JAG s10e19 Episode Script
Two Towns
Man, I'm hungry.
Chicken-fry me something, anything.
I could do for a slice of your mama's sweet potato pie.
Or her blackberry cobbler.
Hey, your mom still make that double-fudge? Back to earth, Frank.
It's beans, weenies and cornbread.
You know, scuttlebutt says Lieutenant's got a ration of fast food care packages.
That right? Hmm.
Ma'mun, Lieutenant Rangle at his desk? Yes.
Let's investigate.
Hang on, Cliff.
My laces are out.
See you in there.
You can't wait for me to square myself away? Hey, there may not be enough to go around.
We'll save you a corn chip.
Oh, you're both dead.
The small town of Kresge, Oklahoma is in deep mourning today as it tries to come to terms with the loss of 17 of its young men in southern Iraq.
All were members of the same Marine Reserve Combat Engineering detachment, and all, with the exception of one, were victims of an explosive device, which was somehow smuggled inside their work tent.
The reservists, none older than 26, knew each other grew up together, attended school together, and in November were mobilized together.
Now, sadly, they represent a significant loss in a war that continues to exact a heavy price for American military resolve.
I'm taking this out of the hands of the area NLSO.
It's too high-profile.
Commander Rabb, Lieutenant Commander Roberts, I want you to travel to Kresge as a legal assistance emergency response team, help families negotiate the legal terrain- probate, property titles, death benefits.
Whatever they need.
Yes, sir.
We'll pick up our orders and depart immediately, sir.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Colonel, I'm sending you to Iraq.
The marines have captured a suspect in the attack.
This has antagonized a resident of the Iraqi village of Talasura, who's been raising dust everywhere.
Colonel Mazzone is looking for someone to resolve the complaint.
Not that I'm opposed to the assignment, sir, but what about the in-country SJA? He wants someone who can relate.
Commander Rabb, what will JAG's participation be with the victims' family? No comment at this time.
Excuse me.
Let me through.
Can I get by, please? Mayor Hazlett.
Welcome to Kresge.
I'm Commander Rabb.
This is Lieutenant Commander Roberts.
I also run the real estate company.
My office is right in here.
Please, this way.
Will there be any comments after you meet with the mayor? Sorry.
We're not used to this kind of attention around here.
We really do appreciate you visiting us.
The Navy and Marine Corps share your loss, Mr.
Mayor.
We're here to help in any way we can.
Could you tell us about the men in this detachment, sir? Almost all of them worked their parents' farms and ranches.
Joining the reserves was their way of serving their country and their families at the same time.
What was their reaction when they were sent over? None of them complained.
I think it surprised the parents some.
How long were they there? Six months into a seven-month tour.
It's been difficult.
Our fire chief lost his only two boys.
There ain't anybody around here hasn't been touched by this.
Well, I know it's small comfort, sir, but in addition to the $12,000 death gratuity, the SGLI, the Serviceman's Group Life Insurance policy, currently provides up to a quarter of a million dollars per deceased marine, and that may be increasing.
We've spoken with the PSD.
They've agreed to streamline the process.
Thank you.
Where will folks be able to find you? We're setting up a temporary office at the Marine Corps Reserve Center.
I'll spread the word.
Can I ask you a question, sir? Yeah.
Did you suffer a loss? Every one of them, Commander.
This will straighten out the title to your son's truck, Mr.
Medina.
We hope to have the paperwork for the benefits package ready in a few days.
Thank you.
You've been very helpful.
We'll be in touch, sir.
Thank you.
Hey, Manuel.
Jan.
Everything all right? Yes, ma'am.
They're taking good care of us.
And Rosa? She'll be fine.
Might take a minute.
Sure.
Sure.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me.
I'm Jan Van Arsdale.
I own the coffee shop in the center of town.
Thought you might need a pick-me-up.
Thank you, ma'am.
There are donuts and bear claws in the box.
That's greatly appreciated, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
Is there anything we can do for you? Lord's already attended to my needs, Commander.
My son Scott was the only survivor.
He's scheduled to arrive back tomorrow.
Was he injured, ma'am? Surface wounds.
I can't vouch for the state of his heart, though.
He lost every friend he's ever had.
Ma'am, you're not obligated, but we have a chaplain and a psychologist available if you feel you'd like to talk to someone.
I have to say, it is difficult knowing how to react, 'cause of what happened to the others.
Manuel's son, Frank, was one of Scott's closest friends.
I can't help thinking that God must've had a purpose in saving my boy.
Maybe that's what I have to believe in order to stop feeling guilty about it.
The village sheikh was the one who planned the attack.
We'd been tracking him for months.
He was killed resisting apprehension.
Is that what motivated the complaint, sir? No.
The villagers are happy to see him gone.
The man was a tin-pot tyrant, treated this place like his own private fiefdom, kept everyone under his thumb.
The complaint petitions for the release of the bombing suspect, Ma'mun Al-Reza.
It's not going to happen.
What do you have on him? Ma'mun was working with us.
Just prior to the explosion, he was seen hurriedly exiting the GP tent without his backpack.
The backpack was a bomb? According to Forensics.
How it was triggered is currently being investigated.
And the reason for Ma'mun's clearance, sir? He was helping us monitor the local insurgency.
The sheikh.
And others he supposedly hadn't met yet.
He had us believing that they'd ruled out an attack on the compound, that they were concentrating on patrols.
We vetted this kid for months.
We were absolutely convinced he was on our side.
Is he talking, Colonel? About his innocence.
He'll break.
And how can I help? Contact the woman who filed the complaint.
Get her to back off.
She's been raising hell everywhere she can and is coming dangerously close to interfering with the investigation.
I have a thought on how to do this in a way that'll serve our interests.
I'm surprised a female would even be allowed to speak for a rural village.
They can't stop her, Colonel.
Ma'mun Al-Reza is her son.
What's going on, Commander? The Marine Corps Reserve Center is on fire.
Sheriff, I'm Commander Rabb.
This is Yeah, I know who you are.
What happened here, sir? Fire.
Anyone injured? No.
Any idea how it got started? Arson.
You've found evidence? We found the perpetrator, Commander.
The forensics point to arson, Lance Corporal.
I didn't light that fire, sir.
You were found less than a block away.
You smelled of gasoline.
I was the detachment's generator operator, Commander.
