSON
	Sir, a Code Red is a disciplinary
	engagement.

		KAFFEE
	What does that mean, exactly?

		DAWSON
	Sir, a marine falls out of line, it's up
	to the men in his unit to get him back on
	track.

		KAFFEE
	What's a garden variety Code Red?

		DAWSON
	Sir?

		KAFFEE
	Harold, you say sir and I turn around and
	look for my father. Danny, Daniel, Kaffee.
	Garden variety; typical.  What's a basic
	Code Red?




.



		DAWSON
	Sir, a marine has refused to bathe on a
	regular basis. The men in his squad would
	give him a G.I. shower.

		KAFFEE
	What's that?

		DAWSON
	Scrub brushes, brillo pads, steel wool ...

		SAM
	Beautiful.

		KAFFEE
	Was the attack on Santiago a Code Red?

		DAWSON
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
		(to DOWNEY)
	Do you ever talk?

		DAWSON
	Sir, Private Downey will answer any direct
	questions you ask him.

		KAFFEE
	Swell.  Private Downey, the rag you
	stuffed in Santiago's mouth, was there
	poison on it?

		DOWNEY
	No sir.

		KAFFEE
	Silver polish, turpentine, anti-freeze..

		DOWNEY
	No sir.  We were gonna shave his head, sir.

		KAFFEE
	When all of a sudden... ?

		DOWNEY
	We saw blood drippinq out of his mouth.
	Then we pulled the tape off, and there was
	blood all down his face, sir. That's when
	Corporal Dawson called the ambulance.

KAFFEE tries not to make too big a deal out of this last
piece of news.

		KAFFEE
		(to DAWSON)
	Did anyone see you call the ambulance?
.



		DAWSON
	No sir.

		KAFFEE
	Were you there when the ambulance got
	there?

		DAWSON
	Yes sir, that's when we were taken under
	arrest.

KAFFEE kinda strolls to the corner of the cell to think for
a moment.

		SAM
		(to DAWSON)
	On the night of August 2nd, did you fire
	a shot across the fenceline into Cuba?

		DAWSON
	Yes sir.

		SAM
	Why?

		DAWSON
	My mirror engaged, sir.

		KAFFEE
		(to SAM)
	His mirror engaged?

		SAM
	For each American sentry post there's a
	Cuban counterpart. They're called mirrors.
	The corporal's claiming that his mirror
	was about to fire at him.

		KAFFEE
	Santiago's letter to the NIS said you
	fired illegally. He's saying that the guy,
	the mirror, he never made a move.

DAWSON says nothing.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Oh, Harold?

SAM is staring at DAWSON.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	You see what I'm getting at?  If Santiago
	didn't have anything on you, then why did
	you give him a Code Red?

.



		DAWSON
	Because he broke the chain of command, sir.

		KAFFEE
	He what?

		DAWSON
	He went outside his unit, sir.  If he had
	a problem, he should've spoken to me, sir.
	Then his Sergeant, then Company Commander,
	then--

		KAFFEE
	Yeah, yeah, alright.  Harold, did you
	assault Santiago with the intent of
	killing him?

		DAWSON
	No sir.

		KAFFEE
	What was your intent?

		DAWSON
	To train him, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Train him to do what?

		DAWSON
	Train him to think of his unit before
	himself.  To respect the code.

		SAM
	What's the code?

		DAWSON
	Unit Corps God Country.

		SAM
	I beg your pardon?

		DAWSON
	Unit Corps God Country, sir.

		KAFFEE
	The Goverrment of the United States wants
	to charge you two with murder.  You want
	me to go to the prosecutor with unit,
	corps, god, country?

DAWSON stares at KAFFEE.

		DAWSON
	That's our code, sir.


.



KAFFEE takes a long moment.  He picks up his briefcase and he
and SAM move to the door.

		KAFFEE
	We'll be back.  You guys need anything?
	Books paper, cigarettes, a ham sandwich?

		DAWSON
	Sir.  No thank you.  Sir.

KAFFEE smiles at DAWSON

		KAFFEE
	Harold, I think there's a concept you
	better start warming up to.

		DAWSON
	Sir?

		KAFFEE
	I'm the only friend you've got.

And as KAFFEE and SAM walk out the open cell door, DAWSON and
DOWNEY come to attention and snap a salute.

They hold the salute until KAFFEE and SAM are well out of
sight, and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S OFFICE - DAY

He's packing up stuff into his briefcase at the end of the
work day. Lt. JACK ROSS, a marine lawyer maybe two years
older than Kaffee, opens the door and walks in..

		ROSS
	Dan Kaffee.

		KAFFEE
	Sailin' Jack Ross.

		ROSS
	Welcome to the big time.

		KAFFEE
	You think so?

		ROSS
	I hope for Dawson and Downey's sake you
	practice law better than you play softball.

		KAFFEE
	Unfortunately for Dawson and Downey, I
	don't do anything better than I play
	softball. What are we lookin' at?

.



		ROSS
	They plead guilty to manslaughter, I'll
	drop the conspiracy and the conduct
	unbecoming. 20 years, they'll be home in
	half that time.

		KAFFEE
	I want twelve.

		ROSS
	Can't do it.

		KAFFEE
	They called the ambulance, Jack.

		ROSS
	I don't care if they called the Avon Lady,
	they killed a marine.

		KAFFEE
	The rag was tested for poison.  The
	autopsy, lab report, even the initial E.R.
	and C.O.D. reports. They all say the same
	thing: Maybe, maybe not.

		ROSS
	The Chief of Internal Medicine at the
	Guantanamo Bay Naval hospital says he's
	sure.

		KAFFEE
	What do you know about Code Reds?

ROSS smiles and shakes his head.

		ROSS
	Oh man.

He closes the office door.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	Are we off the record?

		KAFFEE
	You tell me.

		ROSS
		(pause)
	I'm gonna give you the twelve years, but
	before you go getting yourself into
	trouble tomorrow, you should know this:
	The platoon commander Lt. Jonathan
	Kendrick, had a meeting with the men.  And
	he specifically told them not to touch
	Santiago.

.



KAFFEE holds for a moment.  Dawson and Downey neglected to
mention this... He packs up his briefcase and cleats.

		KAFFEE
	I'll talk to you when I get back.

		ROSS
	Hey, we got a little four-on-four going
	tomorrow night.  When does your plane get
	in?

						CUT TO:

EXT.  THE PARKING LOT - DUSK

It's dusk and people on the base are going home from work.
We can see the flag being lowered in the background.

KAFFEE's walking toward his car.  JO intercepts him and
starts walking along with him.

		JO
	Hi there.

		KAFFEE
	Any luck getting me replaced?

		JO
	Is there anyone in this command that you
	don't either drink or play softball with?

		KAFFEE
	Commander--

		JO
	Listen, I came to make peace.  We started
	off on tho wrong foot.  What do you say?
	Friends?

		KAFFEE
	Look, I don't--

		JO
	By the way, I brought Downey some comic
	books he was asking for.  The kid, Kaffee,
	I swear, he doesn't know where he is, he
	doesn't even know why he's been arrested.

		KAFFEE
	Commander--

		JO
	You can call me Joanne.

		KAFFEE
	Joanne--

.



		JO
	or Jo.

		KAFFEE
	Jo?

		JO
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Jo, if you ever speak to a client of mine
	again without my permission, I'll have you
	disbarred. Friends?

		JO
	I had authorization.

		KAFFEE
	From where?

		JO
	Downey's closest living relative, Ginny
	Miller, his aunt on his mother's side.

		KAFFEE
	You got authorization from Aunt Ginny?

		JO
	I gave her a call like you asked.  Very
	nice woman, we talked for about an hour.

		KAFFEE
	You got authorization from Aunt Ginny.

		JO
	Perfectly within my province.

		KAFFEE
	Does Aunt Ginny have a barn?  We can hold
	the trial there.  I can sew the costumes,
	and maybe his Uncle Goober can be the
	judge.

Jo steps aside and lets KAFFEE got into his car.

		JO
	I'm going to Cuba with you tomorrow.

		KAFFEE
	And the hits just keep on comin'.

HOLD on KAFFEE and Jo.  JO smiles.

						CUT TO:



.



EXT.  SIDEWALK NEWSSTAND - DUSK

KAFFEE IN HIS CAR

He's driving down a Washington street and pulls over at a
sidewalk newsstand.

He gets out of his car, leaving the lights flashing, and runs
up to the newsstand.

As he plunks his 35 cents down and picks up a newspaper, he
engages in his daily ritual with LUTHER, the newsstand
operator.

		KAFFEE
	How's it goin', Luther?

		LUTHER
	Another day, another dollar, captain.

		KAFFEE
	You gotta play 'em as they lay, Luther.

		LUTHER
	What comes around, goes around, you know
	what I'm sayin'.

		KAFFEE
	If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

		LUTHER
	Hey, if you've got your health, you got
	everything.

		KAFFEE
	Love makes the world go round.  I'll see
	you tomorrow, Luther.

And we

						CUT TO:

INT.  SAM'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A baby sleeping in a crib pull rack to reveal SAM is standing
over the crib.  KAFFEE's sitting on a beer.

		SAM
	When Nancy gets back, you're my witness.
	The baby spoke.  My daughter said a word.

		KAFFEE
	Your daughter made a sound, Sam, I'm not
	sure it was a word.

		SAM
	Oh come on, it was a word.
.



		KAFFEE
	Okay.

		SAM
	You heard her.  The girl sat here,
	pointed, and said "Pa".  She did.  She
	said "Pa".

		KAFFEE
	She was pointing at a doorknob.

		SAM
	That's right.  Pointing, as if to say,
	"Pa, look, a doorknob".

SAM joins KAFFEE in the living room.

		KAFFEE
	Jack Ross came to see me today.  He
	offered me twelve years.

		SAM
	That's what you wanted.

		KAFFEE
	I know, and I'll ... I guess, I mean--
		(beat)
	I'll take it.

		SAM
	So?

		KAFFEE
	It took albout 45 seconds.  He barely put
	up a fight.

		SAM
		(beat)
	Danny, take the twelve years, it's a gift.

KAFFEE finishes off his beer, and stands.

		KAFFEE
	You don't believe their story, do you?
	You think they ought to go to jail for the
	rest of their lives.

		SAM
	I believe every word they said.  And I
	think they ought to go to jail for the
	rest of their lives.

KAFFEE nods and puts down the empty beer bottle.

		KAFFEE
	I'll see you tomorrow.

.



Sam opens the front door for him and they stand out on the
stoop for a moment.

		SAM
	Remember to wear your whites, it's hot
	down there.

		KAFFEE
	I don't like the whites.

		SAM
	Nobody likes the whites, but we're going
	to Cuba in August.  You got Dramamine?

		KAFFEE
	Dramamine keeps you cool?

		SAM
	Dramamine keeps you from throwing up, you
	get sick when you fly.

		KAFFEE
	I get sick when I fly because I'm afraid
	of crashing into a large mountain, I don't
	think Dramamine'll help.

		SAM
	I've got some oregano, I hear that works
	pretty good.

		KAFFEE
	Yeah, right.

KAFFEE starts toward his car, then turns around.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	You know, Ross said the strangest thing to
	me right before I left.  He said the
	platoon commander Lieutenant Jonathan
	Kendrick had a meeting with the men and
	specifically told them not to touch
	Santiago.

		SAM
	So?

		KAFFEE
	I never mentioned Kendrick.  I don't even
	know who he is.
		(beat)
	What the hell.
		(beat)
	I'll see you tomorrow.



.



We hold for a moment on KAFFEE as he walks to his car, then

						CUT TO:

EXT.  THE AIRSTRIP AT GUANTANAMO BAY - DAY

The whole place, in stark contrast to the Washington Navy
Yard, is ready to go to war.  Fighter jets line the tarmac.
Ground crews re-fuel planes.  Hurried activity.

A 36 seat Airforce Jet rolls to a stop on the tarmac and a
stair unit is brought up.

HOWARD, a marine corporal, is waiting by the stairway as the
passengers begin to got off.  Mostly MARINES, a few SAILERS,
a couple of CIVILIANS, and KAFFEE, JO and SAM.  KAFFEE and
SAM are wearing their summer whites, JO is in khakis.

KAFFEE and SAM stare out at what they see: They're not in
Kansas anymore.

HOWARD shouts over the noise from the planes.

		HOWARD
	Lieutenants Kaffee and Weinberg?

		KAFFEE
		(shouting)
	Yeah.

		JO
	Commander Galloway.

		HOWARD
	I'm Corporal Howard, ma'am, I'm to escort
	you to the Windward side of the base.

		JO
	Thank you.

		HOWARD
	I've got some camouflage jackets in the
	back of the jeep, sirs, I'll have to ask
	you both to put them on.

		KAFFEE
	Camouflage jackets?

		HOWARD
	Regulations, sir.  We'll be riding pretty
	close to the fenceline.  The Cubans see an
	officer wearing white, they think it's
	someone they might wanna take a shot at.

KAFFEE turns and glares at SAM.


.



		KAFFEE
	Good call, Sam.

						CUT TO:

EXT.  CUBAN ROAD - THE JEEP - DAY

Tearing along down the road, and now we see a beautiful
expanse of water, maybe 1000 yards across.  It's a section of
Guantanamo Bay.

		HOWARD
		(shouting)
	We'll just hop on the ferry and be over
	there in no time.

		KAFFEE
		(shouting)
	Whoa! Hold it! We gotta take a boat?!

		HOWARD
	Yes sir, to get to the other side of the
	bay.

		KAFFEE
	Nobody said anything about a boat.

		HOWARD
		(shouting)
	Is there a problem, sir?

		KAFFEE
		(shouting)
	No.  No problem.  I'm just not that crazy
	about boats, that's all.

		JO
		(shouting)
	Jesus Christ, Kaffee, you're in the Navy
	for cryin' out loud!

		KAFFEE
		(shouting)
	Nobody likes her very much.

		HOWARD
		(shouting)
	Yes sir.

The jeep drives on and we

						CUT TO:

JESSEP, MARKINSON and KENDRICK are standing as the LAWYERS
are led in.


.



		JESSEP
	Nathan Jessep, come on in and siddown.

		KAFFEE
	Thank you.  I'm Daniel Kaffee, I'm the
	attorney for Dawson and Downey.  This is
	Joanne Galloway, she's observing and
	evaluating--

		JO
		(shaking hands)
	Colonel.

		JESSEP
	Pleased to meet you, Commander.

		KAFFEE
	Sam Weinberg.  He has no responsibility
	here whatsoever.

		JESSEP
	I've asked Captain Markinson and Lt.
	Kendrick to join us.

		MARKINSON
	Lt. Kaffee, I had the pleasure of seeing
	your father once.  I was a teenager and he
	spoke at my high school.

KAFFEE smiles and nods.

		JESSEP
	Lionel Kaffee?

		KAFFEE
	Yes sir.

		JESSEP
	Well what do you know. Son, this man's dad
	once made a lot of enemies down in your
	neck of the woods.  Jefferson vs.  Madison
	County School District. The folks down
	there said a little black girl couldn't go
	to an all white school, Lionel Kaffee said
	we'll just see about that.  How the hell
	is your dad?

		KAFFEE
	He passed away seven years ago, colonel.

		JESSEP
		(pause)
	Well ... don't I feel like the fuckin,
	asshole.

		KAFFEE
	Not at all, sir.
.



		JESSEP
	Well, what can we do for you, Danny.

		KAFFEE
	Not much at all, sir, I'm afraid.  This is
	really a formality more than anything
	else.  The JAG Corps insists that I
	interview all the relevant witnesses.

		JO
	The JAG Corps can be demanding that way.

JESSEP smiles.

		JESSEP
	Jonanthan'll take you out and show you
	what you wanna see, then we can all hook
	up for lunch, how does that sound?

		KAFFEE
	Fine, sir.

						CUT TO:

EXT.  THE FENCELINE - DAY

A SQUAD OF MARINES jogs by as a jeep carrying KENDRICK and
the three LAWYERS cruises down the road.

We FOLLOW the jeep.

		KAFFEE
	I understand you had a meeting with your
	men that afternoon.

		KENDRICK
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	What'd you guys talk about?

		KENDRICK
	I told the men that there was an informer
	among us.  And that despite any desire
	they might have to seek retribution,
	Private Santiago was not to be harmed in
	any way.

		KAFFEE
	What time was that meeting?

		KENDRICK
	Sixteen-hundred.

		KAFFEE
	turns around and looks at SAM.

.



		SAM
		(leaning forward)
	Four o'clock.

						CUT TO:

INT. THE BARRACKS CORRIDOR - DAY

KENDRICK leads the LAWYERS down the corridor to Santiago's
room.

Two strips of tape which warn DO NOT ENTER - AT ORDER OF THE
MILITARY POLICE are crisscrossed over the closed door. They
open the door and step under the tape and walk into

INT. SANTIAGO'S ROOM - DAY

The room is exactly an it was left that night. The un-made
bed, the chair knocked over... The LAWYERS look around for a
moment. The room is sparse.

Kaffee goes to the closet and opens it: A row of uniforms
hanging neatly. He thumbs through then for a second, but
there's nothing there.