Can't get that smell off my hands.
You were running away from the scene.
I was out taking a walk, sir.
When I saw the flames, I went back to call it in.
I mean, I wasn't carrying a gas can or anything like that.
They're searching for that as we speak.
Well, I hope it turns up, sir.
It won't have my prints on it.
Have a seat, Lance Corporal.
You've suffered a great loss.
All your friends, in fact.
Yes, sir.
How you feeling? It's like when you get the flu, sir.
It affects everything.
The sun feels cold.
The bed feels hard.
The food gets stuck in your throat.
Some of them close friends? Cliff and Frank, sir.
They were goofing on me.
I was joking they were dead.
Next second they were.
You feel guilty? I guess.
Angry? Sometimes.
Have you sought counseling? No, sir.
Are you doing anything to deal with it? I take walks, sir.
I want to believe him, sir.
He's been through a lot.
But you could also use that as an argument for his guilt.
The question is, if not Van Arsdale, then who? Well, if anger and trauma is a motive, this whole town could be a suspect.
Good evening.
We just spoke with your son, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
The Judge Advocate General's assigned us to conduct a JAG investigation.
Are you working with Sheriff Dagg on this? The sheriff has ceded the Navy jurisdiction on this, so there'll be no question about objectivity.
Are we talking a federal offense here? It was a military facility.
What did Scott tell you? That he didn't do it.
He didn't.
Can you prove that, ma'am? It's not in his character, Commander.
Ma'am, respectfully, your son just spent six months in a war zone.
It can change a man.
Scott and I are very close.
It's just been the two of us for most of his life.
I would know if he'd changed.
You don't believe him, Commander? I'll let the evidence determine our position.
Do you have any? We just began our investigation, ma'am.
It'd be a bad joke for the boy to be saved just so he could be taken from his mother.
I- I'm sorry.
That wasn't fair.
Please, do your jobs.
We'll help in any way we can.
Speaking of which, we no longer have an office to work out of.
You have any idea of a space we might use? I don't know of any available space.
What would you need? Well, not much, sir.
Just a table and some chairs.
You can use the coffee shop.
You wouldn't find that uncomfortable, ma'am? We both will.
My son is innocent! He supports your efforts.
That's why he risked his life to spy on the insurgents.
This charge is nonsense.
Ma'mun's backpack was filled with explosives.
I don't believe it.
You are just looking for someone to blame.
It's in no one's interest to create a scapegoat, Mrs.
Al-Reza.
That would mean the actual terrorist still exists and could strike again.
Then they should free Ma'mun so he can find this person for them.
Your son is a prisoner of war, Ms.
Al-Reza, and he will continue to be regardless of your attempts to shout down elected officials, enlist Al Jazeera or write threatening letters to US Congressmen.
It must be working.
They sent you here.
I'm not authorized to change Ma'mun's status, but if you agree to lower the tone, we can have a reasonable discussion.
You start.
Well, first, I need to know more about you.
You don't look like you're from here.
Neither do you.
Where did you learn to speak English so well? I trained to be an interpreter in Baghdad.
I left the village with my son after the Shiite rebellion in '91.
All the men older than 18 and younger than 60 had been slaughtered by Saddam, including my husband.
Ma'mun convinced me to return with him last June.
He felt it was safer here and saw an opportunity to free the community of its repressive history.
He was imagining a future where boys like those would be educated.
Your son was friendly with the sheikh? As a matter of practicality.
He was a spy after all.
And you supported this choice? Not at the beginning.
I was frightened for him.
But he was so committed, I felt I had to give him my blessing.
So, can I see him? No.
Then what can you do for me? There might be something that I can do for him.
I've known Scott Van Arsdale his whole life.
He was in my bible study.
I taught him to drive.
He's a bright boy with a strong moral center.
One of the town's real success stories: vice president of his senior class, statewide Junior a sensitive kid who valued life.
I remember he once talked one of his friends out of shooting at prairie dogs.
You were his old CO? Yeah, at the Reserve Center.
Was he prepared for war, Reverend? We talked about it before he left.
He was a little scared, but he thought we were doing the right thing over there, he wanted to be a part of it.
Have you had a chance to talk to him since his return? Yeah.
But he hasn't been open to the idea.
Do you have any thoughts about that? There's no doubt he's been tested, Commander.
But the same could be said about any of us.
I've seen a lot of behavior in the last week: women crying at the market; men just staring off into space; kids skipping school.
I'm not sure Scott's resistance is an indication of guilt.
Well, what then? Loss.
It's hard for any of us to believe Scotty Van Arsdale would torch that building.
Why? He's a goody-goody, always doing the right thing.
My brother said he used to pick up litter on his way to school.
Your brother is Cliff Pardee? Was.
Cut it out! I'm trying to talk to the man here.
I got him today.
My wife is scrapbooking.
You okay? I wanted to be part of that reserve unit, but I got bad knees from wrestling.
So Cliff joined without me.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Let's just get on with it.
I heard you spoke with Lance Corporal Van Arsdale on the night of the fire.
It was after the memorial service.
We went back to my place, had a smoke on the porch, talked about Cliff, the war.
Specifically? It was more stressful than what he expected.
He said their training really hadn't prepared them for what they had to deal with.
The equipment was old hand-me-downs from other units.
The locals were suspicious and on edge.
He said they weren't in a combat unit, but the boys felt like they were.
No place was safe.
He said it was hard to get a sense of what they were getting done.
Was he upset? He wasn't happy.
What happened after you spoke? He took a walk.
You have a lot of support here, Lance Corporal.
I know that, sir.
That said, we found nothing that categorically clears you in this matter.
We've recommended an Article 32 hearing to the convening authority.
The charges will be arson and wrongful destruction of government property.
We'll be escorting you to Washington, DC tomorrow at 1100.
But, sirs, you haven't proven I did anything.
Well, if the prosecution has a similar experience, you'll be exonerated.
I only wish I could say I trusted the system as much as you, Commander.
I'm Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie.
We haven't met.
I've met your mother.
Is she all right? She hasn't been hurt in any way, has she? I'm not at liberty to say, but I have a message for you from her.
May I see it? Let's talk.
I'll say it a hundred times if I have to.
All I had in the backpack was clean socks, pen, paper, nasal spray, Koran and a penknife.
No bomb! That's no longer in question.
What were you doing rushing out of the GP tent prior to the explosion? I had lost my pass.
I was on my way to check the bathroom.
Why were you in the tent in the first place? Become friends with the marines there.
I was just saying hello.
May I have the letter, please? Not yet.
Nice job.
Thank you, sir.
It's time, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
We're sorry, ma'am, but we can assure you that your son will get the best defense possible.
I know that's true, Commander.
May we enter? I'm afraid not.
All of us here reached the same conclusion.
If you want to try Scott Van Arsdale, it's gonna be right here in Kresge.
We've given up enough of our boys.
You're going to have to fight for this one.
The convening authority has agreed to hold the Article 32 here in Kresge, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
Lieutenant Commander Roberts and myself will be representing the government.
Thank you.
It means a lot to us.
What, may I ask, are you going to do about the media? There'll be no cameras in the courtroom, ma'am.
Good.
Kresge uses the town hall for its courtroom.
Oh, that's fine.
And, of course, JAG will supply the bailiff, the hearing officer and the defense counsel, ma'am.
Mayor Hazlett has a law degree.
He'll be defending Scott.
Uh, ma'am, you do realize that this is a military proceeding? The mayor checked the UCMJ.
My son is entitled to hire a civilian attorney if he so desires.
Mayor Hazlett, by the way, will not be accepting a fee for this.
Ma'am, we're not interested in denying your son his privileges.
However, there are differences between military and civilian law.
We feel your son would be better represented by a JAG attorney.
I don't, Commander.
Ma'mun Al-Reza confessed an hour ago.
Your visit was effective.
Something bothering you? Mrs.
Al-Reza wrote that note, thinking that I was trying to help her, sir.
The mother's feelings are a small sacrifice for the intelligence that will come from this.
In any case, why don't I have our staff JAG break the news to Mrs.
Al-Reza? Sir, I would appreciate it if you would wait on that.
I should be the one to tell her.
It's not necessary, Colonel.
I feel it is, sir.
Just the facts.
Aye, sir.
The figure in bold is the amount of the settlement.
The check should be coming to you within the month, ma'am.
This is more money than I've made in my entire life.
Um My husband has emphysema.
Can I use this for his medical bills? Ma'am, the money is yours to use however you wish.
You can look at us, Mrs.
Carpenter.
We're not the enemy.
I appreciate everything you done for us.
Thank you.
Well, I suppose you can't blame her, sir.
Lance Corporal Van Arsdale's kind of become everybody's child.
I guess he's the only thing they have left.
Come here, please.
This is Nabil.
He's an orphan, a delinquent.
I was yelling at him for throwing rocks at a cat.
He said I was just mad because the sheikh had tried to kill Ma'mun.
When I asked him what he meant, he told me that he had overheard the sheikh talking to another man about placing explosives in Ma'mun's backpack.
Don't you see? My son was supposed to die in that explosion.
The sheikh had found out about him and had set him up.
Ma'mun knew what was in the backpack.
He listed the items for me.
Maybe it was hidden in something.
Like what? I don't know.
Did Nabil identify the other man? No.
He had never seen him before.
If this is true, and there's no way of proving that, why didn't the boy warn you at that time? The sheikh was a tyrant.
If he suspected Nabil had said anything, he would've killed him.
It's all circumstantial.
So is the case against my son.
Mrs.
Al-Reza your son confessed.
Under what conditions? Sheriff, while you were questioning Lance Corporal Van Arsdale, how was he reacting? He was nervous, defensive.
What was the first thing that he said to you? That I had the wrong man.
Had you yet determined the fire was caused by arson? No.
So it was a presumptive remark.
Yes.
Your witness.
Sheriff, did Scott Van Arsdale have any matches on him? No.
Gas can? Neither.
Were there footprints at the scene? None that weren't obscured by water and mud.
Well, let's assume, for the sake of argument, that he did not light that fire.
Now, couldn't his nervousness be attributed to the fact that your questions presumed that he did? In your scenario, yes.
And his comment about you having the wrong man- now, you jumped to that conclusion.
Isn't it possible he was just following your lead? Perhaps.
You've you've watched this boy grow up, Sheriff.
Did you ever know him to commit a crime or misrepresent the truth? No.
He's always been a good kid.
Thank you kindly.
Nabil said that he was on that balcony, cleaning a rug for Mrs.
Ahmed, when he saw them below.
They were standing in front of a blue door.
It's locked.
We're good.
Wires and electrical leads.
Looks like radio parts.
Semtex.
This is where they put the bomb together.
Well, how do you know your son didn't help them or even build it himself? Because my son is a good Muslim.
He never would have done this to the Koran.
At that point, Scotty wanted to be alone, said he was going to take a walk.
That would be about 25 minutes prior to the discovery of the fire, correct? Yes, sir.
Lance Corporal Van Arsdale, Frank Medina and your brother, Cliff, were close friends, correct? They were inseparable.
They, uh they had an understanding.
A pact- you know, all for one.
That kind of thing.
Now, how did this, uh, pact play out? Well, when Cliff got an elbow in the eye during a high school basketball game, Scotty challenged the kid to a boxing match and whupped him good.
So they would avenge wrongs committed against each other.
All the time.
It was a big thing with them.
Thank you, Mr.
Pardee.
No further questions.
Miss your brother? Of course.
I hear you've been pretty angry about it.
Objection.
Irrelevant.
Maybe to your case, Commander.
What's the point of this line of questioning, Counselor? Well, I'm examining an alternate theory, Your Honor.
Mr.
Pardee is not on trial here, Your Honor.
It's my understanding, Your Honor, that the rules of evidence are relaxed in an Article 32 proceeding.
That is correct.
Well, I'm not fishing, sir.
I have something specific in mind.
Now, might I proceed? Carefully.
Objection overruled.
Ask a direct question, Counselor.
Mr.
Pardee, have you been angry about your brother's death? I've been upset.
So has everybody else.
Yeah, but not everybody else has punched a hole in the wall at the Amity Pub, now, have they? Did you do that on the day you heard about your brother's death? Yes, I did.
And on the day of the fire, didn't you siphon gasoline out your wife's car? Objection.
Facts not in evidence.
I would like to hear his answer, Commander.
You're under oath, Mr.
Pardee.
I needed to clear some brush, and my chainsaw was empty.
Where were you during the time the fire was set? In my garage.