He opens the footlocker: Socks, underwear... all folded to
marine corp precision... A shaving kit, a couple of
photographs, a pad of writing paper and some envelopes...

Kaffee closes the footlocker.

		KAFFEE
	Sam, somebody should see about getting
	this stuff to his parents. We don't need
	it anymore.

		KENDRICK
	Actually, the uniforms belong to the
	marine corps.

The LAWYERS take a moment.

		KAFFEE
	Lt. Kendrick--can I call you Jon?

		KENDRICK
	No, you may not.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Have I done something to offend you?

		KENDRICK
	No, I like all you Navy boys.  Every time
	we've gotta go someplace and fight, you
	fellas always give us a ride.

.



		JO
	Lt. Kendrick, do you think Santiago was
	murdered?

		KENDRICK
	Commander, I believe in God, and in his
	son Jesus Christ, and because I do, I can
	say this: Private Santiago is dead and
	that's a tragedy.  But he's dead because
	he had no code.  He's dead because he had
	no honor.  And God was watching.

SAM turns to KAFFEE.

		SAM
	How do you feel about that theory?

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Sounds good.  Let's move on.

SAM and KENDRICK walk out the door.  JO stops KAFFEE.

		JO
	You planning on doing any investigating or
	are you just gonna take the guided tour?

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	I'm pacing myself.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE OFFICERS CLUB - DAY

JESSEP, MARKINSON, KENDRICK and the LAWYERS are seated at a
table in the corner.

Stewards clear the lunch dishes and pour coffee. Jessep is
finishing a story.

		JESSEP
	... And they spent the next three hours
	running around, looking for Americans to
	surrender to.

JESSEP laughs.  KENDRICK joins him.  SAM and KAFFEE force a
laugh.

MARKINSON forces a smile.  JO remains silent.

		JESSEP
		(continuing; to the
		 STEWARDS)
	That was delicious, men, thank you.


.



		STEWARD
	Our pleasure, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel just need to ask you a couple of
	questions about August 6th.

		JESSEP
	Shoot.

		KAFFEE
	On the morning of the sixth, you were
	contacted by an NIS angent who said that
	Santiago had tipped him off to an illegal
	fenceline shooting.

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Santiago was gonna reveal the person's
	name in exchange for a transfer.  An I
	getting this right?

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	If you feel there are any details that I'm
	missing, you should free to speak up.

JESSEP's not quite sure what to say to this Navy Lawyer
Lieutenant-Smartass guy who just gave him permission to speak
freely on his own base.

		JESSEP
	Thank you.

		KAFFEE
	Now it was at this point that you called
	Captain Markinson and Lt. Kendrick into
	your office?

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	And what happened then?

		JESSEP
	We agreed that for his own safety,
	Santiago should be transferred off the
	base.

Here's something else KAFFEE didn't know.  Neither did Jo.
SAM jots something down on a small notepad.

.



MARKINSON doesn't flinch.

		KAFFEE
	Santiago was set to be transferred?

		JESSEP
	On the first available flight to the
	states.  Six the next morning.  Three
	hours too late as it turned out.

KAFFEE nods.

		KAFFEE
	Yeah.

There's silence for a moment.

KAFFEE takes a sip of his coffee.  Then drains the cup and
puts it down.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Alright, that's all I have.  Thanks very
	much for your time.

		KENDRICK
	The corporal's got the jeep outside, he'll
	take you back to the airstrip.

		KAFFEE
		(standing)
	Thank you.

		JO
	Wait a minute, I've got some questions.

		KAFFEE
	No you don't.

		JO
	Yes I do.

		KAFFEE
	No you don't.

		JO
	Colonel, on the morning that Santiago
	died, did you meet with Doctor Stone
	between three and five?

		KAFFEE
	Jo--

		JESSEP
	Of course I met with the doctor.  One of
	my men was dead.

.



		KAFFEE
		(to JO)
	See?  The man was dead.  Let's go.

		JO
		(to JESSEP)
	I was wondering if you've ever heard the
	term Code Red.

		KAFFEE
	Jo--

		JESSEP
	I've heard the term, yes.

		JO
	Colonel, this past February, you received
	a cautionary memo from the Naval
	Investigative Service, warning that the
	practice of enlisted men disciplining
	their own wasn't to be condoned by
	officers.

		JESSEP
	I submit to you that whoever wrote that
	memo has never served on the working end
	of a Soviet-made Cuban Ml-Al6 Assault
	Rifle.  However, the directive having come
	from the NIS, I gave it its due attention.
	What's your point, Jo?

		KAFFEE
	She has no point.  She often has no point.
	It's part of her charm.  We're outta here.
	Thank you.

		JO
	My point is that I think code reds still
	go on down here.  Do Code Reds still
	happen on this base, colonel?

		KAFFEE
	Jo, the colonel doesn't need to answer
	that.

		JO
	Yes he does.

		KAFFEE
	No, he really doesn't.

		JO
	Yeah, he really does.  Colonel?

		JESSEP
	You know it just hit me.  She outranks
	you, Danny.
.



		KAFFEE
	Yes sir.

		JESSEP
	I want to tell you something Danny and
	listen up 'cause I mean this: You're the
	luckiest man in the world.  There is,
	believe me gentlemen, nothing sexier on
	earth than a woman you have to salute in
	the morning. Promote 'em all I say.

JO's not upset.  JO's not mad.  But she's gonna ask her
question 'til she gets an answer.

		JO
	Colonel, the practice of code Reds is
	still condoned by officers on this base,
	isn't it?

		JESSEP
	You see my problem is, of course, that I'm
	a Colonel.  I'll Just have to keep taking
	cold showers 'til they elect some gal
	President.

		JO
	I need an answer to my question, sir.

		JESSEP
	Take caution in your tone, Commander.  I'm
	a fair guy, but this fuckin' heat's making
	me absolutely crazy.  You want to know
	about code reds?  On the record I tell you
	that I discourage the practice in
	accordance with the NIS directive.  Off
	the record I tell you that it's an
	invaluable part of close infantry
	training, and if it happens to go on
	without my knowledge, so be it.  I run my
	base how I run my base.  You want to
	investigate me, roll the dice and take
	your chances.  I eat breakfast 80 yards
	away from 4000 Cubans who are trained to
	kill me.  So don't for one second think
	you're gonna come down here, flash a
	badge, and make me nervous.

A moment of tense silence before--

		KAFFEE
	Let's go.  Colonel, I'll just need a copy
	of Santiago's transfer order.

		JESSEP
	What's that?


.



		KAFFEE
	Santiago's transfer order.  You guys have
	paper work on that kind of thing, I just
	need it for the file.

		JESSEP
	For the file.

		KAFFEE
	Yeah.

		JESSEP
		(pause)
	Of course you can have a copy of the
	transfer order.  For the file.  I'm here
	to help anyway I can.

		KAFFEE
	Thank you.

		JESSEP
	You believe that, don't you?  Danny?  That
	I'm here to help anyway I can?

		KAFFEE
	Of course.

		JESSEP
	The corporal'll run you by Ordinance on
	your way out to the airstrip.  You can
	have all the transfer orders you want.

		KAFFEE
		(to JO and SAM)
	Let's go.

The LAWYERS start to leave.

		JESSEP
	But you have to ask me nicely.

KAFFEE stops.  Turns around.  Sam and JO stop and turn.

		KAFFEE
	I beg your pardon?

		JESSEP
	You have to ask me nicely.  You see,
	Danny, I can deal with the bullets and the
	bombs and the blood.  I can deal with the
	heat and the stress and the fear.  I don't
	want money and I don't want medals.  What
	I want is for you to stand there in that
	faggoty white uniform, and with your
	Harvard mouth, extend me some fuckin'
	courtesy.  You gotta ask me nicely.

.



KAFFEE and JESSEP are frozen.  Everyone'staring at Kaffee;
The OFFICERS at their tables... KENDRICK...SAM... MARKINSON
... JO... KAFFEE makes his decision.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel Jessep ... if it's not too much
	trouble, I'd like a copy of the transfer
	order.  Sir.

JESSEP smiles.

		JESSEP
	No problem.

HOLD for a moment.  JO's very disappointed.

JESSEP stands there and watches the LAWYERS as they turn and
leave the Officer's Club.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	I hate casualties, Matthew.  There are
	casualties even in victory.  A marine
	smothers a grenade and saves his platoon,
	that marine's a hero.  The foundation of
	the unit, the fabric of this base, the
	spirit of the Corps, they are things worth
	fighting for.

MARKINSON looks at the ground.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Dawson and Downey, they don't know it, but
	they're smothering a grenade.

MARKINSON looks up as we

						CUT TO:

EXT.  ANDREWS AIRFORCE BASE - DUSK

As a plane touches down on the runway. It's dusk in
Washington and

						CUT TO:

EXT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - DAY

A little one-bedroom.  Just the essential furniture, barely
even that.

KAFFEE's sitting and watching a baseball came on t.v. He's
holding a copy of The Baseball Encyclopedia, normally his
favorite reading material, but right now he's having trouble
keeping his mind in it. He's holding a baseball bat and
fiddling with it.
.



The remnants of a pizza and Yoo-Hoo dinner sit next to him.
His white uniform in a pile in the corner. There's a BUZZ at
the door.  KAFFEE's not expecting anyone.  He goes to the
door.

		KAFFEE
	Who is it?

		JO (O.S.)
	It's me.

KAFFEE opens the door and JO walks in.

		KAFFEE
	I've really missed you, Jo.  I was just
	saying to myself, "It's been almost three
	hours since I last saw--"

		JO
	Markinson resigned his commission.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	When?

		JO
	This afternoon.  Sometime after we left.

		KAFFEE
	I'll talk to him in the morning.

		JO
	I already tried, I can't find him.

		KAFFEE
	You tried?  Joanne, you're coming dan
	orously close to the textbook definition
	of interfering with a government
	investigation.

JO hands KAFFEE the file she's been holding.

		JO
	I'm Louden Downey's attorney.

KAFFEE's stunned.  He opens the file and begins to read.

		JO
		(continuing)
	Aunt Ginny.  She said she feels like she's
	known me for years.  I suggested that she
	might feel more comfortable if I were
	directly involved with the case. She had
	Louden sign the papers about an hour ago.

KAFFEE looks up.  Still too stunned to say anything.  Then
finally ...
.



		KAFFEE
	I suppose it's way too much to hope that
	you're just making this up to bother me.

		JO
	Don't worry, I'm not gonna make a motion
	for separation, you're still lead counsel.

KAFFEE hands her back the file.

		KAFFEE
	Splendid.

		JO
	I think Kendrick ordered the Code Red.
		(beat)
	So do you.

						CUT TO:

INT.  A HOLDING ROOM IN THE BRIG - NIGHT

DAWSON and DOWNEY come to attention as KAFFEE and JO are led
in.

		DAWSON
	Officer on deck, ten hut.

KAFFEE starts in immediately.

		KAFFEE
	Did Kendrick order the code red?

		DAWSON
	Sir?

		KAFFEE
	Don't say sir like I just asked you if you
	cleaned the latrine.  You heard what I
	said.  Did Lt.  Kendrick order you guys to
	give Santiago a code red?

		DAWSON
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
		(to Downey)
	Did he?

		DOWNEY
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
	You mind telling me why the hell you never
	mentioned this before?


.



		DAWSON
	You didn't ask us, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Cutie-pie shit's not gonna win you a place
	in my heart, corporal, I get paid no
	matter how much time you spend in jail.

		DAWSON
	Yes sir.  I know you do, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Fuck you, Harold.

There's some understandable tension in the room, broken by--

		JO
	Alright.  Let's sort this out.  There was
	a platoon meeting on August 6th at four in
	the afternoon.  And Lt. Kendrick, he gave
	strict instructions that nothing was to
	happen to Santiago.  Now is that true?  I
	want you to speak freely.

		DAWSON
	Ma'am, that's correct.  But then he
	dismissed the platoon and we all went to
	our rooms.

		JO
	And what happened then?

		DAWSON
	Lt.  Kendrick came to our room, ma'am.

		KAFFEE
	When? DAWSON

About five minutes after the meeting broke, sir. About 16:20.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	And what happened then?

		DAWSON
	Lt. Kendrick ordered us to give Santiago
	a Code Red.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE GYMNASIUM - NIGHT

ROSS is playing a game of full-court basketball with some
other OFFICERS.

A door at the far end of the court opens and KAFFEE and JO
walk in. They head down the sideline toward Ross.
.



KAFFEE shouts--

		KAFFEE
	Jack!

But ROSS is into the game...

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Jack!!

		ROSS
		(waving him off)
	Hang on...

		KAFFEE
	They were given an order.

ROSS stops cold and looks over at Kaffee.  The game flies by
him.  He motions to the locker room door in the corner of the
gym and the three of them make their way to privacy.

		JO
	How long have you known about the order?

		ROSS
	I didn't--
		(to KAFFEE)
	Who is this?

		KAFFEE
	This is Jo Galloway she's Downey's
	lawyer.  She's very pleased to meet you.

		ROSS
	What exactly are you accusing me of,
	commander?

		JO
	I'm accusing you of--

They're in the

LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT

and KAFFEE slams the door shut behind them.

		KAFFEE
	Jack didn't know about the order. Because
	if he did and he hadn't told us, Jack
	knows he'd be violating about 14 articles
	of the code of ethics.  As it is, he's got
	enough to worry about.  God forbid our
	clients decide to plead not guilty and
	testify for the record that they were
	given an order.

.



		ROSS
	Kendrick specifically told the men not to
	touch Santiago.

		KAFFEE
	That's right.  And then he went into
	Dawson and Downey's room and specifically
	told them to give him a code red.

		ROSS
	That's not what Kendrick said.

		KAFFEE
	Kendrick's lying.

		ROSS
	You have proof?

		KAFFEE
	I have the defendants.

		ROSS
	And I have 23 marines who aren't accused
	of murder and a lieutenant with four
	letters of commendation.

		KAFFEE
	Why did Markinson resign his commission?

		ROSS
	We'll never know.

		KAFFEE
	You don't think I can subpoena Markinson.

		ROSS
	You can try, but you won't find him.  You
	know what Markinson did for the first 17
	of his 21 years in the corps? Counter
	Intelligence.  Markinson's gone.  There is
	no Markinson.

Some of the wind has been taken Out of Kaffee's sails.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	Jessep's star is on the rise.  Division'll
	give me a lot of room to spare Jessep and
	the corps any embarrassment.

		KAFFEE
	How much room?

		ROSS
	I'll knock it all down to assault.  Two
	years.  They're home in six months.

.



		JO
	No deal, we're going to a jury.

		KAFFEE
	Jo--

		ROSS
	No you're not.

		JO
	Why not?

		ROSS
	'Cause you'll lose, and Danny knows it.
	And he knows that if we go to court, I'll
	have to go all the way, they'll be charged
	with the whole truckload.  Murder,
	Conspiracy, Conduct Unbecoming, and even
	though he's got me by the balls out here,
	Dan knows that in a courtroom, he loses
	this case.  Danny's an awfully talented
	lawyer, and he's not about to send his
	clients go to jail for life when he knows
	they could be home in six months.

This is now clear: Ross is as good as Kaffee.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	That's the end of this negotiation.  From
	this moment, we're on the record.  I'll
	see tomorrow morning at the arraignment.

ROSS turns and heads back to the gym as we

						CUT TO:

INT. - A HOLDING ROOM - NIGHT

Kaffee and JO are sitting at a table.  Dawson and Downey are
at parade rest. Kaffee lights a cigarette.

		KAFFEE
	Here's the story: The Goverment's
	offering Assault and Conduct Unbecoming.
	Two years.  You'll be home in six months.

DAWSON and DOWNEY say nothing.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	"Wow, Kaffee, you're the greatest lawyer
	in the world. How can we ever thank you?"
	Fellas, you hear what I just said, you're
	going home in six months.


.



		DAWSON
	I'm afraid we can't do that, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Do what?

		DAWSON
	Make a deal, sir.

		KAFFEE
	What are you talking about?

		DAWSON
	We did nothing wrong, sir. We did our job.
	If that has consequences, then I accept
	them.  But'I won't say I'm guilty, sir.

KAFFEE can't believe this.  He looks over at JO.

		KAFFEE
	Did you--
		(to DAWSON and DOWNEY)
	Did she put you up to this?

		JO
	No.

		DAWSON
	We have a code, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Well zippity-doo-dah.  You and your code
	plead not guilty and you'll be in jail for
	the rest of your life.  Do what I'm
	telling you and you'll be home in six
	months.

DAWSON just stares at him.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Do it, Harold.  Six months.  It's nothing.
	It's a hockey season.

		DAWSON
	Permission to-

		KAFFEE
	Speak!

		DAWSON
	What do we do then, sir?

		KAFFEE
	When?


.



		DAWSON
	After six months.  We'd be dishonorably
	discharged, right sir?

		KAFFEE
	Yes.

		DAWSON
	What do we do then, sir? We joined the
	corps 'cause we wanted to live our lives
	by a certain code.  And we found it in the
	corps.  And now you're asking us to sign
	a piece of paper that says we have no
	honor.  You're asking us to say we're not
	marines.  If a judge and jury decide that
	what we did was wrong, I'll accept
	whatever punishment they give.  But I
	believe I was riqht, sir . I believe I did
	my Job.  And I won't dishonor myself, my
	unit, or the Corps, so that I can qo home
	in six months.
		(beat)
	Sir.