Doing what? Thinking.
Could you provide a witness to support this? It was after the memorial service.
I needed time alone.
I didn't want anybody to know where I was.
Is that a no? You've never liked me.
Just answer the question, sir.
That's a no.
So you're saying, someone hollowed out Ma'mun Al-Reza's Koran, inserted explosives and detonated it by remote control? Yes, sir.
And you want me to stake out this location.
I do.
We have a confession, Colonel.
Extracted while the suspect was under duress, sir.
That was the plan.
Sir, may I ask if Ma'mun has provided further information about the plot, other names? Not yet.
Well, couldn't that be because he was telling the truth, sir? That he was kept in the dark so that if he discovered the plot, he wouldn't be able to finger the rest of them? Or that he's loyal to his comrades.
Colonel, have you asked yourself why this wasn't an act of martyrdom? Not all acts of terror are.
No, sir, but Ma'mun would have known that he wouldn't be authorized to leave the base until he was questioned.
Now, why would he draw attention to himself by running away from the scene? To avoid injury.
Then why wouldn't he leave himself more time? Colonel, you brought me here because you thought I could relate to Mrs.
Al-Reza in ways that your male staff JAG could not.
Well you were correct.
And, like it or not this is the result.
What now? We need to ask you a few more questions, Mr.
Pardee.
I've already done enough talking.
Get off my property.
Let me be clear about this, sir.
You're in no position to be making demands.
You're not buying this crap, are you? You haven't been forthcoming with us.
The reason you didn't join up wasn't because of your knees.
It's because you have a record for assault.
That never went to trial.
That's because you settled out of court.
The man almost ran over my boy! You don't think.
You react! Like the case with your brother? I am not an arsonist.
You have an anger problem, Mr.
Pardee.
It's common knowledge.
Can you prove I did it? Is that a challenge? I guess we can take that as yes.
Donovan? Hey, buddy.
How you doing? Where you going? I don't want to get in trouble.
Well, we're not here about you.
It's okay.
Hey, is that your cat? Please don't say nothing.
Why, did you do something bad? My dad's allergic.
I'm not supposed to have him.
Well, we won't tell your dad, but you should.
No.
He'll make me give him up.
I only had him for a little while.
He's better off here than in the Reserve Center.
All they let him do in there is catch mice.
And I play with him every day.
Did you rescue him from the Reserve Center? Scotty gave him to me.
Scott Van Arsdale? Yeah.
I was in my yard, and he came by and asked me if I would take care of him.
I don't know what he's talking about, sir.
I didn't give him that cat.
So he's lying then? Maybe confused, Commander.
You are familiar with this animal.
We all are, sir.
He was our mascot.
We checked with Forensics, Lance Corporal.
They found cat hair on your uniform.
We're just waiting to find out if it's a match.
You knew the cat was in there.
You took him out before you lit the fire, and you gave him to Donovan Pardee.
Is that true, son? Yes, sir.
Did you light that fire? I did, sir.
I did it for Cliff and Frank and the rest of them.
What did you do with the gas can and the matches? I hid them in a rotten tree stump.
Why would you lie to us? Why would you do that?! Because that's what Washington has been doing, sir.
They lied to us about why we were fighting the war, about how many troops it was going to take, about the amount of support we were going to get.
And after everything my mother's been through, I thought it'd just be best if she didn't know.
I'm disappointed in you, son.
I never thought you to be one to take the low road.
The war is the low road, sir.
Well, you're not in Iraq anymore, son, so you better start thinking about making the peace, especially with the people of this town, the ones who believed in your innocence.
Your suspicions were warranted, Colonel.
His name is Mohammed Sadar.
He's on the hot list of active insurgent leaders.
He's already confessed to setting up Ma'mun Al-Reza.
So, it was Sadar's workshop.
Mm, he was about to break it down and move on to his next target.
Do you know what that is, sir? We will.
You did good.
I appreciate that.
Sir, about Ma'mun Al-Reza Oh, he'll be released.
I'm glad to hear that.
Can I ask you a favor? Go ahead.
Well, it actually concerns Talasura, sir.
I've been speaking with Mrs.
Al-Reza, and, um she has this idea.
Will the defense please rise? As discussed in chambers, the accused and the government have fashioned a pretrial agreement.
The accused will waive the balance of this Article 32 hearing, enter pleas of guilty to all charges and specifications, and accept a period of confinement established in these discussions.
Is that correct? Yes, sir, Your Honor.
Corporal Van Arsdale, are you clear that you're giving up your statutory right to a full hearing, and that if you plead guilty, you will be waiving your right to trial on the merits, including your rights to confront your accusers, the privilege against self-incrimination and the obligation of the government to prove each and every element beyond a reasonable doubt? Yes, sir.
Before I terminate these proceedings, I need to be assured that you intend to plead guilty because you believe you are guilty.
I am, sir.
In order to establish a factual basis, I would like you to explain why.
May I, Your Honor? Go ahead.
I'm sorry I set fire to the Reserve Center.
I was just so angry at the time, I couldn't see another way of handling it.
But I'm even more sorry I lied to you about it.
After everything that's happened, you deserved better from me.
I've dirtied the memory of my detachment, and I regret it.
But even more so, I regret not being able to bring them back.
It's all right, son.
It's all right.
We forgive you.
You come back to us now.
These proceedings are terminated.
It's right over here, sir.
What is the media doing here? They smell a story.
What have you gotten me into, Colonel? Hello.
Ma'mun.
Please.
We appreciate you coming.
Hello.
Ma'am.
Uh, besides dedicating this building as a school, we also thought it would be a good opportunity for us to learn about each other.
Mm-hmm.
I, uh, told the colonel that he would be answering some questions.
Yes, I will moderate and interpret.
Is that all right? Fine.
Come.
Please, this way.
Shh, shh, shh, shh.
Shh.
What is this, Colonel? Democracy, sir? Please.
Please, one at a time.
All right, all right.
I think we've discussed enough.
All right, let's vote, shall we? The motion has been made to contribute monetary awards to a special fund.
The money from this fund would be applied to the construction of a war memorial in honor of the young men from this community who lost their lives in the service to their country.
Now this memorial would be erected in front of the Marine Corps Reserve Center here in Kresge.
Do I have a second? I'll second.
Second that.
I'll second it.
All in favor, raise your hand.
All right.
It looks unanimous, then.
Good work, folks.
Gedownload van Bierdopje.
com
Chicken-fry me something, anything.
I could do for a slice of your mama's sweet potato pie.
Or her blackberry cobbler.
Hey, your mom still make that double-fudge? Back to earth, Frank.
It's beans, weenies and cornbread.
You know, scuttlebutt says Lieutenant's got a ration of fast food care packages.
That right? Hmm.
Ma'mun, Lieutenant Rangle at his desk? Yes.
Let's investigate.
Hang on, Cliff.
My laces are out.
See you in there.
You can't wait for me to square myself away? Hey, there may not be enough to go around.
We'll save you a corn chip.
Oh, you're both dead.
The small town of Kresge, Oklahoma is in deep mourning today as it tries to come to terms with the loss of 17 of its young men in southern Iraq.
All were members of the same Marine Reserve Combat Engineering detachment, and all, with the exception of one, were victims of an explosive device, which was somehow smuggled inside their work tent.
The reservists, none older than 26, knew each other grew up together, attended school together, and in November were mobilized together.
Now, sadly, they represent a significant loss in a war that continues to exact a heavy price for American military resolve.
I'm taking this out of the hands of the area NLSO.
It's too high-profile.
Commander Rabb, Lieutenant Commander Roberts, I want you to travel to Kresge as a legal assistance emergency response team, help families negotiate the legal terrain- probate, property titles, death benefits.
Whatever they need.
Yes, sir.
We'll pick up our orders and depart immediately, sir.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Colonel, I'm sending you to Iraq.
The marines have captured a suspect in the attack.
This has antagonized a resident of the Iraqi village of Talasura, who's been raising dust everywhere.
Colonel Mazzone is looking for someone to resolve the complaint.
Not that I'm opposed to the assignment, sir, but what about the in-country SJA? He wants someone who can relate.
Commander Rabb, what will JAG's participation be with the victims' family? No comment at this time.
Excuse me.
Let me through.
Can I get by, please? Mayor Hazlett.
Welcome to Kresge.
I'm Commander Rabb.
This is Lieutenant Commander Roberts.
I also run the real estate company.
My office is right in here.
Please, this way.
Will there be any comments after you meet with the mayor? Sorry.
We're not used to this kind of attention around here.
We really do appreciate you visiting us.
The Navy and Marine Corps share your loss, Mr.
Mayor.
We're here to help in any way we can.
Could you tell us about the men in this detachment, sir? Almost all of them worked their parents' farms and ranches.
Joining the reserves was their way of serving their country and their families at the same time.
What was their reaction when they were sent over? None of them complained.
I think it surprised the parents some.
How long were they there? Six months into a seven-month tour.
It's been difficult.
Our fire chief lost his only two boys.
There ain't anybody around here hasn't been touched by this.
Well, I know it's small comfort, sir, but in addition to the $12,000 death gratuity, the SGLI, the Serviceman's Group Life Insurance policy, currently provides up to a quarter of a million dollars per deceased marine, and that may be increasing.
We've spoken with the PSD.
They've agreed to streamline the process.
Thank you.
Where will folks be able to find you? We're setting up a temporary office at the Marine Corps Reserve Center.
I'll spread the word.
Can I ask you a question, sir? Yeah.
Did you suffer a loss? Every one of them, Commander.
This will straighten out the title to your son's truck, Mr.
Medina.
We hope to have the paperwork for the benefits package ready in a few days.
Thank you.
You've been very helpful.
We'll be in touch, sir.
Thank you.
Hey, Manuel.
Jan.
Everything all right? Yes, ma'am.
They're taking good care of us.
And Rosa? She'll be fine.
Might take a minute.
Sure.
Sure.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me.
I'm Jan Van Arsdale.
I own the coffee shop in the center of town.
Thought you might need a pick-me-up.
Thank you, ma'am.
There are donuts and bear claws in the box.
That's greatly appreciated, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
Is there anything we can do for you? Lord's already attended to my needs, Commander.
My son Scott was the only survivor.
He's scheduled to arrive back tomorrow.
Was he injured, ma'am? Surface wounds.
I can't vouch for the state of his heart, though.
He lost every friend he's ever had.
Ma'am, you're not obligated, but we have a chaplain and a psychologist available if you feel you'd like to talk to someone.
I have to say, it is difficult knowing how to react, 'cause of what happened to the others.
Manuel's son, Frank, was one of Scott's closest friends.
I can't help thinking that God must've had a purpose in saving my boy.
Maybe that's what I have to believe in order to stop feeling guilty about it.
The village sheikh was the one who planned the attack.
We'd been tracking him for months.
He was killed resisting apprehension.
Is that what motivated the complaint, sir? No.
The villagers are happy to see him gone.
The man was a tin-pot tyrant, treated this place like his own private fiefdom, kept everyone under his thumb.
The complaint petitions for the release of the bombing suspect, Ma'mun Al-Reza.
It's not going to happen.
What do you have on him? Ma'mun was working with us.
Just prior to the explosion, he was seen hurriedly exiting the GP tent without his backpack.
The backpack was a bomb? According to Forensics.
How it was triggered is currently being investigated.
And the reason for Ma'mun's clearance, sir? He was helping us monitor the local insurgency.
The sheikh.
And others he supposedly hadn't met yet.
He had us believing that they'd ruled out an attack on the compound, that they were concentrating on patrols.
We vetted this kid for months.
We were absolutely convinced he was on our side.
Is he talking, Colonel? About his innocence.
He'll break.
And how can I help? Contact the woman who filed the complaint.
Get her to back off.
She's been raising hell everywhere she can and is coming dangerously close to interfering with the investigation.
I have a thought on how to do this in a way that'll serve our interests.
I'm surprised a female would even be allowed to speak for a rural village.
They can't stop her, Colonel.
Ma'mun Al-Reza is her son.
What's going on, Commander? The Marine Corps Reserve Center is on fire.
Sheriff, I'm Commander Rabb.
This is Yeah, I know who you are.
What happened here, sir? Fire.
Anyone injured? No.
Any idea how it got started? Arson.
You've found evidence? We found the perpetrator, Commander.
The forensics point to arson, Lance Corporal.
I didn't light that fire, sir.
You were found less than a block away.
You smelled of gasoline.
I was the detachment's generator operator, Commander.