HOLD ON the four of them for a moment, then

		KAFFEE
	Commander, I want to talk to corporal
	Dawson alone for a minute.

Jo waits Just a moment before she calls out--

		JO
		(to Downey)
	Let's go in another room.  Louden,
	everything's gonna be alright.

The M.P. has shown up and unlocked the cell door.

		JO
		(continuing; to M.P.)
	We're gonna go into a holding room.

		M.P.
	Aye, aye, ma'am.

JO, DOWNEY, and the M.P. are gone. KAFFEE paces a moment
before he says--

		KAFFEE
	You don't like me that much, do you?
		(beat)
	Forget it, don't answer that, it doesn't
	matter.

KAFFEE paces another moment, then sits on the cot.  He's
trying to choose his tack carefully.
.



		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	You know, Downey worships you.  He's gonna
	do whatever you do.  Are you really gonna
	let this happen to him because of a code?
	Harold?

		DAWSON
	Do you think we were right?

		KAFFEE
	It doesn't matter what I--

		DAWSON
	Do you think we were right?

KAFFEE gets up.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	I think you'd lose.

		DAWSON
		(beat)
	You're such a coward, I can't believe they
	let you wear a uniform.

KAFFEE stares at DAWSON.

		KAFFEE
	I'm not gonna feel responsible for this,
	Harold.  I did everything I could.  You're
	going to Levenworth for the better part of
	your life, and you know what?  I don't
	give a shit.

KAFFEE calls out--

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	M.P.!

KAFFEE and DAWSON are staring each other down.  The M.P.
shows up and unlocks the cell door.  KAFFEE steps out to
leave.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	What happened to saluting an officer when
	he leaves the room?

DAWSON holds on KAFFEE.  Then DAWSON, a man who would rather
die than breach military protocol, takes his hands and puts
them in his pockets.



.



The cell door closes and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE OFFICE CORRIDOR - NIGHT

One light is on at the end of the hall.

						CUT TO:

SAM has joined KAFFEE and JO. The mood is somber.

		KAFFEE
	Dawson's gonna go to jail just to spite
	me. Fine. If he wants to jump off a cliff,
	that's his business. I'm not gonna hold
	his hand on the way down.
		(to SAM)
	I want to get him a new lawyer. How do I
	do it?

		SAM
	You just make a motion tomorrow morning at
	the arraignment. The judge'll ask you if
	you want to enter a plea. You tell him you
	want new counsel assigned.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Then that's that.

		JO
		(beat)
	Yeah.  One thing, though.  When you ask
	the judge for new counsel, Danny, be sure
	and ask nicely.

		KAFFEE
	What do you want from me?

		JO
	I want you to let 'em be judged!  I want
	you to stand up and make an argument!

		SAM
	An argument that didn't work for Calley at
	My Lai, an argument that didn't work for
	the Nazis at Nuremberg.

		KAFFEE
	For Christ sake, Sam, do you really think
	that's the same as two teenage marines
	executing a routine order that they never
	believed would result in harm?  These guys
	aren't the Nazis.

There's a pause in the room.
.



		JO
	Don't look now, Danny, but you're making
	an argument.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	Yeah.
		(beat)
	Tomorrow morning I'll get them a new
	attorney.

		JO
	Why are you so afraid to be a lawyer? Were
	daddy's expectations really that high?

		KAFFEE
	Please, spare me the psycho-babble father
	bullshit. Dawson and Downey'll have their
	day in court, but they'll have it with
	another lawyer.

		JO
	Another lawyer won't be good enough. They
	need you. You know how to win.
		(beat)
	You know they have a case. And you know
	how to win. You walk away from this now,
	and you have sealed their fate.

		KAFFEE
	Their fate was sealed the moment Santiago
	died.

		JO
	Do you believe they have a defense?

		KAFFEE
	You and Dawson both live in the same
	dreamland.  It doesn't matter what I
	believe, it only matters what I can prove.
	So please don't tell me what I know and
	don't know.  I know the law.

JO looks at him, shakes her head, and turns to walk away.
She turns back.

		JO
	You know nothing about the law.  You're a
	used car salesman, Daniel.  You're an
	ambulance chaser with a rank.  You're
	nothing.
		(beat)
	Live with that.




.



Jo walks off leaving KAFFEE alone.  We HOLD on KAFFEE.  He's
not having a good night.

						CUT TO:

INT.  A GEORGETOWN BAR - NIGHT

KAFFEE sits at the bar.  The place is crowded with YUPPIES
and STUDENTS. KAFFEE's been drinking there a while now.  Next
to him is a YUPPIE LAWYER, regaling his FRIENDS with the
story of his latest brilliant maneuver in the world of high
stakes corporate law.

We HOLD on a KAFFEE a moment longer, then

		YUPPIE LAWYER
	... So I told duncan if we leverage the
	acquisition of Biotech, the
	interrogatories would be there on demand.
	All I have to do is not pick up the phone
	and it'll run Flaherty ten thousand a day
	in court costs.

						CUT TO:

EXT.  A GEORGETOWN STREET - NIGHT

KAFFEE sits on a bench in the night.  He takes a sip from a
bottle he's holding in a brown paper bag.

						CUT TO:

EXT. THE PARADE GROUNDS - DAY

A bright, sunny morning.  The BAND is performing for a group
of day campers.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTROOM - DAY

DAWSON and DOWNEY are at the defense table, ROSS is his
place.  KAFFEE walks in and joins JO and SAM at their table.
Papers are being passed back and forth between ROSS and the
SERGEANT AT AMS.  Quiet activity.

The door in the back of the courtroom opens and RANDOLPH, a
marine colonel, enters and takes his place at the bench.  We
can HEAR the band in the background.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	All rise.

Everyone present in the courtroom stands.

		RANDOLPH
	Where are we?
.



		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	Docket number 411275.  VR-5.  United
	States versus Lance Corporal Harold W.
	Dawson and Private First Class Loudon
	Downey. Defendants are charged with
	Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Murder in the
	First Degree, and Conduct Unbecoming a
	United States Marine.

		RANDOLPH
	Does defense wish to enter a plea?

KAFFEE stands.

		KAFFEE
	Yeah.
		(pause)
	They're not guilty.

JO, SAM, ROSS, RANDOLPH... it's hard to say who's the most
surprised.  It takes everything Jo's got to suppress a smile.
The silence is broken by ROSS, who takes the two files, drops
them into his briefcase, closes the lid, and snaps it shut.

RANDOLPH looks at KAFFEE and ROSS, then turns to the SERGEANT
AT ARMS.

		RANDOLPH
	Enter a plea of not guilty for the
	defendants.  We'll adjourn until ten-
	hundred, three weeks from today, at which
	time this Court will reconvene as a
	General Court-Martial.

He raps the gavel.

RANDOLPH walks out.  ROSS walks up the aisle without a word
to anyone.  The M.P.'s come to escort DAWSON and DOWNEY back
to their cell.

KAFFEE and JO and SAM are the only ones remaining.  SAM is
looking at KAFFEE with question marks in his eyes.

		KAFFEE
	Why does a junior grade with six months
	experience and a track record for plea
	bargaining get assigned a murder case?
		(beat)
	Would it be so that it never sees the
	inside of a courtroom?

KAFFEE picks up his briefcase and begins heading toward the
door.




.



		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	We'll work out of my apartment.  Every
	night, seven o'clock.  Jo, before you come
	over tonight, pick up a carton of legal
	pads, a half-dozen boxes of red pens, a
	half-dozen boxes of black pens.  Sam get
	a couple of desk lamps. I need you to
	start on a preliminary medical profile and
	Jo, we need all the fitness reports on
	Dawson, Downey and Santiago.  The only
	thing I have to eat is Yoo-Hoo and
	SugarSnacks, so if you want anything else,
	bring it with you. Okay?

Jo's still stunned.

		JO
	Yeah.

KAFFEE's at the door, stops, turns around, and takes it all
in for a moment.

		KAFFEE
	So this is what a courtroom looks like.

He walks out the door, and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Among the stuff, is a blackboard that's been hung on the
wall.  Written across the top are three headings:

INTENT		 CODE RED		 THE ORDER

Sam is on the floor, sorting papers into piles.  KAFFEE comes
in from the kitchen with a fresh bottle of Yoo-Hoo and joins
Sam on the floor.

		KAFFEE
	Were you able to speak to your friend at
	NIS?

		SAM
	She said if Markinson doesn't want to be
	found, we're not gonna find him.  She said
	I could be Markinson and you wouldn't know
	it.

		KAFFEE
	Are you Markinson?

		SAM
	No.

.



		KAFFEE
	Well, I'm not Markinson, that's two down.

SAM doesn't laugh.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	What.

		SAM
		(pause)
	I was wondering, now that Joanne's working
	on this ... I was wondering if you still
	need me.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	They were following an order, Sam.

		SAM
	An illegal order.

		KAFFEE
	You think Dawson and Downey know it was an
	illegal order?

		SAM
	It doesn't matter if they know, any decent
	human being would've refused to--

		KAFFEE
	They're not permitted to question orders.

		SAM
	Then what's the secret?  What are the
	magic words?  I give orders every day, and
	nobody follows them.

		KAFFEE
	We have softball games and marching bands.
	They work at a place where you have to
	wear camouflage or you might get shot.

Sam looks away.  He doesn't buy it.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing; pause)
	I need you.  You're better at research
	than I am and you know how to prepare a
	witness.

Jo lets herself in.  She's carrying a huge stack of papers
under one arm, and a large brown paper bag under the other.
But we stay with KAFFEE and Sam a moment longer.



.



		JO
	I've got medical reports and Chinese food.
	I say we eat first.

KAFFEE's still looking at SAM.  SAM nods his head.

		SAM
	Did you get any dumplings?

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APT. - LATER - NIGHT

The remnants of the Chinese food is spread around.  SAM and
JO are sitting and taking notes from KAFFEE.  As he speaks,
he'll pace slowly around, carrying his baseball bat.  He
refers to the blackboard.

		KAFFEE
	This is our defense.  Intent: No one can
	provee there was poison on the raq.  Code
	Red: They're common and accepted in
	Guantanamo Bay.  The Order:
		(he writes)
	A) Kendrick gave it.  B) They had no
	choice but to follow it.
		(beat)
	That's it.

		SAM
	What about motive?

		KAFFEE
	We're a little weak on motive.  They had
	one.

		JO
	Just because a person has a motive doesn't
	mean--

		KAFFEE
	Relax.  We'll deal with the fenceline
	shooting when it comes up.  For now we
	start here--
		(pointing to INTENT)
	I don't know what made Santiago die, I
	don't want to know. I just want to be able
	to show it could've been something other
	than poison.  Jo, talk to doctors. Find
	out everything there is to know about
	lactic acidosis.  Let's start prepping for
	Stone.

		JO
	As long as we're on the subject of the
	doctor--

.



		KAFFEE
	Here we go.

		JO
	Listen to me, three o'clock he doesn't
	know what killed Santiago, then he meets
	with Jessep, and at five o'clock he says
	it was poison?  The doctor's covering up
	the truth.

		KAFFEE
	Oh, that's a relief.  I was afraid I
	wouldn't be able to use the "Liar, Liar,
	Pants on Fire" defense.  We can't prove
	coercion!!  Alright, fitness reports and
	biographical information.

		SAM
	Cartons 3 and 4.

KAFFEE looks at the cartons and the mind-numbing amount of
paper.

		KAFFEE
	No Cliff-Notes on these things?

						DISSOLVE TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT -

A SERIES OF SCENES

The scenes cover the three weeks Of preparation leading up to
the trial, and are interspersed with shots of Kaffee's
apartment getting messier, KAFFEE, JO and SAM flipping
through documents and reference books, writing on the
blackboard, dozzing off ...

... we start with

INT. KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jo's on the phone, KAFFEE and SAM are going over testimony,
with SAM sitting in a mock witness chair.  During this,
KAFFEE will go to the door, pay the PIZZA Man for the pizza,
and return without missing a single beat.

		JO
		(into phone)
	Captain Hill, this is Lt.  Commander
	Galloway, I'm an internal affairs officer
	with the JAG Corps in Washington, D.C. I'm
	trying to track down a Captain Matthew
	Andrew Markinson, USMC...



.



		KAFFEE
	Doctor, other than the rope marks, was
	there any other sign of external damage?

		SAM
	No.

		KAFFEE
	No scrapes?

		SAM
	No.

		KAFFEE
	No cuts?

		JO
		(into phone)
	He resigned his commission a week ago
	Thursday.

		KAFFEE
	Bruises?  Broken bones?

		SAM
	No.

		JO
		(into phone)
	No, please don't put me on hold--

		KAFFEE
	Doctor, was there any sign of violence?

		SAM
		(beat)
	You mean other than the dead body?

		KAFFEE
	Fuck!! I walk into that every goddam time!

		SAM
	Don't ask the last question.

						CUT TO:

INT. A LAW LIBRARY - NIGHT

MOS-- JO pulls two thick volumes off a shelf and takes them
to the table where SAM and KAFFEE are working. She plops the
books down where they join a pile of about two-dozen just
like them and we

						CUT TO:



.



INT. A COFFEE SHOP - DAY

The LAWYERS have their books and papers spread out in front
of them.

		KAFFEE
	Lt. Kendrick, the type of disciplinary
	action, or "training'' as you say--

		JO
	Object.

		KAFFEE
	Please the Court, I maintain that nothing
	could be more relevant than what the
	defendants learned by the example of,
	among others, the witness.

		JO
	Nice.

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

MOS--KAFFEE's paying the pizza boy again. He goes into the
living room where SAM is on the "stand". It's getting hard to
see the floor from all the papers, cartons, books, pizza
boxes, etc., and

						CUT TO:

INT. THE BRIG - DAY

A HOLDING ROOM where DAWSON and DOWNEY are being put through
their paces.

		JO
	And what happened after Kendrick came into
	your room?

		DOWNEY
		(beat)
	He ordered me and Corporal Dawson to give
	Willy a Code Red.

		SAM
		(to Jo)
	His answers still have to come faster, Jo.
	The Iowa farmboy thing'll play for a
	while, but in the end it looks like he's
	searching for the truth.





.



		KAFFEE
		(to Dawson & Downey)
	He's right, and from now on, "Willy" is
	Private Santiago. You start calling him
	Willy and all of a sudden he's a person
	who's got a mother who's gonna miss him.

						CUT TO:

INT. THE APARTMENT - NIGHT

MOS--The clock reads 3:37, and KAFFEE, in sweatpants and a
bathrobe, is pacing around slowly with his baseball bat and

						CUT TO:

SAM and JO art listening to a lecture for the 14th time.

		KAFFEE
	Poker faces.  Don't flinch in front of the
	jury.  Something doesn't go our way, don't
	hang your head, don't shift in your seat,
	don't scribble furiously. Whatever
	happens, you have to look like it's
	exactly what you knew was gonna happen.
	When you pass me documents--

		JO/SAM
	Do it swiftly, but don't look overanxious.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	And don't wear that perfume in Court, it
	wrecks my concentration.

		JO
	Really!

		KAFFEE
	I was talking to Sam.

		SAM
	What time is it?

		KAFFEE
	Time to go home.  Try to get some sleep
	tonight.

		JO
		(to SAM)
	I'll give you a ride.

SAM begins to gather up his things.  He stands in front of
KAFFEE.



.



		KAFFEE
		(to SAM)
	You're a good man, Charlie Brown.

		SAM
	See you in court.

Sam steps out the door. JO looks at the ground, then up at
KAFFEE.

		JO
	Danny--

		KAFFEE
	I know what you're gonna say.  You don't
	have to.  We've had our differences.  I've
	said some things I didn't mean, you've
	said some things you didn't means but
	you're happy that I stuck with the case.
	And if you've gained a certain respect for
	me over the Last three weeks that you
	didn't have before, well, of course I'm
	happy about that, but we don't have to
	make a whole big deal out of it.  You like
	me.  I won't make you say it.

		JO
	I was just gonna tell you to wear matching
	socks tomorrow.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Oh.
		(beat)
	Okay. Good tip.

		JO
	We're ready.

		KAFFEE
	Bet your ass.

Jo walks out the door and KAFFEE closes it and locks it
behind her.

Then he says, very softly...

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	We're gonna get creamed.

						CUT TO:





.



INT. THE COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

A few M.P.Is are standing by the entrance. KAFFEE comes
around the corner and heads toward the courtroom. we're
immediately stricken by something:

In his dress blue uniform he could easily be mistaken for a
real live naval officer. He opens the courtroom doors and
walks into

INT. THE COURTROOM - DAY

A few more M.P.'s are standing around. THE JURORS, nine
enlisted navy and marine men and women, are in their place,
Ross is at his table looking through some papers, and DAWSON
and DOWNEY, in handcuffs, are seated at the defense table.
The trial in a few moments from being underway and a few
people are milling about. KAFFEE walks down the aisle but is
stopped by a voice behind him.