Can't get that smell off my hands.
You were running away from the scene.
I was out taking a walk, sir.
When I saw the flames, I went back to call it in.
I mean, I wasn't carrying a gas can or anything like that.
They're searching for that as we speak.
Well, I hope it turns up, sir.
It won't have my prints on it.
Have a seat, Lance Corporal.
You've suffered a great loss.
All your friends, in fact.
Yes, sir.
How you feeling? It's like when you get the flu, sir.
It affects everything.
The sun feels cold.
The bed feels hard.
The food gets stuck in your throat.
Some of them close friends? Cliff and Frank, sir.
They were goofing on me.
I was joking they were dead.
Next second they were.
You feel guilty? I guess.
Angry? Sometimes.
Have you sought counseling? No, sir.
Are you doing anything to deal with it? I take walks, sir.
I want to believe him, sir.
He's been through a lot.
But you could also use that as an argument for his guilt.
The question is, if not Van Arsdale, then who? Well, if anger and trauma is a motive, this whole town could be a suspect.
Good evening.
We just spoke with your son, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
The Judge Advocate General's assigned us to conduct a JAG investigation.
Are you working with Sheriff Dagg on this? The sheriff has ceded the Navy jurisdiction on this, so there'll be no question about objectivity.
Are we talking a federal offense here? It was a military facility.
What did Scott tell you? That he didn't do it.
He didn't.
Can you prove that, ma'am? It's not in his character, Commander.
Ma'am, respectfully, your son just spent six months in a war zone.
It can change a man.
Scott and I are very close.
It's just been the two of us for most of his life.
I would know if he'd changed.
You don't believe him, Commander? I'll let the evidence determine our position.
Do you have any? We just began our investigation, ma'am.
It'd be a bad joke for the boy to be saved just so he could be taken from his mother.
I- I'm sorry.
That wasn't fair.
Please, do your jobs.
We'll help in any way we can.
Speaking of which, we no longer have an office to work out of.
You have any idea of a space we might use? I don't know of any available space.
What would you need? Well, not much, sir.
Just a table and some chairs.
You can use the coffee shop.
You wouldn't find that uncomfortable, ma'am? We both will.
My son is innocent! He supports your efforts.
That's why he risked his life to spy on the insurgents.
This charge is nonsense.
Ma'mun's backpack was filled with explosives.
I don't believe it.
You are just looking for someone to blame.
It's in no one's interest to create a scapegoat, Mrs.
Al-Reza.
That would mean the actual terrorist still exists and could strike again.
Then they should free Ma'mun so he can find this person for them.
Your son is a prisoner of war, Ms.
Al-Reza, and he will continue to be regardless of your attempts to shout down elected officials, enlist Al Jazeera or write threatening letters to US Congressmen.
It must be working.
They sent you here.
I'm not authorized to change Ma'mun's status, but if you agree to lower the tone, we can have a reasonable discussion.
You start.
Well, first, I need to know more about you.
You don't look like you're from here.
Neither do you.
Where did you learn to speak English so well? I trained to be an interpreter in Baghdad.
I left the village with my son after the Shiite rebellion in '91.
All the men older than 18 and younger than 60 had been slaughtered by Saddam, including my husband.
Ma'mun convinced me to return with him last June.
He felt it was safer here and saw an opportunity to free the community of its repressive history.
He was imagining a future where boys like those would be educated.
Your son was friendly with the sheikh? As a matter of practicality.
He was a spy after all.
And you supported this choice? Not at the beginning.
I was frightened for him.
But he was so committed, I felt I had to give him my blessing.
So, can I see him? No.
Then what can you do for me? There might be something that I can do for him.
I've known Scott Van Arsdale his whole life.
He was in my bible study.
I taught him to drive.
He's a bright boy with a strong moral center.
One of the town's real success stories: vice president of his senior class, statewide Junior a sensitive kid who valued life.
I remember he once talked one of his friends out of shooting at prairie dogs.
You were his old CO? Yeah, at the Reserve Center.
Was he prepared for war, Reverend? We talked about it before he left.
He was a little scared, but he thought we were doing the right thing over there, he wanted to be a part of it.
Have you had a chance to talk to him since his return? Yeah.
But he hasn't been open to the idea.
Do you have any thoughts about that? There's no doubt he's been tested, Commander.
But the same could be said about any of us.
I've seen a lot of behavior in the last week: women crying at the market; men just staring off into space; kids skipping school.
I'm not sure Scott's resistance is an indication of guilt.
Well, what then? Loss.
It's hard for any of us to believe Scotty Van Arsdale would torch that building.
Why? He's a goody-goody, always doing the right thing.
My brother said he used to pick up litter on his way to school.
Your brother is Cliff Pardee? Was.
Cut it out! I'm trying to talk to the man here.
I got him today.
My wife is scrapbooking.
You okay? I wanted to be part of that reserve unit, but I got bad knees from wrestling.
So Cliff joined without me.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Let's just get on with it.
I heard you spoke with Lance Corporal Van Arsdale on the night of the fire.
It was after the memorial service.
We went back to my place, had a smoke on the porch, talked about Cliff, the war.
Specifically? It was more stressful than what he expected.
He said their training really hadn't prepared them for what they had to deal with.
The equipment was old hand-me-downs from other units.
The locals were suspicious and on edge.
He said they weren't in a combat unit, but the boys felt like they were.
No place was safe.
He said it was hard to get a sense of what they were getting done.
Was he upset? He wasn't happy.
What happened after you spoke? He took a walk.
You have a lot of support here, Lance Corporal.
I know that, sir.
That said, we found nothing that categorically clears you in this matter.
We've recommended an Article 32 hearing to the convening authority.
The charges will be arson and wrongful destruction of government property.
We'll be escorting you to Washington, DC tomorrow at 1100.
But, sirs, you haven't proven I did anything.
Well, if the prosecution has a similar experience, you'll be exonerated.
I only wish I could say I trusted the system as much as you, Commander.
I'm Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie.
We haven't met.
I've met your mother.
Is she all right? She hasn't been hurt in any way, has she? I'm not at liberty to say, but I have a message for you from her.
May I see it? Let's talk.
I'll say it a hundred times if I have to.
All I had in the backpack was clean socks, pen, paper, nasal spray, Koran and a penknife.
No bomb! That's no longer in question.
What were you doing rushing out of the GP tent prior to the explosion? I had lost my pass.
I was on my way to check the bathroom.
Why were you in the tent in the first place? Become friends with the marines there.
I was just saying hello.
May I have the letter, please? Not yet.
Nice job.
Thank you, sir.
It's time, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
We're sorry, ma'am, but we can assure you that your son will get the best defense possible.
I know that's true, Commander.
May we enter? I'm afraid not.
All of us here reached the same conclusion.
If you want to try Scott Van Arsdale, it's gonna be right here in Kresge.
We've given up enough of our boys.
You're going to have to fight for this one.
The convening authority has agreed to hold the Article 32 here in Kresge, Mrs.
Van Arsdale.
Lieutenant Commander Roberts and myself will be representing the government.
Thank you.
It means a lot to us.
What, may I ask, are you going to do about the media? There'll be no cameras in the courtroom, ma'am.
Good.
Kresge uses the town hall for its courtroom.
Oh, that's fine.
And, of course, JAG will supply the bailiff, the hearing officer and the defense counsel, ma'am.
Mayor Hazlett has a law degree.
He'll be defending Scott.
Uh, ma'am, you do realize that this is a military proceeding? The mayor checked the UCMJ.
My son is entitled to hire a civilian attorney if he so desires.
Mayor Hazlett, by the way, will not be accepting a fee for this.
Ma'am, we're not interested in denying your son his privileges.
However, there are differences between military and civilian law.
We feel your son would be better represented by a JAG attorney.
I don't, Commander.
Ma'mun Al-Reza confessed an hour ago.
Your visit was effective.
Something bothering you? Mrs.
Al-Reza wrote that note, thinking that I was trying to help her, sir.
The mother's feelings are a small sacrifice for the intelligence that will come from this.
In any case, why don't I have our staff JAG break the news to Mrs.
Al-Reza? Sir, I would appreciate it if you would wait on that.
I should be the one to tell her.
It's not necessary, Colonel.
I feel it is, sir.
Just the facts.
Aye, sir.
The figure in bold is the amount of the settlement.
The check should be coming to you within the month, ma'am.
This is more money than I've made in my entire life.
Um My husband has emphysema.
Can I use this for his medical bills? Ma'am, the money is yours to use however you wish.
You can look at us, Mrs.
Carpenter.
We're not the enemy.
I appreciate everything you done for us.
Thank you.
Well, I suppose you can't blame her, sir.
Lance Corporal Van Arsdale's kind of become everybody's child.
I guess he's the only thing they have left.
Come here, please.
This is Nabil.
He's an orphan, a delinquent.
I was yelling at him for throwing rocks at a cat.
He said I was just mad because the sheikh had tried to kill Ma'mun.
When I asked him what he meant, he told me that he had overheard the sheikh talking to another man about placing explosives in Ma'mun's backpack.
Don't you see? My son was supposed to die in that explosion.
The sheikh had found out about him and had set him up.
Ma'mun knew what was in the backpack.
He listed the items for me.
Maybe it was hidden in something.
Like what? I don't know.
Did Nabil identify the other man? No.
He had never seen him before.
If this is true, and there's no way of proving that, why didn't the boy warn you at that time? The sheikh was a tyrant.
If he suspected Nabil had said anything, he would've killed him.
It's all circumstantial.
So is the case against my son.
Mrs.
Al-Reza your son confessed.
Under what conditions? Sheriff, while you were questioning Lance Corporal Van Arsdale, how was he reacting? He was nervous, defensive.
What was the first thing that he said to you? That I had the wrong man.
Had you yet determined the fire was caused by arson? No.
So it was a presumptive remark.
Yes.
Your witness.
Sheriff, did Scott Van Arsdale have any matches on him? No.
Gas can? Neither.
Were there footprints at the scene? None that weren't obscured by water and mud.
Well, let's assume, for the sake of argument, that he did not light that fire.
Now, couldn't his nervousness be attributed to the fact that your questions presumed that he did? In your scenario, yes.
And his comment about you having the wrong man- now, you jumped to that conclusion.
Isn't it possible he was just following your lead? Perhaps.
You've you've watched this boy grow up, Sheriff.
Did you ever know him to commit a crime or misrepresent the truth? No.
He's always been a good kid.
Thank you kindly.
Nabil said that he was on that balcony, cleaning a rug for Mrs.
Ahmed, when he saw them below.
They were standing in front of a blue door.
It's locked.
We're good.
Wires and electrical leads.
Looks like radio parts.
Semtex.
This is where they put the bomb together.
Well, how do you know your son didn't help them or even build it himself? Because my son is a good Muslim.
He never would have done this to the Koran.
At that point, Scotty wanted to be alone, said he was going to take a walk.
That would be about 25 minutes prior to the discovery of the fire, correct? Yes, sir.
Lance Corporal Van Arsdale, Frank Medina and your brother, Cliff, were close friends, correct? They were inseparable.
They, uh they had an understanding.
A pact- you know, all for one.
That kind of thing.
Now, how did this, uh, pact play out? Well, when Cliff got an elbow in the eye during a high school basketball game, Scotty challenged the kid to a boxing match and whupped him good.
So they would avenge wrongs committed against each other.
All the time.
It was a big thing with them.
Thank you, Mr.
Pardee.
No further questions.
Miss your brother? Of course.
I hear you've been pretty angry about it.
Objection.
Irrelevant.
Maybe to your case, Commander.
What's the point of this line of questioning, Counselor? Well, I'm examining an alternate theory, Your Honor.
Mr.
Pardee is not on trial here, Your Honor.
It's my understanding, Your Honor, that the rules of evidence are relaxed in an Article 32 proceeding.
That is correct.
Well, I'm not fishing, sir.
I have something specific in mind.
Now, might I proceed? Carefully.
Objection overruled.
Ask a direct question, Counselor.
Mr.
Pardee, have you been angry about your brother's death? I've been upset.
So has everybody else.
Yeah, but not everybody else has punched a hole in the wall at the Amity Pub, now, have they? Did you do that on the day you heard about your brother's death? Yes, I did.
And on the day of the fire, didn't you siphon gasoline out your wife's car? Objection.
Facts not in evidence.
I would like to hear his answer, Commander.
You're under oath, Mr.
Pardee.
I needed to clear some brush, and my chainsaw was empty.