		MAN (O.S.)
	Lieutenant Kaffee?

KAFFEE turns around to see a MAN and WOMAN who are clearly
Dawson's parents.

		MAN
	You're gonna save our son, aren't you?

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	I'll do my best.

KAFFEE continues on and stops next to JO, who's talking with
a WOMAN in her mid-30's.

		JO
	Danny, I want you to meet Ginny Miller,
	Louden's aunt.

		KAFFEE
	You're Aunt Ginny?

		GINNY
	Uh-huh.

		KAFFEE
	I'm sorry, I was expecting someone  older.

		GINNY
	So was I.

Not quite the words of inspiration KAFFEE was hoping to hear
before he does the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

He walks over to ROSS.

.



		KAFFEE
	Last chance.  I'll flip you for it.

RANDOLPH enters.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	All rise.

		ROSS
	Too late.

KAFFEE walks back to his table as

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	All those having business with this
	general court-martial, stand forward and
	you shall be heard.  Captain Julius
	Alexander Randolph is presiding. God save
	the United States of America.

RANDOLPH raps the gavel.

RANDOLPH without objection, the sworn confessions of the two
defendants have been read to the jury and entered into the
court record.

		ROSS
	No objection, your honor.

		KAFFEE
	No objection.

		RANDOLPH
	Is the Government prepared to make an
	opening statement?

		ROSS
		(standing)
	Yes sir.

ROSS walks to the jury box.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	The facts of the case are this: At
	midnight on August 6th, the defendants
	went into the barracks room of their
	platoon-mate, PFC William Santiago.  They
	woke him up, tied his arms and legs with
	rope, and forced a rag into his throat.
	A few minutes later, a chemical reaction
	in Santiago's body called lactic acidosis
	caused his lungs to begin bleeding.  He
	drowned in his own blood and was
	pronounced dead at 32 minutes past
	midnight.

.




	These are the facts of the case.  And they
	are undisputed. That's right. The story I
	just told you is the exact same story
	you're going to hear from Corporal Dawson,
	and it's the exact same story you're going
	to hear from Private Downey. Furthermore,
	the Government will also demonstrate that
	the defendants soaked the rag with poison,
	and entered Santiago's room with motive
	and intent to kill.
		(beat)
	Now, Lt.  Kaffee, is gonna try to pull off
	a little magic act, he's gonna try a
	little misdirection. He's going to
	astonish you with stories of rituals and
	dazzle you with official sounding terms
	like Code Red.  He might even cut into a
	few officers for you.  He'll have no
	evidence, mind you, none.  But it's gonna
	be entertaining. When we get to the end,
	all the magic in the world will not have
	been able to divert your attention from
	the fact that Willy Santiago is dead, and
	Dawson and Downey killed him.  These are
	the facts of the case.
		(beat)
	And they are undisputed.

ROSS walks back to his seat.

		RANDOLPH
	Lt. Kaffee?

Before KAFFEE's even stood up, these words are coming out of
his mouth.

		KAFFEE
	There was no poison on the rag and there
	was no intent to kill and any attempt to
	prove otherwise is futile because it just
	ain't true.
		(beat)
	When Dawson and Downey went into
	Santiago's room that night, it wasn't
	because of vengeance or hatred, it wasn't
	to kill or harm, and it wasn't because
	they were looking for kicks on a Friday
	night.  It's because it was what they were
	ordered to do.
		(beat)
	Let me say that again: It's because it was
	what they were ordered to do.  Now, out in
	the real world, that means nothing.  And
	here at the Washington Navy Yard, it
	doesn't mean a whole lot more.

.




	But if you're a marine assigned to Rifle
	Security Company Windward, Guantanamo Bay,
	Cuba, and you're given an order, you
	follow it or you pack your bags.
		(beat)
	Make no mistake about it, Harold Dawson
	and Louden Downey are sitting before you
	in judgement today because they did their
	job.

KAFFEE walks back to the table and takes his seat.

		RANDOLPH
	Is the Government ready to call its first
	witness?

		ROSS
	Please the Court, the Government calls Mr.
	R.C McGuire.

While McCGUIRE, a civilian in his late 30's, is being sworn
in, KAFFEE has sat back down.

He leans over to DAWSON and whispers.

		KAFFEE
	How you doin'? DAWSON doesn't change his
	expression.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Good.

		ROSS
	Mr. McGuire, would you state your full
	name and occupation for the record, please?

		MCGUIRE
	Robert C. McGuire, Special Agent, Naval
	Investigative Service.

		ROSS
	Mr. McGuire, did your office receive a
	letter from PFC William Santiago on 3
	August of this year?

		MCGUIRE
	We did.

		ROSS
	What did the letter say?

		MCGUIRE
	That a member of Private Santiago's unit
	had illegally fired his weapon over the
	fenceline.
.



		ROSS
	Was that marine identified in the letter?

		MCGUIRE
	No sir.  I notified the barracks C.O.,
	Colonel Jessep, that I would be coming
	down to investigate.

		ROSS
	And what did you find?

		MCGUIRE
	For the shift reported, only one sentry
	returned his weapon to the switch with a
	round of ammunition missing.

		ROSS
	And who was that? Lance Corporal Harold
	Dawson.

		ROSS
		(continuing; to
		 KAFFEE)
	Your witness.

ROSS goes back to his table.  KAFFEE stands.

		KAFFEE
	Mr. McGuire, have you questioned Corporal
	Dawson about the fenceline shooting?

		MCGUIRE
	Yes.  He claims to have been engaged in
	some manner by the enemy.

		KAFFEE
	But you don't believe him.

		MCGUIRE
	It's not my place--

		KAFFEE
	Corporal Dawson's been charged with a
	number of crimes, why wasn't he charged
	with firing at the enemy without cause?

		MCGUIRE
	There wasn't enough evidence to support
	such a charge.

		KAFFEE
	Thank you.

KAFFEE sits.



.



		ROSS
	Mr. McGuire, I don't understand what you
	mean when you say there wasn't enough
	evidence to support such a charge.  You
	had Willy Santiago's letter.

		MCGUIRE
	Santiago was the only witness, but I never
	had a chance to interview him.  So I don't
	know what he saw.

		ROSS
	And now we won't ever know, will we, Mr.
	McGuire?

		MCGUIRE
	No.

		ROSS
	No more questions.

						CUT TO:

HAMMAKER, a young marine corporal, is being sworn in.

		HAMMAKER
	Corporal Carl Edward Hammaker, Marine
	Barracks, Rifle Security Company Windward,
	Second Platoon Charlie.

		ROSS
	Corporal, were you present at a meeting
	that Lt. Kendrick held on the afternoon of
	August 6th with the members of second
	platoon.

		HAMMAKER
	Yes sir.

		ROSS
	Would you tell the Court the substance of
	that meeting?

		HAMMAKER
	Lt. Kendrick told us that we had an
	informer in our group.  That Private
	Santiago had gone outside the chain of
	command and reported to the NIS on a
	member of our platoon.

		ROSS
	Did that make you mad?
		(pause)
	You can tell the truth, corporal, it's
	alright. Did it make you mad?


.



		HAMMAKER
	Yes sir.

		ROSS
	How mad?

		HAMMAKER
	Private Santiago betrayed a code that we
	believe in very deeply, sir.

		ROSS
	Were the other members of the squad angry?

		KAFFEE
	Object--

		ROSS
	Were Dawson and Downey?

		KAFFEE
	Please the Court, is the judge advocate
	honestly asking this witness to testify as
	to how the defendant felt on August 6th?

		RANDOLPH
	Sustained.

		ROSS
	Corporal, did Lt.  Kendrick leave a
	standing order at that meeting?

		RANDOLPH
	Yes sir.

		ROSS
	What was it?

		HAMMAKER
	Well it was clear that he didn't want us
	to take matters into our own hands, sir.

		ROSS
	What was the order?

		HAMMAKER
	Sir, he said that Santiago wasn't to be
	touched.

		ROSS
		(to KAFFEE)
	Your witness.

		KAFFEE
	Corporal Hammaker, were you in Dawson and
	Downey's barracks room ten minutes after
	this meeting?

.



		HAMMAKER
	No sir.

		KAFFEE
	Thanks, I have no more questions.

HAMMAKER gets off the stand, and KAFFEE watches while walks
past DAWSON and DOWNEY.  A barely perceptible exchange occurs
between the eyes of DAWSON and HAMMAKER.

KAFFEE makes a decision.

		ROSS
	The Government calls Corporal Raymond
	Thomas--

		KAFFEE
	Please the Court, I understand Lt.  Ross
	is planning on calling all the other
	members of Rifle Security Company Windward
	to testify.

		ROSS
	In light of the defense that Lt.  Kaffee
	is planning to mount, the explicit
	instructions of the platoon leader seems
	particularly relevant testimony.

		KAFFEE
	The defense is willing to concede that all
	23 witnesses will testify substantially as
	Corporal Hammaker did, if the Government
	is willing to concede that none of them
	were in Dawson and Downey's room at 16:20
	on August 6th.

		RANDOLPH
		(to ROSS)
	Lieutenant?

		ROSS
	The Government'll agree to the
	stipulation, sir.

		RANDOLPH
	Then we'll adjourn for the day.  You can
	call your next witness in the morning.

						CUT TO:

SHOT OF WASHINGTON AT NIGHT

						DISSOLVE TO:




.



THE PARADE GROUNDS - EARLY MORNING, two SAILORS are raising
the flag.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTROOM - DAY

COMMANDER STONE, a Navy doctor in his mid-40's, is on the
stand.

		STONE
	... And he was pronounced dead at zero-
	zero-thirty-seven.

		ROSS
	Dr. Stone, what's lactic acidosis?

		STONE
	If the muscles and other cells of the body
	burn sugar instead Of oxygen, lactic acid
	is produced.  That lactic acid is what
	caused Santiago's lungs to bleed.

		ROSS
	How long does it take for the muscles and
	other cells to begin burning oxygen
	instead of sugar?

		STONE
	Twenty to thirty minutes.

		ROSS
	And what caused Santiago's muscles and
	other cells to start burning sugar?

		STONE
	An ingested poison of some kind.

		KAFFEE
	Your Honor, we object at this point.  The
	witness is speculating.

		ROSS
	Commander Stone is an expert medical
	witness, in this courtroom his opinion
	isn't considered speculation.

		KAFFEE
	Commander Stone is an internist, not a
	criminologist, and the medical facts here
	are ultimately inconclusive.

		RANDOLPH
	A point which I'm confident you'll
	illustrate to the jury under cross-
	examination, so I'm sure you won't mind if
	his opinion is admitted now.
.



		KAFFEE
	Not at all, sir.  Objection withdrawn.

KAFFEE sits.

		ROSS
	Doctor Stone, did Willy Santiago die of
	poisoning?

		STONE
	Absolutely.

		ROSS
	Are you aware that the lab report and the
	coroners report showed no traces of poison?

		STONE
	Yes I am.

		ROSS
	Then how do you justify--

		STONE
	There are literally dozens of toxins which
	are virtually undetectable, both in the
	human body and on a fabric.  The nature of
	the acidosis is the compelling factor in
	this issue.

		ROSS
	Thank you, sir.

KAFFEE gets up.

		KAFFEE
	Commander, you testified that it takes
	lactic acidosis 20 to 30 minutes before it
	becomes lethal.

		STONE
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Let me ask you, is it possible for a
	person to have an affliction, some sort of
	condition, which might, in the case of
	this person, actually speed up the process
	of acidosis dramatically?

STONE says nothing for a moment.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Commander, is it possible?

		STONE
	Certainly.
.



		KAFFEE
	What might some of those conditions be?

		STONE
		(beat)
	If a person had a coronary disorder ... or
	a cerebral disorder, the process would be
	more rapid.

		KAFFEE
	Commander, if I had a coronary condition,
	and a perfectly clean rag was placed in my
	mouth, and the rag was accidentally pushed
	too far down, is it possible that my cells
	would continue burning sugar after the rag
	was taken out?

		STONE
	It would have to be a very serious
	condition.

		KAFFEE
	Is it possible to have a serious coronary
	condition, where the initial warning
	signals were so mild as to escape a
	physician during a routine medical exam?

		STONE
	Possibly.  There would still be symptoms
	though.

		KAFFEE
	What kind of symptoms?

		STONE
	There are hundreds of symptoms of a--

		KAFFEE
	Chest pains?

		STONE
		(beat)
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Shortness of breath?

		STONE
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Fatigue?

		STONE
	Of course.


.



KAFFEE has gone back to his table where JO has handed him
some documents.  Hft shows then to STONE.

		KAFFEE
	Doctor, is this your signature?

		STONE
	Yes it is.

		KAFFEE
	This in an order for Private Santiago to
	be put on restricted duty.  Would you read
	your hand written remarks at the bottom of
	the page, please, sir.

		STONE
		(reading)
	"Initial testing negative.  Patient
	complains of chest pains, shortness of
	breath, and fatigue. Restricted from
	running distances over five miles for one
	week."

		KAFFEE
	Commander, isn't it possible that Santiago
	had a serious coronary condition, and it
	was that condition, and not some
	mysterious poison, that caused the
	accelerated chemical reaction?

		STONE
	No. I personally give the men a physical
	examination every three months.  And every
	three months Private Santiago got a clean
	bill of health.

		KAFFEE
	And that's why it had to be, poison,
	right, Commander? 'Cause Lord knows, if
	you put a man with a serious coronary
	condition back on duty with a clean bill
	of health, and that man died from a heart
	related incident, you'd have a lot to
	answer for, wouldn't you, doctor?

		ROSS
	Object.  Move to strike.

		RANDOLPH
	Sustained.  Strike it.

		KAFFEE
	No more questions, judge.

ROSS stands immediately.


.



		ROSS
	Dr. Stone, you've held a license to
	practice medicine for 21 years, you are
	Board Certified in Internal Medicine, you
	are the Chief of Internal Medicine at a
	hospital which serves over 8000 men.  In
	your professional opinion, was Willy
	Santiago poisoned?

Jo stands.

		JO
	Your Honor, we re-new our objection to
	Commander Stone's testimony, and ask that
	it be stricken from the record. And we
	further ask that the Court instruct the
	jury to lend no weight to this witness's
	testimony.

KAFFEE and SAM are dying, but they're trying to keep their
poker-faces. RANDOLPH'S gonna try to be polite about this,
but he thought he made himself clear.

		RANDOLPH
	The objection's overruled, counsel.

		JO
	Sir, the defense strenuously objects and
	requests a meeting in chambers so that his
	honor might have an opportunity to hear
	discussion before ruling on the objection.

		RANDOLPH
	The objection of the defense has been
	heard and overruled.

		JO
	Exception.

		RANDOLPH
	Noted.

The witness is an expert and the court will hear his opinion.

		ROSS
	Doctor, in your expert, professional
	opinion, was Willy Santiago poisoned?

		STONE
	Yes.

		ROSS
	Thank you, sir, I have no more questions.

		RANDOLPH
	Commander, you may step down.

.



		ROSS
	Please the Court, while we reserve the
	right to call rebuttal witnesses if the
	need arises, the Government rests.

		RANDOLPH
	We'll stand in recess until ten-hundred
	hours this Monday, the l9th at which time
	the defense will call it's first witness.

RANDOLPH raps his gavel.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	Ten hut.

And the courtroom begins clearing out. KAFFEE, JO and SAM are
packing up their various papers.

		SAM
	I strenuously object?  Is that how it
	works?  Objection. Overruled.  No, no, no,
	no, I strenuously object.  Oh, well if you
	strenuously object, let me take a moment
	to reconsider.

		JO
	I got it on the record.

		SAM
	You also got it in the jury's head that
	we're afraid of the doctor.  You object
	once so they can hear you say he's not a
	criminologist.  You keep after it and it
	looks like this great cross we did was
	just a bunch of fancy lawyer tricks.  It's
	the difference between paper law and
	trial--

		KAFFEE
	Sam--

		SAM
	Christ, you even had the Judge saying
	Stone was an expert!

		KAFFEE
	Sam, she made a mistake.  Let's not relive
	it.

There's an uncomfortable silence.

		SAM
	I'm gonna go call my wife.  I'll meet you
	tonight.

Sam starts to leave.  JO turns and says

.



		JO
	Why do you hate them so much?

Sam stops and turns around.

		SAM
	They beat up on a weakling, and that's all
	they did.  The rest is just smokefilled
	coffee-house crap.  They tortured and
	tormented a weaker kid.  They didn't like
	him.  And they killed him.  And why?
	Because he couldn't run very fast.

A long silence.  KAFFEE makes a decision  Alright.  Everybody
take the night off.

		SAM
		(continuing)
	I apologize, I,--

		KAFFEE
	It's alright.  We've been working 20 hour
	days for three and a half weeks straight.
	Take the night off.  Go see your wife, see
	your daughter.  Jo, do whatever it is you
	do when you're not here.  What day is
	tomorrow?

		SAM
	Saturday.

		KAFFEE
	We'll start at ten.

KAFFEE picks up his stuff and walks out.

SAM and JO stand there uncomfortably for a moment.  JO begins
packing up her things.

		SAM
	Why do you like them so much?

		JO
		(pause)
	'Cause they stand on a wall.
		(beat)
	And they say "Nothing's gonna hurt you
	tonight.  Not on my watch."

Despite their differences, SAM likes this woman.

		SAM
	Don't worry about the doctor.  This trial
	starts Monday.

						CUT TO:

.



INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

A baseball game is on.

KAFFEE's pacing slowly around, carrying his baseball bat.
He's looking at the blackboard as he walks around the room.

He's studying it. Studying it hard. There's a knock on the
door.  KAFFEE answers it. JO is standing in the doorway.

I'm sorry to bother you, I should've called first.

		KAFFEE
	No, I was just watching a baseball game.

		JO
	I was wondering if--how you'd feel about
	my taking you to dinner tonight.

		KAFFEE
	Jo, are you asking me out on a date?

		JO
	No.

		KAFFEE
	It sounded like you were asking me out on
	a date.

		JO
	I wasn't.

		KAFFEE
	I've been asked out on dates before, and
	that's what it sounded like.

		JO
	Do you like seafood?  I know a good
	seafood place.

						CUT TO:



INT.  A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT - NIGHT

On the Virginia side of the Potomac.  KAFFEE and JO are
sitting at a table, finishing up dinner.

		JO
	My third case was a Drunk and Disorderly.
	The trial lasted nine weeks.  I rounded up
	31 people who were in the bar that night.

		KAFFEE
	Nine weeks on a D and D? What was the
	prosecutor offering?
.



		JO
	15 days.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	Well, you sure hustled the shit outta him.

		JO
	After that, they moved me to internal
	affairs.

		KAFFEE
	Tough to blame them.

		JO
	Where I've earned two distinguished
	service medals and two letters of
	commendation.

		KAFFEE
	Why are you always giving me your resume?

		JO
	Because I want you to think I'm good
	lawyer.

		KAFFEE
	I do.

		JO
	No you don't.
		(beat)
	I think you're an exceptional lawyer.  I
	watch the jurors, they respond to you,
	they like you.  I see you convincing them.
	I think Dawson and Downey are gonna end up
	owing their lives to you.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	Jo... I think you have to prepare yourself
	for the fact that we're gonna lose.
		(beat)
	Ross's opening speech, it was all true.
		(beat)
	I mean, let's pretend for a minute that it
	would actually matter to this jury that
	the guys were given an order. We can't
	prove it ever happened.
		(beat)
	We'll keep doing what we're doing, and
	we'll put on a show, but at the end of the
	day, all we have is the testimony of two
	people accused of murder.

		JO
	We'll find Markinson.
.



		KAFFEE
	Jo, we're gonna lose.  And we're gonna
	lose huge.

We HOLD on then for a moment, and in VOICE OVER hear

		HOWARD (V.O.)
	Corporal Jeffrey Owen Howard, Marine
	Barracks Windward, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

						CUT TO:

CORPORAL HOWARD, the young marine who drove the lawyers
around Cuba, is on the stand.

		KAFFEE
	Corporal Howard, name some reasons why a
	marine would get a code red?

		HOWARD
	Being late for platoon or company
	meetings, keeping his barracks in
	disorder, falling back on a run...

		KAFFEE
	Have you ever received a code red?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir. We were doing seven man assault
	drills, and my weapon slipped.  It's just
	cause it was over a hundred degrees and my
	palms were sweaty and I'd forgot to use
	the resin like we were taught.

		KAFFEE
	And what happened?

		HOWARD
	That night the guys in my squad threw a
	blanket over me and took turns punching me
	in the arm for five minutes. Then they
	poured glue on my hands.  And it worked,
	too, 'cause I ain't never dropped my
	weapon since.

		KAFFEE
	Was Private Santiago ever late for platoon
	meetings?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
	Was his barracks ever in disorder?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir.
.



		KAFFEE
	Did he ever fall back on a run?

		HOWARD
	All the time, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Did he ever, prior to the night of August
	6th, receive a code red?

		HOWARD
	No sir.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Never?

		HOWARD
	No, sir.

		KAFFEE
	You got a code red 'cause your palms were
	sweaty.  Why didn't Santiago, this burden
	to his unit, ever get one?

		HOWARD
	Dawson wouldn't allow it, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Dawson wouldn't allow it.

		HOWARD
	The guys talked tough about Santiago, but
	they wouldn't go near him.  They were too
	afraid of Dawson, sir.

		ROSS
	Object.  The witness is characterizing.

		KAFFEE
	I'll rephrase.  Jeffrey, did you ever want
	to give Santiago a code red?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir.

		KAFFEE
	Why didn't you?

		HOWARD
	'Cause Dawson'd kick my butt, sir.

		KAFFEE
	Good enough.  Lt.  Ross is gonna ask you
	some questions now.


.



ROSS takes three books out of his briefcase and puts them on
the table.  He brings one to HOWARD.

		ROSS
	Corporal Howard, I hold here The Marine
	Guide and General Information Handbook for
	New Recruits.  Are you familiar with this
	book?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir.

		ROSS
	Have you read it?

		HOWARD
	Yes sir.

		ROSS
	Good.
		(hands him the book)
	Would you turn to the chapter that deals
	with code reds, please.

		HOWARD
	Sir?

		ROSS
	Just flip to the page in that book that
	discusses code reds.

		HOWARD
	Sir, you see, Code Red is a term we use--
	it's just used down at GITMO, sir.  I
	don't know if it actually--

ROSS has produced another book.

		ROSS
	We're in luck, then.  The Marine Corps
	Guide for Sentry Duty, NAVY BASE
	Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  I assume we'll find
	the term code red and its definition in
	this book, am I correct?

		HOWARD
	No sir.

		ROSS
	No? Corporal Howard, I'm a marine.  Is
	their no book, no manual or pamphlet, no
	set of orders or regulations that let me
	know that, as a marine, one of my duties
	is to perform code reds?



.



		HOWARD
		(pause)
	No sir.  No books, sir.

		ROSS
	No further questions.

ROSS sits.  KAFFEE walks over to ROSS's table and picks up
one of the books.  He brings it to HOWARD.

		KAFFEE
	Corporal, would you turn to the page in
	this book that says where the enlisted
	men's mess hall is?

		HOWARD
	Lt. Kaffee, that's not in the book, sir.

		KAFFEE
	I don't understand, how did you know where
	the enlisted men's mess hall was if it's
	not in this book?

		HOWARD
	I guess I just followed the crowd at chow
	time, sir.

		KAFFEE
	No more questions.

KAFFEE chucks the book back on ROSS's desk.

		RANDOLPH
	Corporal Howard, you can step down.

		HOWARD
		(greatly relieved)
	Thank you, sir.

KAFFEE gives HOWARD a subtle "You Did Good, Kid" look, and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DUSK

It's the end of the day's session.  KAFFEE walks down the
hall with SAM and JO.

		KAFFEE
	Seven tonight, we'll do a final Kendrick
	review.  I want to slam- dunk this guy.

						CUT TO:




.



EXT.  SIDEWALK STAND - NIGHT

KAFFEE'S CAR

as it drives along a street in the D.C. business district.
it's evening now and the windshield wipers are fighting
against a rain

KAFFEE pulls over at his usual newsstand.  He hops out,
leaving the lights flashing and the door open, and runs to
the stand.

		KAFFEE
	Hey, Luther.

		LUTHER
	Admiral, how's the big case goin'?

		KAFFEE
	Nose to the grindstone.

		LUTHER
	No flies on you.

		KAFFEE
	A rolling stone gathers no moss.

		LUTHER
	Yeah, well it ain't over til the fat lady
	sings.

		KAFFEE
	Ain't that the truth.  Catch you tomorrow.

He gets back in his car, tosses the newspaper on the
passenger seat, and turns on the ignition.  And as soon as he
does

--a hand is slapped over his mouth--

		VOICE (O.S.)
	It's Matthew Markinson.

--and KAFFEE jumps out of his skin.

Because sitting in the back seat, in civilian clothes, is
MARKINSON.

		KAFFEE
	Jesus fucking Christ!!--

		MARKINSON
	You left the door unlocked.

		KAFFEE
	Scared the shit outta me.

.



		MARKINSON
	Drive.

		KAFFEE
	Are you aware you're under subpoena?

		MARKINSON
	Yes.  I'm also aware that the lives of two
	marines are in your hands.  If there was
	something I could do about that, I would,
	but since I can't, all I can do is help
	you.  Why don't you drive, Lieutenant.

KAFFEE begins driving down the street.

		KAFFEE
	What do you know?

		MARKINSON
	I know everything.

		KAFFEE
	Was it a code red?

		MARKINSON
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Did Kendrick give the order?

		MARKINSON
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Did you witness it?

		MARKINSON
	I didn't need to--

		KAFFEE
	Did you witness it?!

		MARKINSON
	No.

		KAFFEE
	Then how do you know?

		MARKINSON
	I know.

		KAFFEE
	You know shit.

		MARKINSON
	He was never gonna be transferred off the
	base.
.



And with this, KAFFEE screeches the car over to the side of
the road.  He grabs the parking brake and pulls it up.  He
turns to Markinson.

		MARKINSON
		(continuing)
	Jessep was going to keep him on the base.
	He said he wanted him trained.

		KAFFEE
	We've got the transfer order. it's got
	your signature.

		MARKINSON
	I know.  I signed it the morning you
	arrived in Cuba. Six days after Santiago
	died.

KAFFEE's wheels are spinning.  He's pumped.

		KAFFEE
	I'm gonna get you a deal.  Some kind of
	immunity with the prosecutor.  In about
	four days, you're gonna appear as a
	witness for the defense, and you're gonna
	tell the court exactly what you told me.
	Right now I'm gonna check you into a
	motel, and we're gonna start from the
	beginning.

		MARKINSON
	I don't want a deal.  And I don't want
	immunity.

KAFFEE shakes his head and laughs.

		MARKINSON
		(continuing)
	I want you to know, I'm proud neither of
	what I've done nor what I'm doing.

KAFFEE puts the car in gear and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Where KAFFEE has just finished telling his story to an amazed
SAM and JO.

There's silence.

Then JO has a total adrenaline rush.

		JO
	Where is he?

.



		KAFFEE
	The Route 23 Best Western.

JO picks up the phone.

		JO
	I want him guarded.

		KAFFEE
	That's probably a good idea.

		JO
		(into phone)
	This is Lt. Commander Joanne Galloway. My
	clearance code is 411273.

KAFFEE is impressed.  He turns to SAM--

		KAFFEE
	Clearance code?

		JO
	Thank you.

		KAFFEE
		(to SAM)
	I don't have a clearance code.  Do you
	have a--

		JO
		(into phone)
	It's Jo Galloway.  I need to secure a
	witness.

Jo continues giving information to the person on the phone,
while Kaffee keeps talking to the both of them.  Sam is
writing down notes as fast as he can.

		KAFFEE
	He also said that Jessep's lying about the
	transportation off the base.  Jessep said
	six the next morning was the first flight
	Santiago could've left on, Markinson says
	there was a plane that left seven hours
	earlier.

JO hangs up the phone.

		JO
	Damn.

		KAFFEE
	That was impressive.  Did you hear what I
	just said about the flight?

		JO
	Yes.
.



		KAFFEE
	Sam, when a plane takes off from a base,
	there's gotta be some kind of record kept,
	right?

		SAM
	We need the Tower Chief's Log for GITMO.

		KAFFEE
		(to SAM)
	Get it.

		JO
	We're gonna win.

		KAFFEE
	Jo, don't get crazy about this. We don't
	know who Markinson is.  We don't know what
	the log book's gonna say.  You just
	concentrate on Downey.  I'm gonna talk to
	Ross and tell him where we are.

		JO
		(sing-song)
	"Kaffee's got his case now, Kaffee's got
	his case now."

		KAFFEE
	You are like seven of the strangest women
	I have ever met.

						CUT TO:

INT.  A WASHINGTON SALOON - NIGHT

A WAITRESS sets two drinks down in front of KAFFEE and ROSS,
who are sitting across from each other in a booth in the back.

		ROSS
	That was nice work today.  The redirect on
	Howard.

		KAFFEE
	I have Markinson.

ROSS only takes a moment digest this.

		ROSS
	Where is he?

		KAFFEE
	A motel room in Arlington with 14 Federal
	Marshals outside his door.  Take a sip of
	your drink.

		ROSS
	Damn.
.



		KAFFEE
	The transfer order that Parkinson signed
	is phoney. And Jessep's statement that the
	six a.m. flight was the first available is
	a lie, we're checking the tower chief's
	log. But in the meantime I'm gonna put the
	Apostle Jon Kendrick on the stand and see
	if we can't have a little fun.

ROSS takes another sip of his drink, then lays it on the line
for Kaffee..

		ROSS
	I have an obligation to tell you that if
	you accuse Kendrick or Jessep of any crime
	without proper evidence, you'll be subject
	to Court-Martial for professional
	misconduct.  And that's something that'll
	be stapled to every job application you
	ever fill out.  Markinson's not gonna hold
	up, he's a crazy man.  I'm not saying this
	to intimidate you.  I'm being your lawyer.

		KAFFEE
	Thanks, Jack.  And I wanna tell you that
	I think the whole fuckin' bunch of you are
	certifiably insane. And this code of honor
	of yours makes me wanna beat the shit
	outta something.

		ROSS
	Don't you dare lump me in with Jessep and
	Markinson and Kendrick because we wear the
	same uniform.  I'm your friend, Danny, and
	I'm telling you, I don't think your
	clients belong in jail.  But I don't get
	to make that decision.  I represent the
	Government of the United States.  Without
	passion or prejudice.  And my client has
	a case.
		(pause)
	I want you to acknowledge that the judge
	advocate has made you aware of the
	possible consequences involved in accusing
	a marine officer of a felony without
	proper evidence.

		KAFFEE
	I've been so advised.

ROSS stands up and heaves a few dollars on the table.

		ROSS
	You got bullied into that courtroom,
	Danny.  By everyone. By Dawson, by
	Galloway, shit, I practically dared you.

.




	Not for a second have you believed you
	could win.  You got bullied into that room
	by the memory of a dead lawyer.

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	You're a lousy softball player, Jack.

		ROSS
	Your boys are going down.  I can't stop it
	anymore.

						CUT TO:

INT.  COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

People are filing in.  KENDRICK is standing at the entrance
to the courtroom.  KAFFEE glides past him...

		KAFFEE
	Batter up, J.J.

KENDRICK watches this impudent thing walk into the courtroom
as we

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTROOM - DAY

KENDRICK's on the stand.  What drives Kaffee's entire
examination of Kendrick is this: Kaffee's got him.  He's
gonna win.  At least this round.  All he has to do is not let
his emotions take control of his professional skill.

SAM will have files and documents ready to hand Kaffee as he
needs them.

		KAFFEE
	Lt. Kendrick, in your opinion, was Private
	Santiago a good marine?

		KENDRICK
	I'd say he was about average.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant, you signed three fitness
	reports on Santiago.  On all three reports
	you indicated a rating of Below Average.

		KENDRICK
	Yes.  Private Santiago was Below Average
	I didn't see the need in trampling on a
	man's grave.



.



		KAFFEE
	We appreciate that, but you're under oath
	now, and I think unpleasant as it may be,
	we'd all just as soon hear the truth.

		KENDRICK
	I'm aware of my oath.

KAFFEE's handed some more files.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant, these are the last three
	fitness reports you signed for Lance
	Corporal Dawson and PFC Downey.  Downey
	received three straight marks of
	Exceptional. Dawson received two marks of
	Exceptional, but on this most recent
	report, dated June 9th of this year, he
	received a rating of Below Average.  It's
	this last report that I'd like to discuss
	for a moment.

		KENDRICK
	That's fine.

		KAFFEE
	Lance Corporal Dawson's ranking after
	Infantry Training School was perfect.
	Records indicate that over half that class
	has since been promoted to full corporal,
	while Dawson has remained a lance
	corporal.  Was Dawson's promotion held up
	because of this last fitness report.

		KENDRICK
	I'm sure it was.

		KAFFEE
	Do you recall why Dawson was given such a
	poor grade on this report?

		KENDRICK
	I'm sure I don't.  I have many men in my
	charge, Lieutenant, I write many fitness
	reports.

		KAFFEE
	Do you recall an incident involving a PFC
	Curtis Barnes who'd been found stealing
	liquor from the Officer's Club?

		KENDRICK
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Did you report private Barnes to the
	proper authorities?
.



		KENDRICK
	I have two books at my bedside,
	Lieutenant, the Marine Code of Conduct and
	the King James Bible. The only proper
	authorities I'm aware of are my Commanding
	Officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep and the
	Lord our God.

		KAFFEE
	Lt. Kendrick, at your request, I can have
	the record reflect your lack of
	acknowledgment of this court as a proper
	authority.

		ROSS
	Objection.  Argumentative.

		RANDOLPH
	Sustained.
		(to KAFFEE)
	Watch yourself, counselor.

		KAFFEE
	Did you report Private Barnes to your
	superiors?

		KENDRICK
	I remember thinking very highly of Private
	Barnes, and not wanting to see his record
	tarnished by a formal charge.

		KAFFEE
	You preferred it to be handled within the
	unit.

		KENDRICK
	I most certainly did.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant, do you know what a Code Red is?

		KENDRICK
	Yes I do.

		KAFFEE
	Have you ever ordered a code red?

		KENDRICK
	No, I have not.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant, did you order Dawson and two
	other men to make sure that Private Barnes
	receive no food or drink except water for
	a period of seven days?


.



		KENDRICK
	That's a distortion of the truth.  Private
	Barnes was placed on barracks restriction.
	He was given water and vitamin
	supplements, and I assure you that at no
	time was his health in danger.

		KAFFEE
	I'm sure it was lovely for Private Barnes,
	but you did order the barracks
	restriction, didn't you?  And you did
	order the denial of food.

		KENDRICK
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	Wouldn't this form of discipline be
	considered a code red?

		KENDRICK
		(beat)
	Not necessarily.

		KAFFEE
	If I called the other 8000 men at
	Guantanamo Bay to testify, would they
	consider it a Code Red?

		ROSS
	Please the court, the witness can't
	possibly testify as to what 8000 other men
	would say. We object to this entire line
	of questioning as argumentative and
	irrelevant badgering of the witness.

		RANDOLPH
	The Goverrment's objection is sustained,
	Lt. Kaffee, and I would remind you that
	you're now questioning marine officer with
	an impeccable service record.

		ROSS
	Thank you judge.

KAFFEE looks over at DAWSON.  They share a brief moment
before KAFFEE turns back to KENDRICK.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant, was Dawson given a rating of
	Below Average on this last fitness report
	because you learned held been sneaking
	food to Private Barnes?
		(to ROSS)
	Not so fast.
		(to KENDRICK)
	Lieutenant?
.



		KENDRICK
	Corporal Dawson was found to be Below
	Average because he committed a crime.

		KAFFEE
	What crime did he commit?
		(beat)
	Lieutenant Kendrick?
		(beat)
	Dawson brought a hungry guy some food.
	What crime did he commit?

		KENDRICK
	He disobeyed an order.

		KAFFEE
	And because he did, because he exercised
	his own set of values, because he made a
	decision about the welfare of a marine
	that was in conflict with an order of
	yours, he was punished, is that right?

		KENDRICK
	Corporal Dawson disobeyed an order.

		KAFFEE
	Yeah, but it wasn't a order, was it? After
	all, it's peacetime.  He wasn't being
	asked to secure a hill...or advance on a
	beachhead.  I mean, surely a marine of
	Dawson's intelligence can be trusted to
	determine on his own, which are the really
	important orders, and which orders might,
	say, be morally questionable.
		(beat)
	Lt. Kendrick?
		(beat)
	Can he?  Can Corporal Dawson determine on
	his own which orders he's gonna follow?
		(pause)

		KENDRICK
	No, he can not.

		KAFFEE
	A lesson he learned after the Curtis
	Barnes incident, am I right?

		KENDRICK
	I would think so.

		KAFFEE
	You know so, don't you, Lieutenant.

		ROSS
	Object!

.



		RANDOLPH
	Sustained.

		KAFFEE
	Lieutenant Kendrick, one final question:
	if you ordered Dawson to give Santiago a
	code red...

		ROSS
	--please the court--

		KENDRICK
	I told those men not to touch Santiago.

		KAFFEE
	--is it reasonable to think that he
	would've disobeyed you again?

		ROSS
	Lieutenant, don't answer that.

		KAFFEE
	You don't have to, I'm through.

ROSS doesn't even wait before he says--

		ROSS
	Lieutenant Kendrick, did you order
	Corporal Dawson and Private Downey to give
	Willy Santiaga code red?

But KENDRICK isn't listening--he's glaring at Kaffee.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	Lt. Kendrick, did you--

		KENDRICK
	No I did not.

		ROSS
	Thank you.

						CUT TO:

FWAP! - a nerf ball slams into a hoop.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

INT. KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JO and KAFFEE. KAFFEE's pumped and shooting baskets as Sam
walks in with some bound papers under his arm.

		KAFFEE
	What's the word?

.



		SAM
	This is the tower chief's log for that
	night. Jessep was telling the truth. Tne
	six a.M. Flight was the first plane out.

KAFFEE lets the ball drop out of his hands.

		KAFFEE
	Let me see that.

						CUT TO:

EXT. A MOTEL - NIGHT

A SEDAN, with U.S. MARSHALL stenciled on the door, sits in
front of one of the rooms, and the two FEDERAL AGENTS inside
the car are reading the newspaper as

KAFFEE'S CAR pulls next to them and KAFFEE jumps out.

AGENT #1 sticks his head out the window and calls to KAFFEE--

		AGENT #1
	Workin' late, lieutenant?

KAFFEE pays no attention and bangs on MARKINSON's door. The
door opens and KAFFEE walks into

INT. MOTEL ROOM

HE tosses the log book on the table.

		KAFFEE
	There was no flight out at eleven o'clock.
	What the fuck are you trying to pull?

		MARKINSON
	The first flight stateside left Guantanamo
	Bay at eleven and arrived at Andrews
	Airforce Base, Maryland, at a few minutes
	past two.

		KAFFEE
	Then why the hell isn't it listed in the
	Tower Chief's log?!

		MARKINSON
	Why the hell did you think it would by?!!

KAFFEE is silent.  And now it begins to sink in.

		KAFFEE
	What are you telling me?
		(beat)
	He fixed the log book?

Setback.  Big setback.
.



		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Well, maybe he can make it so a plane
	didn't take off, but I can sure as hall
	prove that one landed.  I'll get the log
	book from Andrews.

MARKINSON says nothing.  But his face says that KAFFEE was
born yesterday.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing; beat)
	He made an entire flight disappear?

		MARKINSON
	Nathan Jessep is about to be named
	Director of Operations for the National
	Security Council.  You don't get to that
	position without knowing how to side-step
	a few land mines.
		(beat)
	And putting me on the stand isn't gonna
	make him step on one.

KAFFEE stares at him.

Then shakes his head, sighs, and picks the log book up off
the table, and heads for the door.

		KAFFEE
	You're taking the stand.  Thursday.

KAFFEE leaves.

HOLD on MARKINSON.

						CUT TO:

INT. KAFFEE'S APARTMENT

KAFFEE'S APARTMENT later that night and SAM and J0 have just
heard the report him.

		KAFFEE
	There's gotta be someone who can testify
	to the flight. A ground crew member.
	Someone.

		SAM
	Do you have any idea how many planes take
	off and land every day? A kid from the
	ground crew isn't gonna remember a flight
	that landed four weeks ago.




.



		KAFFEE
	Forget the flight.  We'll put Markinson on
	the stand and we'll deal with Jessep's
	refusal to transfer Santiago and he'll
	testify to the forged transfer order.
	That'll be enough.  That and Downey's
	testimony really oughta be enough.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE HOLDING ROOM - DAY

Jo is working with DOWNEY.  He sits on a mock witness stand.

		JO
	Private Downey, why did you go into
	Santiago's room on the night of the 6th?

		DOWNEY
	To give Private Santiago a Code Red, ma'am.

		JO
	And why did you give him a Code Red?

		DOWNEY
	I was ordered to give him a Code Red by
	the Executive officer for Rifle Security
	Company Windward, Lieutenent Jonathan
	James Kendrick.

JO smiles.

		JO
	You're gonna do fine.

DOWNEY smiles.

		DOWNEY
	You think they'll let us go back to our
	platoon soon, ma'am?

		JO
		(pause)
	Absolutely.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

Jo is going over last-minute details with KAFFEE.

		JO
	You remember the order of the questions?

		KAFFEE
	Yes.

.



		JO
	Are you sure?

		KAFFEE
	Yes.

		JO
	And you'll use small words?

		KAFFEE
	Yes.

		JO
	He gets rattled when he doesn't understand
	something.

		KAFFEE
	Jo--

		JO
	I'm just saying go slow.

		KAFFEE
	I'm gonna go slow.

		JO
	Okay.

		KAFFEE
	Alright.

		JO
	And get him off as fast as you can.

		KAFFEE
	Joanne!

		JO
	What?

		KAFFEE
	He's gonna be fine.

They turn and head into the courtroom as we HEAR MARKINSON in
VOICE OVER ...

		MARKINSON (V.O.)
	"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Santiago..."

						CUT TO:

INT.  MARKINSON'S ROOM - DAY

MARKINSON is writing a letter and we HEAR it in V.0.



.



		MARKINSON (V.O.)
	I was William's company commander.  I knew
	your son vaguely, which is to say I knew
	his name...

And while we continue to HEAR Markinson's voice writing the
letter, we begin a SERIES OF SHOTS: MARKINSON is getting into
his class A dress uniform, complete with medals, side arm,
and military dress sabre.

		MARKINSON (V.0.)
	In a matter of time, the trial of the two
	man charged with your son's death will be
	concluded, and seven men and two women
	whom you've never met will try to offer
	you an explanation as to why William is
	dead.  For my part, I've done as much as
	I can to bring the truth to light.

MARKINSON is finished dressing.  He stands in the middle of
the motel room.

		MARKINSON (V.0.)
		(continuing)
	And the truth is this: your son is dead
	for only one reason.  I wasn't strong
	enough to stop it.

MARKINSON takes a pistol out of his holster and cocks the
trigger.

		MARKINSON (V.O.)
	Always, Captain Matthew Andrew Markinson.

MARKINSON puts the pistol in his mouth--

		MARKINSON (V.0.)
	United states marine corps.

We HEAR the BLAST of the gunshot as we

						CUT TO:

EXT. - THE COURTROOM - DAY

Kaffee is at the end of his examination of Downey.

		KAFFEE
	Private, I want you to tell us one last
	time: Why did you go into Private
	Santiago's room on the night of August 6th?

		DOWNEY
	A code red was ordered by my platoon
	commander, Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick.


.



		KAFFEE
	Thank you.
		(to ROSS)
	Your witness.

		ROSS
	Private, for the week of 2 August, the
	switch log has you down at Post 39, is
	that correct?

		DOWNEY
	I'm sure it is, sir, they keep that log
	pretty good.

		ROSS
	How far is it from Post 39 to the Windward
	barracks?

		DOWNEY
	It's a ways, sir, it's a hike.

		ROSS
	About how far by jeep?

		DOWNEY
	About ten, fifteen minutes, sir.

		ROSS
	Have you ever had to walk it?

		DOWNEY
	Yes sir.  That day, sir.  Friday.  The
	Pick-up Private--sir, that's what we call
	the fella who drops us at our posts and
	picks us up... also, 'cause he can get
	girls in New York City -- the Pick-up
	Private got a flat...

At the defense table, KAFFEE, poker-faced, scribbles
something down on a piece of paper and slides it to JO.  JO
looks at it:

"Where's he going with this?" JO scribbles I?" and hands it
back to KAFFEE.

		DOWNEY
		(continuing)
	... Right at 39.  He pulled up and blam!
	... A blowout-with no spare.  The two of
	us had to double-time it back to the
	barracks.

		ROSS
	And if it's ten or fifteen minutes by
	jeep, I'm guessing it must be a good hour
	by foot, am I right?

.



		DOWNEY
	Pick-up and me did it in 45 flat, sir.

		ROSS
	Not bad.  Now you say your assault on
	Private Santiago was the result of an
	order that Lt. Kendrick gave in your
	barracks room at 16:20.

KAFFEE knows what's coming.  There's nothing he can do about
it. And he can't lose his cool in front of the jury.

		DOWNEY
	Yes sir.

JO. Helpless. Panicked.

		ROSS
	But you just said that you didn't make it
	back to Windward Barracks until 16:45.

DOWNEY's confused.  These are questions he hasn't been asked
before.

		DOWNEY
	Sir?

		ROSS
	If you didn't make it back to your
	barracks until 16:45, then how could you
	be in your room at 16:20?

		DOWNEY
		(pause)
	You see sir, there was a flat tire.

		ROSS
	Private, did you ever actually hear Lt.
	Kendrick order a Code Red?

KAFFEE's world is falling down around him, and there's
nothing he can do about it.  And he knows it.

		DOWNEY
		(pause)
	No, sir.

Jo leaps to her feet.

		JO
	Please the court, I'd like to request a
	recess in order to confer with my client.

		ROSS
	Why did you go into Santiago's room?


.



		JO
	The witness has rights.

		ROSS
	The witness has been read his rights,
	commander.

		DOWNEY
		(confused)
	Hal?

		RANDOLPH
	The question will be repeated.

		ROSS
	Why did you go into Santiago's room?

		JO
	Your honor--

		DOWNEY
	Hal?

		ROSS
	Did Corporal Dawson tell you to do it?

Everyone is frozen.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	He did, didn't he?  Dawson told you to
	give Santiago a code red.

DOWNEY looks at DAWSON.

		DOWNEY
	Hal?

		ROSS
	Don't look at him.

		DOWNEY
	Hal?

		DAWSON
	Private. Answer the Lieutenant's question.

The room is still silent.  DOWNEY does something we've never
seen him do before.  He straightens himself up and says this
with the pride of a man who believes he's done the right
thing.

		DOWNEY
	Yes, Lieutenant.  I was given an order by
	my squad leader, Lance Corporal Harold W.
	Dawson of the U.S. Marine Corps.  And I
	followed it.
.



ROSS let's it hang.  He looks over at KAFFEE. KAFFEE won't
meet his eyes.

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JO and SAM are sitting in silence.  It's dark outside.

		JO
	Where do you think he is?

SAM doesn't know. JO is beside herself, and trying to keep it
together.

		JO
		(continuing)
	As far as Downey was concerned, it was an
	order from Kendrick.  It didn't matter
	that he didn't hear it first hand.  He
	doesn't distinguish between the two.

SAM understands, but he doesn't say anything. The door opens
and KAFFEE walks in.

		JO
		(continuing)
	Danny.  I'm sorry.

KAFFFEE seems to be in an incredibly normal mood.

		KAFFEE
	Don't worry about it.

		JO
	Sam and I were just talking about how all
	we really have to do is call some
	witnesses who'll talk about implied
	orders.,.or maybe we put Downey back on
	the stand before we get to Dawson.

		KAFFEE
	Maybe if we work at it we can get Dawson
	charged with the Kennedy assassination.

JO studies KAFFEE for a moment.

		JO
	Are you drunk?

		KAFFEE
		(a simple answer)
	Pretty much.  Yeah.

		JO
		(pause)
	I'll make a pot of coffee.  We have a long
	night's work ahead.

.



		KAFFEE
	She's gonna make coffee.  That's nice.
		(beat)
	He wasn't in his room.
		(Kaffee's amazed)
	He wasn't even there.
		(beat)
	That was an important piece of
	information, don't you think?

		JO
		(pause)
	Danny, it was just a setback.  I'm sorry.
	But we'll fix it and then move on to
	Markinson.

		KAFFEE
	Markinson's dead.

JO and SAM are frozen.

KAFFEE says this with no particular feeling one way or the
other.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	You really gotta hand it to those Federal
	Marshals, boy.
		(he almost has to
		 laugh)
	It's not like he hanged himself by his
	shoelaces or slashed his wrists with a
	concealed butter knife. This guy got, into
	full dress uniform, stood in the middle of
	that room, drew a nickle plated pistol
	from his holster, and fired a bullet into
	his mouth.

Jo and SAM don't say anything.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Anyway, since we seem to be out of
	witnesses, I thought I'd drink a little.

		JO
	I still think we can win.

		KAFFEE
	Then maybe you should drink a little.

		JO
	Look, we'll go to Randolph in the morning
	and make a motion for a continuance. 24
	hours.


.



		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Why would we want to do that?

		JO
	To subpoena Colonel Jessep.

		KAFFEE
	What?

		JO
	Listen for a second--

		KAFFEE
	No.

		JO
	Just hear me out--

		KAFFEE
	No. I won't listen to you and I won't hear
	you out.  Your passion is comforting, Jo.
	It's also useless. Private Downey needed
	a trial lawyer today.

		JO
		(pause)
	You chicken-shit.  You're gonna use what
	happened today as an excuse to give up.

		KAFFEE
	It's over!

		JO
	Why did you ask Jessep for the transfer
	order?

		KAFFEE
	What are you--

		JO
	In Cuba. why did you ask Jessep for the
	transfer order?

		KAFFEE
	What does it matter--

		JO
	Why?!

		KAFFEE
	I wanted the damn transfer order!





.



		JO
	Bullshit!  You could've gotten it by
	picking up the phone and calling any one
	of a dozen departments at the Pentagon.
	You didn't want the transfer order.  You
	wanted to see Jessep's reaction when you
	asked for the transfer order.  You had an
	instinct.  And it was confirmed by
	Markinson.  Now damnit, let's put Jessep
	on the stand and end this thing!

		KAFFEE
	What possible good could come from putting
	Jessep on the stand?

		JO
	He told Kendrick to order the Code Red.

		KAFFEE
	He did?!  Why didn't you say so!?  That's
	qreat! And of course you have proof of
	that.

		JO
	I--

		KAFFEE
	Ah, I keep forgetting: You were sick the
	day they taught law at law school.

		JO
	You put him on the stand and you get it
	from him!

		KAFFEE
	Yes. No problem. We get it from him.
		(to SAM)
	Colonel, isn't it true that you ordered
	the Code Red on Santiago?

		SAM
	Look, we're all a little--

		KAFFEE
	I'm sorry, your time's run out.  What do
	we have for the losers, Judge?  Well, for
	our defendants it's a lifetime at exotic
	Fort Levenworth.  And for defense counsel
	Kaffee?  That's right--It's-- A Court-
	Martial. Yes, Johnny, after falsely
	accusing a marine officer of conspiracy,
	Lt.  Kaffee will have a long and
	prosperous career teaching typewriter
	maintenance at the Rocco Columbo School
	for Women.  Thank you for playing "Should
	We or Should-We-Not Follow the Advice of
	the Galacticly Stupid".
.



And with one motion, he knocks everything from his desk.  A
ton of papers, books, files, etc., falls to the floor.

There's dead silence.  Maybe just the sound of KAFFEE
breathing after this exhausting outburst.

Finally...

		JO
	I'm sorry I lost you your set of steak
	knives.

Jo picks up her purse and coat and walks out.  The door slams
behind her.

KAFFEE walks into the kitchen without a word.

SAM gets down on the floor and begins picking up all the
stuff that Kaffee knocked off the desk.

KAFFEE comes back in with a bottle of Jack Daniels.

		KAFFEE
	Stop cleaning up.

But Sam continues.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Sam.  Stop cleaning up.

SAM stops and sits in a chair.  KAFFEE sits on the couch.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	You want a drink?

		SAM
	Yeah.

SAM takes a swig from the bottle.

		KAFFEE
	Is your father proud of you?

		SAM
	Don't do this to yourself.

		KAFFEE
	I'll bet he is.  I'll bet he bores the
	shit outta the neighbors and the
	relatives.  "Sam, made Law Review.  He's
	got a big case he's making--He's arguing
	making an argument."



.




		(pause)
	I think my father would've enjoyed seeing
	me graduate from law school.
		(beat)
	I think he would've liked that... an awful
	lot.

		SAM
	Did I ever tell you that I wrote a paper
	on your father in college?

		KAFFEE
	Yeah?

		SAM
	He was one of the best trial lawyers ever.

		KAFFEE
	Yes he was.

		SAM
	And if I were Dawson and Downey and I had
	a choice between you or your father to
	represent me in this case, I'd take you
	any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
	You should have seen yourself thunder away
	at Kendrick.

		KAFFEE
	Would you put Jessep on the stand?

		SAM
	No.

		KAFFEE
	You think my father would've?

		SAM
	With the evidence we've got?  Not in a
	million years. But here's the thing-and
	there's really no way of getting around
	this--neither Lionel Kaffee nor Sam
	Weinberg are lead counsel for the defense
	in the matter of U.S. versus Dawson and
	Downey.  So there's only one Question what
	would you do?

We HOLD on the two of them for a moment, then

						CUT TO:

EXT.  A SUBURBAN STREET - NIGHT

JO is walking through the night at a brisk pace.  She's doing
her best not to fall apart.

.



TWO HEADLIGHTS appear coming down the street, and KAFFEE's
CAR, with SAM driving and KAFFEE riding shotgun, slows down
alongside JO.  KAFFEE rolls down his window.

		KAFFEE
	Joanne.

JO ignores them and keeps walking.  The car crawls along with
her.

JO starts walking faster.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Jo, we look ridiculous.
		(to SAM)
	Stop the car.

KAFFEE hops out and calls--

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Joanne.

JO keeps walking.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	I apologize.  I was angry and... I'm sorry
	about what I said.

But JO'S still walking.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing; calling)
	I'm gonna put Jessep On the stand.

She stops.  She turns around.

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT - LATER- AFTERNOON

A nerf ball bounces off the wall.

KAFFEE, JO and SAM are sprawled out in the living room.  For
hours now they've been trying to come up with an idea.
KAFFEE's mind seems to be on his basketball game.

		JO
	I say we hit him with the phoney transfer
	order.

		SAM
	What's the transfer order without a
	witness?

.



		KAFFEE
	We have a witness.

		SAM
	A dead witness.

		KAFFEE
	And in the hands of a lesser attorney,
	that'd be a problem.

		SAM
	Look at this.  Last night he was swimming
	in his Jack Daniels, now he can leap tall
	buildings in a single bound.

		KAFFEE
	I'm getting my second wind.  Siddown.
	Both of you.

He sees that SAM and JO were already sitting down.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Good.
		(beat)
	Jessep told Kendrick to order a code red.
	Kendrick did, and our clients followed the
	order.  The cover-up isn't our case.  To
	win, Jessep has to tell the jury that he
	ordered the code red.

		SAM
	And you think you can got him to just say
	it?

		KAFFEE
	I think he wants to say it.  I think he's
	pissed off that he's gotta hide from us.
	I think he wants to say that he made a
	command decision and that's the end of it.
	He eats breakfast 80 yards away from 4000
	Cubans who are trained to kill him, and no
	one's gonna tell him how to run his base.
	Least of all the pushy broad, the smart
	Jew, and the Harvard clown.  I need to
	shake him and put him on the defensive.

SAM and JO are silent for a moment.

		SAM
	That's it?  That's the plan?

		KAFFEE
	That's the plan.



.



		SAM
	You're gonna trip Jessep and he's gonna
	confess.

		KAFFEE
	I'm not gonna trip him.  I'm gonna lead
	him right where he's dying to go.

		SAM
	And how are you gonna do that?

		KAFFEE
	I have no idea.  I need my bat.

		JO
	What?

		KAFFEE
		(looking around)
	I need my bat.  I think better with my
	bat.  Where's my bat?

		JO
	I put it in the closet.

		KAFFEE
	You put it in the closet.

KAFFEE heads to the closet.

		JO
	I was tripping over it.

		KAFFEE (O.S.)
	Don't ever put a bat in a closet.

		JO
	He thinks better his bat?

And we go to KAFFEE AT THE CLOSET.

OFFSCREEN we HEAR

		SAM (O.S.)
	I can understand that.  I used to have
	stuffed panda named Mr. Bobo.  I could
	never do my home work without him.

During this, KAFFEE's opened the closet door.  He reaches in
to grab his bat when all of a sudden he notices something:

His clothes.

His uniforms and his civilian clothes. Hanging neatly along
the bar. He stares at this a moment, then suddenly heads back
through the living room towards the front door.

.



		KAFFEE
	Stay here, I'm going to the office for a
	while.

KAFFEE storms out.

		SAM
	Boy, he does think better with that bat.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COMPUTER ROOM - DUSK

A small room at the end of a corridor at the office.  KAFFEE
stands over a printer and watches it spit out something he's
been waiting for.  He tears the printout off and we

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S OFFICE - EARLY EVENING

KAFFEE,ls looking over the computer printout.  From what we
can tell, it resembles a large, military coded phone bill.

KAFFEE picks up the phone and dials.

		KAFFEE
		(into phone)
	Sam.
		(beat)
	I need you to do something.

						CUT TO:

INT.  KAFFEE'S APARTMENT

SAM hangs up the phone slowly.

		JO
	What's goin' on?

		SAM
	I've gotta go out to Andrews.

						CUT TO:

INT.  COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY

The day's session is going to begin in a few minutes.  KAFFEE
comes around the corner and runs into Jo.

		KAFFEE
	Is Sam here?

		JO
	Not yet.

.



		KAFFEE
	Where is he?

		JO
	He's on his way.

		KAFFEE
	Did he got the guys?

		JO
	Yes. Listen, can I talk to you for a
	second?

						CUT TO:

INT.  AN ANTE-ROOM OFF THE CORRIDOR - DAY

JO closes the door behind them.

		JO
	How're you feeling?

		KAFFEE
	I think he's gonna have his hands full
	today.

		JO
	Listen.
		(beat)
	Danny.
		(beat)
	When you're out there. If it's not gonna
	happen he's not gonna say it
		(beat)
	... don't go for it.

KAFFEE looks at her.

		JO
		(continuing)
	If you feel like... if you feel like...
	You could get in trouble.
		(beat)
	I'm special counsel for internal affairs,
	and I'm telling you, you could get in a
	lot of trouble.

		KAFFEE
	Why Lt.  Commander Galloway ... are you
	suggesting I back off a material witness?

		JO
	If you think you can't get him.
		(beat)
	Yeah.


.



		KAFFEE
	Do you think I can get him?

		JO
		(beat)
	I think it doesn't matter what I think.
	I'm an administrator.
		(beat)
	I can't seem to defend people.

KAFFEE takes that in.  He picks up his briefcase and grabs
his jacket.

Then he turns to JO.

		KAFFEE
	You're my hero, Joanne.
		(beat)
	From the first day, you were a lawyer.
		(beat)
	Live with that.

And in VOICE OVER we HEAR the SERGEANT AT ARMS.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS (V.0.)
	All rise.

						CUT TO:

INT.  THE COURTROOM - DAY

Everyone stands at attention as RANDOLPH enters. SAM is
missing.

		RANDOLPH
		(to KAFFEE)
	Call your witness.

		KAFFEE
	Where's Sam?

		JO
	He'll be here.

		RANDOLPH
	Lieutenant, call your witness.

		KAFFEE
	Defense calls Colonel Nathan Jessep.

JESSEP is escorted in through a side door. He's wearing his
dress uniforms, adorned with the appropriate medals.





.



		ROSS
	Colonel, do you solemnly swear that the
	testimony you will give in this General
	Court-Martial will be the truth, the whole
	truth, and nothing but the truth so help
	you God?

		JESSEP
	Yes I do.

		ROSS
	Would you state your name, rank, and
	current billet for the record please, air?

		JESSEP
	Colonel Nathan R. Jessep, Commanding
	officer, Marine Ground Forces, Guantanamo
	Bay, Cuba.

		ROSS
	Thank you, sir, would you have a seat,
	please.

JESSEP sits.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel, when you learned of Santiago's
	letter to the NIS, you had a meeting witht
	your two senior officers, is that right?

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	The Executive Officer, Lt.  Jonathan
	Kendrick, and the Company Commander,
	Captain Matthew Markinson.

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	And at present, Captain Markinson is dead,
	is that right?

		ROSS
	Objection.  I'd like to know just what
	defense counsel is implying?

		KAFFEE
	I'm implying simply that, at present,
	Captain Markinson is not alive.

		ROSS
	Surely Colonel Jessep doesn't need to
	appear in this courtroom to confirm that
	information.
.



		KAFFEE
	I just wasn't sure if the witness was
	aware that two days ago, Captain Markinson
	took his own life with a .45 caliber
	pistol.

And from the back of the room, SAM enters.  He's escorting
two young AIRMEN in Airforce dress uniforms.  SAM shows the
AIRMEN to a seat near the front, and takes his place at the
defense table.

Over this we HEAM--

		RANDOLPH (O.S.)
	The witness is aware, the Court is aware,
	and now the jury is aware.  We thank you
	for bringing this to our attention.  Move
	on Lieutenant.

SAM scribbles something on a piece of paper, KAFFEE walks
over, looks at the paper on which are wrttten two names:
Cecil O'Malley and Anthony Perez, then turns back to RANDOLPH.

		KAFFEE
	Yes sir. Colonel, at the time of this
	meeting, you gave Lt.  Kendrick an order,
	is that right?

		JESSEP
	I told Kendrick to tell his men that
	Santiago wasn't to be touched.

		KAFFEE
	And did you give an order to Captain
	Markinson as well?

		JESSEP
	I ordered Markinscn to have Santiago
	transferred off the base immediately.

		KAFFEE
	Why?

		JESSEP
	I felt that his life might be in danger
	once word of the letter got out.

		KAFFEE
	Grave danger?

		JESSEP
	Is there another kind?

KAFFEE holds up a document from his table.



.



		KAFFEE
	We have the transfer order that you and
	Markinson co-signed, ordering that
	Santiago be lifted on a flight leaving
	Guantanamo at six the next morning.  Was
	that the first flight off the bass?

		JESSEP
	The six a.m. flight was the first flight
	off the base.

KAFFEE nods and decides to move on.

JESSEP steals a quick glance at the two AIRMEN sitting out in
the courtroom.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel, you flew up to Washington early
	this morning, is that right?

		JESSEP
	Yes.

I notice you're wearing your Class A appearance in dress
uniform for court today.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	As are you, Lieutenant.

		KAFFEE
	Did you wear that uniform on the plane?

		ROSS
	Please the Court, is this dialogue
	relevant to anything in particular?

		KAFFEE
	The defense didn't have an opportunity to
	depose this witness, your honor.  I'd ask
	the Court for a little latitude.

		RANDOLPH
	A very little latitude.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel?

		JESSEP
	I wore fatigues on the plane.

		KAFFEE
	And you brought your dress uniform with
	you.

		JESSEP
	Yes.
.



		KAFFEE
	And a toothbrush?  A shaving kit?  Change
	of underwear?

		ROSS
	Your honor.

		KAFFEE
		(to ROSS)
	Is the Colonel's underwear a matter of
	national security?

		RANDOLPH
	Gentlemen.
		(to KAFFEE)
	You better get somewhere fast with this,
	Lieutenant.

		KAFFEE
	Yes sir.  Colonel?

		JESSEP
	I brought a change of clothes and some
	personal items.

		KAFFEE
	Thank you.

KAFFEE gets a document from his table.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	After Dawson and Downey's arrest on the
	night of the sixth, Santiago's barracks
	room was sealed off and its contents
	inventoried.
		(reading)
	Pairs of camouflage pants, 6 camouflage
	shirts, 2 pairs of boots, 1 pair of brown
	shoes, 1 pair of tennis shoes, 8 khaki tee-
	shirts, 2 belts, 1 sweater--

		ROSS
	Please the Court, is there a question
	anywhere in our future?

		RANDOLPH
	Lt. Kaffee, I have to--

		KAFFEE
	I'm wondering why Santiago wasn't packed.

That landed.  On the JURY, RANDOLPH, ROSS ...




.



		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	I'll tell you what, we'll get back to that
	one in a minute.

JO hands KAFFEE the computer printout.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	This is a record of all telephone calls
	made from your base in the past 24 hours.
	After being subpoenaed to Washington, you
	made three calls.

Handinq Jessep the printout--

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	I've highlighted those calls in yellow. Do
	you recognize those numbers?

		JESSEP
	I called Colonel Fitzhuqhes in Quantico,
	Va. I wanted to let him know I'd be in
	town. The second call was to set up a
	meeting with Congressman Ramond of the
	House Armed Services Comittee, and the
	third call was to my sister Elizabeth.

		KAFFEE
	Why did you make that call, sir?

		JESSEP
	I thought she might like to have dinner
	tonight.

		ROSS
	Judge--

		RANDOLPH
	I'm gonna put a stop to this now.

Jo's handed KAFFEE another printout and a stack of letters.

		KAFFEE
	Your honor, these are the telephone
	records from GITMO for August 6th.  And
	these are 14 letters that Santiago wrote
	in nine months requesting, in fact
	begging, for a transfer.
		(to JESSEP)
	Upon hearing the news that he was finally
	getting his transfer, Santiago was so
	excited, that do you know how many people
	he called?  Zero.  Nobody.  Not one call
	to his parents saying he was coming home.

.




	Not one call to a friend saying can you
	pick me up at the airport.  He was asleep
	in his bed at midnight, and according to
	you he was getting on a plane in six
	hours, yet everything he owned was hanging
	neatly in his closet and folded neatly in
	his footlocker. You were leaving for one
	day and you packed a bag and made three
	phone calls.  Santiago was leaving for the
	rest of his life, and he hadn't called a
	soul and he hadn't packed a thing.  Can
	you explain that?  The fact is there was
	no transfer order.  Santiago wasn't going
	anywhere, isn't that right, Colonel.

		ROSS
	Object.  Your Honor, it's obvious that Lt.
	Kaffee's intention this morning is to
	smear a high ranking marine officer in the
	desperate hope that the mere appearance of
	impropriety will win him points with the
	jury.

		ROSS
		(continuing)
	It's my recommendation, sir, that Lt.
	Kaffee receive an official reprimand from
	the bench, and that the witness be excused
	with the Court's deepest apologies.

RANDOLPH ponders this a moment.

		RANDOLPH
		(pause)
	Overruled.

		ROSS
	Your honor--

		RANDOLPH
	The objection's noted.

		KAFFEE
		(beat)
	Colonel?

Jessep's smiling ...

... and now he can't help but let out a short laugh.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Is this funny, sir?

		JESSEP
	No. It's not. It's tragic.
.



		KAFFEE
	Do you have an answer?

		JESSEP
	Absolutely.  My answer is I don't have the
	first damn clue. Maybe he was an early
	morning riser and he liked to pack in the
	nq. And maybe he didn't have any friends.
	I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I
	can't speak intelligently about the travel
	habits of William Santiago.  What I do
	know is that he was set to leave the base
	at 0600.  Now are these really the
	questions I was called here to answer?
	Phone calls and footlockers?  Please tell
	me you've got something more, Lieutenant.
	Please tell me there's an ace up your
	sleeve.  These two marines are on trial
	for their lives.  Please tell me their
	lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a
	phone bill.
		(beat)
	Do you have any other questions for me,
	counselor?

The courtroom is silenced.  Jessep's slammed the door.

KAFFEE looks around the room, sees that the world is waiting
for him to do something ...

		RANDOLPH
	Lt. Kaffee?

KAFFEE says nothing.  He glances over to AIRMEN O'MALLEY and
PEREZ.

		RANDOLPH
		(continuing)
	Lieutenant, do you have anything further
	for this witness?

KAFFEE doesn't respond.  JESSEP gets up to leave.

		JESSEP
		(standing)
	Thanks, Danny.  I love Washington.

And JESSEP starts to leave, but he's stopped by--

		KAFFEE
	Excuse me, I didn't dismiss you.

JESSEP turns around.

		JESSEP
	I beg your pardon.

.



		KAFFEE
	I'm not through with my examination. Sit
	down.

		JESSEP
	Colonel.

		KAFFEE
	What's that?

		JESSEP
		(to RANDOLPH)
	I'd appreciate it if he addressed me as
	Colonal or Sir.  I believe I've earned it.

		RANDOLPH
	Defense counsel will address the witness
	as Colonel or Sir.

		JESSEP
		(to RANDOLPH)
	I don't know what the hell kind of an
	outfit you're running here. And the
	witness will address this Court as Judge
	or Your Honor.  I'm quite certain I've
	earned it.  Take your seat, Colonel.

Jessep goes back to the stand.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	What would you like to discuss now! My
	favorite color?

		KAFFEE
	Colonel, the six a.m. flight, was the
	first one off the base?

		JESSEP
	Yes.

		KAFFEE
	There wasn't a flight that left seven
	hours earlier and landed at Andrews
	Airforce Base at 2 a.m.?

		RANDOLPH
	Lieutenant, I think we've covered this,
	haven't we?

KAFFEE gets the two log books from his table as well as the
piece of paper that SAM scribbled on.





.



		KAFFEE
	Your Honor, these are the Tower Chief's
	Logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews
	Airforce Base.  The Guantanamo log lists
	no flight that left at eleven p.m., and
	the Andrews log lists no flight that
	landed at 2 a.m. I'd like to admit them as
	Defense Exhibits "A" and "B".

		RANDOLPH
	I don't understand.  You're admitting
	evidence of a flight that never existed?

		KAFFEE
	We believe it did, sir.
		(glancing at the
		 paper, then
		 motioning to the
		 AIRMEN)
	Defense'll be calling Airman Cecil
	O'Malley and Airman Anthony Perez.  They
	were working the ground crew at Andrews at
	two a.m. on the seventh.

		ROSS
	Your Honor, these men weren't on the list.
	Rebuttal witnesses, Your Honor, called
	specifically to reflite testimony offered
	under direct examination.

If you looked closely at JESSEP, you could see a drop of
sweat.

		RANDOLPH
	I'll allow the witnesses.

		JESSEP
	This is ridiculous.

		KAFFEE
	Colonel, a moment ago--

		JESSEP
	Check the Tower Logs for christ's sake.

		KAFFEE
	We'll get to the airmen in just a minute,
	sir.  A moment ago said that you ordered
	Kendrick to order his men not to touch
	Santiago.

		JESSEP
	That's right.

		KAFFEE
	And Kendrick was clear on what you wanted?

.



		JESSEP
	Crystal.

		KAFFEE
	Any chance Kendrick ignored the order?

		JESSEP
	Ignored the order?

		KAFFEE
	Any chance he just forgot about it?

		JESSEP
	No.

		KAFFEE
	Any chance Kendrick left your office and
	said, "The 'old man's wrong"?

		JESSEP
	No.

		KAFFEE
	When Kendrick spoke to the platoon and
	ordered them not to touch Santiago, any
	chance they ignored him?

		JESSEP
	Have you ever spent time in an infantry
	unit, son?

		KAFFEE
	No sir.

		JESSEP
	Ever served in a forward area?

		KAFFEE
	No sir.

		JESSEP
	Ever put your life in another man's hands,
	ask him to put his life in yours?

		KAFFEE
	No sir.

		JESSEP
	We follow orders, son.  We follow orders
	or people die. It's that simple.  Are we
	clear?

		KAFFEE
	Yes sir.

		JESSEP
	Are we clear?
.



		KAFFEE
	Crystal.

KAFFEE speaks with the quiet confidence that comes from
knowing you're about to drop your opponents

		KAFFEE
		(continuing; beat)
	Colonel, I have just one more question
	before I call Airman O'Malley and Airman
	Perez: If you gave an order that Santiago
	wasn't to be touched, and your orders are
	always followed, then why would he be in
	danger, why would it be necessary to
	transfer him off the base?

And JESSEP has no answer.

Nothing.

He sits there, and for the first time, seems to be lost.

		JESSEP
	Private Santiago was a sub-standard
	marine.  He was being transferred off the
	base because--

		KAFFEE
	But that's not what you said.  You said he
	was being transferred because he was in
	grave danger.

		JESSEP
		(pause)
	Yes.  That's correct, but--

		KAFFEE
	You said, "He was in danger".  I said,
	"Grave danger". You said--

		JESSEP
	Yes, I recall what--

		KAFFEE
	I can have the Court Reporter read back
	your--

		JESSEP
	I know what I said.  I don't need it read
	back to me like I'm a damn--

		KAFFEE
	Then why the two orders?
		(beat)
	Colonel?
		(beat)
	Why did you--
.



		JESSEP
	Sometimes men take matters into their own
	hands.

		KAFFEE
	No sir.  You made it clear just a moment
	ago that your men never take matters into
	their own hands.  Your men follow orders
	or people die.  So Santiago shouldn't have
	been in any dangor at all, should he have,
	Colonel?

Everyone's sweating now.  Everyone but KAFFEE.

		JESSEP
	You little bastard.

		ROSS
	Your Honor, I have to ask for a recess to--

		KAFFEE
	I'd like an answer to the question, Judge.

		RANDOLPH
	The Court'll wait for answer.

		KAFFEE
	If Kendrick told his men that Santiago
	wasn't to be touched, then why did he have
	to be transferred?

Jessep is looking at O'KALLEY and PEREZ.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Colonel?

JESSEP says nothing.

		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	Kendrick ordered the code red, didn't he?
	Because that's what you told Kendrick to
	do.

		ROSS
	Object!

		RANDOLPH
	Counsel.

KAFFEE will plow through the objections of ROSS and the
admonishments of RANDOLPH.

		KAFFEE
	And when it went bad, you cut these guys
	loose.
.



		ROSS
	Your Honor--

		RANDOLPH
	That'll be all, counsel.

		KAFFEE
	You had Markinson sign a phony transfer
	order--

		ROSS
	Judge--

		KAFFEE
	You doctored the log books.

		ROSS
	Damnit Kaffee!!

		KAFFEE
	I'll ask for the forth time. You ordered--

		JESSEP
	You want answers?

		KAFFEE
	I think I'm entitled to them.

		JESSEP
	You want answers?!

		KAFFEE
	I want the truth.

		JESSEP
	You can't handle the truth!

And nobody moves.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	Son, we live in a world that has walls.
	And those walls have to be guarded by men
	with guns.  Who's gonna do it? You?  You,
	Lt.  Weinberg?  I have a greater
	responsibility than you can possibly
	fathom.  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.




.




		(beat)
	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 me
	there
		(boasting)
	We use words like honor, code,
	loyalty...we use these words as the
	backbone to a life spent defending
	something.  You use 'em as a punchline.
		(beat)
	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 I provide, then questions the
	manner in which I provide it. I'd prefer
	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're
	entitled to.

		KAFFEE
		(quietly)
	Did you order the code red?

		JESSEP
		(beat)
	I did the job you sent me to do.

		KAFFEE
	Did you order the code red?

		JESSEP
		(pause)
	You're goddamn right I did.

Silence.  From everyone.  RANDOLPH, ROSS, the M.P.'s, they're
all frozen.  JO and SAM are likewise.  JESSEP seems
strangely, quietly relieved.  KAFFEE simply takes control of
the room now.

		KAFFEE
	Please the court, I suggest the jury be
	dismissed so that we can move to an
	immediate Article 39a Session.  The
	witness has rights.

Silence.

RANDOLPH looks to ROSS.

		RANDOLPH
	Lt. Ross?

ROSS is frozen.  He doesn't know what to do.
.



		KAFFEE
		(as a friend)
	Jack.

ROSS looks at KAFFEE, then JESSEP, then nods his head "yes"
to RANDOLPH.

		RANDOLPH
	The Sergeant at Arms will take the jury to
	an ante-room where you'll wait until
	further instruction.

The SERGEANT AT ARMS begins leading the JURORS out of the
room.

		JESSEP
	What the hell's going on?

No one will say anything until the jurors are out of the room.

		JESSEP
		(continuing; to
		 captain)
	Captain, what the hell's going on?  I did
	my job.  I'd do it again.  Now I'm getting
	on a plane and going back to my base.

		RANDOLPH
	M.P.'s, guard the prisoner.

The M.P.Is are tentative.  They've never heard a marine
colonel referred to as "the prisoner" before.  They sure as
hell have never been asked to guard one.

		ROSS
	Guard the prisoner.

		JESSEP
	What the hell-

		ROSS
	Colonel Jessep, you have the right to
	remain silent.  Any statement you do make
	can be used against you in a trial by
	court-martial or other judicial or
	administrative proceeding.  You have the
	right ...

ROSS continues reading JESSEP his rights, over--

		JESSEP
	I'm being charged with a crime? I'm--
	that's what this is--




.




		(to Ross)
	Marine!
		(Ross keeps going)
	Marine!!
		(Ross is doing his
		 job.)
	I'm being charged with a crime?  I'm-
	that's what's happening?  This--I'm-this
	is funny, you know that, this is--

And JESSEP lunges at KAFFEE, and KAFFEE would be dead but for
the three M.P.'s who've leapt in to restrain JESSEP.  SAM and
JO have come to their feet and stand behind KAFFEE.

		JESSEP
		(continuing; to
		 Kaffee)
	I'm gonna tear your eyes right outta your
	head and piss in your dead skull.  You
	fucked with the wrong marine.

ROSS is done reading JESSEP his rights.

		ROSS
	Colonel Jessep, do you understand those
	rights as I have just read then to you?

		JESSEP
	I saved lives. That boy was--there was
	weak link.  I saved lives, you hear me?

The courtroom is silent from Jessep's outburst. Jessep shakes
his head.

		JESSEP
		(continuing)
	You fuckin' people.
		(beat)
	You have no idea how to defend a nation.

		JESSEP
		(continuing; to
		 KAFFEE)
	All you did was weaken a country today,
	Kaffee. That's all you did.  You put
	people in danger.  Sweet dreams, son.

		KAFFEE
	Don't call me son.
		(beat)
	I'm a lawyer, and an officer of the United
	States Navy.  And you're under arrest you
	sonofabitch.

KAFFEE stays on JESSEP a moment longer, then remembers--

.



		KAFFEE
		(continuing)
	The witness is excused.

The M.P.'s start leading JESSEP out, and KAFFEE notices
DAWSON.  And DOWNEY.  And ROSS. who are watching a man in a
marine colonels uniform be led away in handcuffs...KAFFEE
takes a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes some sweat
from his hands.  He takes a deep breath as we

SLOW DISSOLVE TO

INT.  THE COURTROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

There's low murmor in the room as the JURORS are being led
back into their box.

Everyone's in place.

RANDOLPH enters.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	Ten-hut.

All rise.  And sit when RANDOLPH sits.

		RANDOLPH
	Have the jurors reached a verdict?

		JURY FOREMAN
	We have, sir.

The SERGEANT AT ARMS takes all the slips of paper from the
FOREMAN and brings them to RANDOLPH.

KAFFEE stands, and nods to DAWSON and DOWNEY that they should
do the same. SAM and JO stand as well.

		RANDOLPH
		(reading)
	On the charge of Murder, the Members find
	the defendants Not Guilty.

It's hard to resist the temptation to scream and shout, but
they do.

		RANDOLPH
		(continuing; reading)
	On the charge of Conspiracy to Commit
	Murder, the Members find the defendants
	Not Guilty.

RANDOLPH looks up.  Then reads from the last slip of paper.




.



		RANDOLPH
		(continuing)
	On the charge of Conduct Unbecoming a
	United States Marine, the members find the
	defendants Guilty as Charged.

A little of the energy drains out of the room.  RANDOLPH
continues reading.

		RANDOLPH
		(continuing; reading)
	The defendants are hereby sentenced by
	this court to time already served, and are
	ordered...

RANDOLPH clears his throat.

		RANDOLPH
		(continuing)
	... And are ordered to be dishonorably
	discharged from the marine corps.
		(pause)
	This Court-Martial is adjourned.

RANDOLPH raps his gavel.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	Ten hut.

All rise.

RANDOLPH's gone.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
		(continuing)
	Dismissed.

The M.P.'s move to DAWSON and DOWNEY to unlock their
handcuffs. KAFFEE is packing up his things, just another day
at the office.

		DAWSON
	Why?

		KAFFEE
	Harold, I'm sorry.

		DAWSON
	Why?!

		DOWNEY
	I don't understand.  Colonel Jessep said
	he ordered the Code Red.

		JO
	I know, but--

.



		DOWNEY
	Colonel Jessep said he ordered the Code
	Red, what did we do wrong?

		JO
	It's not as simple as--

		DOWNEY
	What did we do wrong?

		DAWSON
	We did nothing wrong.

SAM slaps his hands down on the table--

		SAM
	Yes you did!  A jury just said your
	conduct was unbecoming a marine. What does
	that mean?!

		DAWSON
	You're the lawyer.

		SAM
	You're the marine.

		DAWSON
	Not anymore.

SAM lets it hang. DAWSON is staring at SAM.  His stare moves
slowly to the floor.

		DAWSON
		(continuing)
	I never meant to hurt Willy.

DAWSON looks up at HIS PARENTS. The moment hangs there ...
before

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
	Kaffee, I've gotta take these guys over to
	personnel for some paper work.

KAFFEE nods.

		SERGEANT AT ARMS
		(continuing; to
		 Dawson & Downey)
	Gentleman?

DAWSON looks to KAFFEE.  There's gotta be more.  This can't
be it.

But KAFFEE has nothing to say.



.



DAWSON and DOWNEY walk to the SERGEANT AT ARMS and begin to
follow him up the aisle and out of the courtroom.  But before
they get to the door, KAFFEE turns around and calls

		KAFFEE
	Harold!

They stop and turn around.

		DAWSON
	Sir!

		KAFFEE
		(pause)
	You don't need to wear a patch on your arm
	to have honor.

DAWSON stares at KAFFEE for a long moment.

		DAWSON
	Ten-hut.

DAWSON and DOWNEY come to attention.

		DAWSON
		(continuing)
	There's an officer on deck.

DAWSON snaps a salute and holds it.

KAFFEE stares back.  Then stands up straight and returns
their salute.

With one last glance back at KAFFEE, DAWSON turns and walks
out the door, followed by DOWNEY.

ROSS walks over to the defense table.

		ROSS
	Airmen Cecil 0'Malley and Anthony Perez?
	What exactly were these guys gonna testify
	to?

		KAFFEE
	Unless I'm mistaken they were gonna
	testify, under oath, that they have
	absolutely no recollection of anything.

ROSS smiles.

		ROSS
	Strong witnesses.

		KAFFEE
	And very handsome, too, don't you think?


.



		ROSS
	I'll see you around the campus.  I've
	gotta go arrest Kendrick.

		KAFFEE
	Tell him I say "Hi".

		ROSS
	Will do.

						CUT TO:

EXT.  OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE - DUSK

KAFFEE, JO and SAM are walking down the steps.  The BAND is
practicing on the parade grounds.

		JO
	What do you say we take the rest of the
	day off.  Go out someplace.  Sam?
	Champage? Yoo-Hoo?

		SAM
	Thanks, I can't.  I'm gonna go home and
	talk to my daughter.  I think she's gotta
	be bilingual by now.

And SAM heads off toward his car.

		JO
	So what's next for you?

		KAFFEE
	Staff Sargeant Henry Williamson.  He went
	to the movies on company time.  What about
	you?

		JO
	Me? Oh ... you know... the usual.

		KAFFEE
	Just pretty much generally annoying people?

		JO
	Yeah.
		(pause)
	So what do you say?  How 'bout a
	celebration?

		KAFFEE
	No. How 'bout a date.  A real date.
	Dinner.  Attractive clothes.  The works.

		JO
	Sounds good.  Who do you think I should
	call?

.



		KAFFEE
	I'll pick you up at seven.

		JO
	What are you gonna do now?

		KAFFEE
	I'm gonna get started on Henry Williamson.
		(beat)
	Stand my post for a while.

JO holds out her hand.  KAFFEE shakes it.  JO kisses him.

		JO
	Wear matching socks.

Jo splits off toward her building and KAFFEE keeps walking
toward the bleachers as we

PULL BACK TO INCLUDE the almost empty parade grounds and

PULL BACK as to show the Washington Navy Yard and PULL BACK
and back and back and

FADE OUT.