Where were you during the time the fire was set? In my garage.
Doing what? Thinking.
Could you provide a witness to support this? It was after the memorial service.
I needed time alone.
I didn't want anybody to know where I was.
Is that a no? You've never liked me.
Just answer the question, sir.
That's a no.
So you're saying, someone hollowed out Ma'mun Al-Reza's Koran, inserted explosives and detonated it by remote control? Yes, sir.
And you want me to stake out this location.
I do.
We have a confession, Colonel.
Extracted while the suspect was under duress, sir.
That was the plan.
Sir, may I ask if Ma'mun has provided further information about the plot, other names? Not yet.
Well, couldn't that be because he was telling the truth, sir? That he was kept in the dark so that if he discovered the plot, he wouldn't be able to finger the rest of them? Or that he's loyal to his comrades.
Colonel, have you asked yourself why this wasn't an act of martyrdom? Not all acts of terror are.
No, sir, but Ma'mun would have known that he wouldn't be authorized to leave the base until he was questioned.
Now, why would he draw attention to himself by running away from the scene? To avoid injury.
Then why wouldn't he leave himself more time? Colonel, you brought me here because you thought I could relate to Mrs.
Al-Reza in ways that your male staff JAG could not.
Well you were correct.
And, like it or not this is the result.
What now? We need to ask you a few more questions, Mr.
Pardee.
I've already done enough talking.
Get off my property.
Let me be clear about this, sir.
You're in no position to be making demands.
You're not buying this crap, are you? You haven't been forthcoming with us.
The reason you didn't join up wasn't because of your knees.
It's because you have a record for assault.
That never went to trial.
That's because you settled out of court.
The man almost ran over my boy! You don't think.
You react! Like the case with your brother? I am not an arsonist.
You have an anger problem, Mr.
Pardee.
It's common knowledge.
Can you prove I did it? Is that a challenge? I guess we can take that as yes.
Donovan? Hey, buddy.
How you doing? Where you going? I don't want to get in trouble.
Well, we're not here about you.
It's okay.
Hey, is that your cat? Please don't say nothing.
Why, did you do something bad? My dad's allergic.
I'm not supposed to have him.
Well, we won't tell your dad, but you should.
No.
He'll make me give him up.
I only had him for a little while.
He's better off here than in the Reserve Center.
All they let him do in there is catch mice.
And I play with him every day.
Did you rescue him from the Reserve Center? Scotty gave him to me.
Scott Van Arsdale? Yeah.
I was in my yard, and he came by and asked me if I would take care of him.
I don't know what he's talking about, sir.
I didn't give him that cat.
So he's lying then? Maybe confused, Commander.
You are familiar with this animal.
We all are, sir.
He was our mascot.
We checked with Forensics, Lance Corporal.
They found cat hair on your uniform.
We're just waiting to find out if it's a match.
You knew the cat was in there.
You took him out before you lit the fire, and you gave him to Donovan Pardee.
Is that true, son? Yes, sir.
Did you light that fire? I did, sir.
I did it for Cliff and Frank and the rest of them.
What did you do with the gas can and the matches? I hid them in a rotten tree stump.
Why would you lie to us? Why would you do that?! Because that's what Washington has been doing, sir.
They lied to us about why we were fighting the war, about how many troops it was going to take, about the amount of support we were going to get.
And after everything my mother's been through, I thought it'd just be best if she didn't know.
I'm disappointed in you, son.
I never thought you to be one to take the low road.
The war is the low road, sir.
Well, you're not in Iraq anymore, son, so you better start thinking about making the peace, especially with the people of this town, the ones who believed in your innocence.
Your suspicions were warranted, Colonel.
His name is Mohammed Sadar.
He's on the hot list of active insurgent leaders.
He's already confessed to setting up Ma'mun Al-Reza.
So, it was Sadar's workshop.
Mm, he was about to break it down and move on to his next target.
Do you know what that is, sir? We will.
You did good.
I appreciate that.
Sir, about Ma'mun Al-Reza Oh, he'll be released.
I'm glad to hear that.
Can I ask you a favor? Go ahead.
Well, it actually concerns Talasura, sir.
I've been speaking with Mrs.
Al-Reza, and, um she has this idea.
Will the defense please rise? As discussed in chambers, the accused and the government have fashioned a pretrial agreement.
The accused will waive the balance of this Article 32 hearing, enter pleas of guilty to all charges and specifications, and accept a period of confinement established in these discussions.
Is that correct? Yes, sir, Your Honor.
Corporal Van Arsdale, are you clear that you're giving up your statutory right to a full hearing, and that if you plead guilty, you will be waiving your right to trial on the merits, including your rights to confront your accusers, the privilege against self-incrimination and the obligation of the government to prove each and every element beyond a reasonable doubt? Yes, sir.
Before I terminate these proceedings, I need to be assured that you intend to plead guilty because you believe you are guilty.
I am, sir.
In order to establish a factual basis, I would like you to explain why.
May I, Your Honor? Go ahead.
I'm sorry I set fire to the Reserve Center.
I was just so angry at the time, I couldn't see another way of handling it.
But I'm even more sorry I lied to you about it.
After everything that's happened, you deserved better from me.
I've dirtied the memory of my detachment, and I regret it.
But even more so, I regret not being able to bring them back.
It's all right, son.
It's all right.
We forgive you.
You come back to us now.
These proceedings are terminated.
It's right over here, sir.
What is the media doing here? They smell a story.
What have you gotten me into, Colonel? Hello.
Ma'mun.
Please.
We appreciate you coming.
Hello.
Ma'am.
Uh, besides dedicating this building as a school, we also thought it would be a good opportunity for us to learn about each other.
Mm-hmm.
I, uh, told the colonel that he would be answering some questions.
Yes, I will moderate and interpret.
Is that all right? Fine.
Come.
Please, this way.
Shh, shh, shh, shh.
Shh.
What is this, Colonel? Democracy, sir? Please.
Please, one at a time.
All right, all right.
I think we've discussed enough.
All right, let's vote, shall we? The motion has been made to contribute monetary awards to a special fund.
The money from this fund would be applied to the construction of a war memorial in honor of the young men from this community who lost their lives in the service to their country.
Now this memorial would be erected in front of the Marine Corps Reserve Center here in Kresge.
Do I have a second? I'll second.
Second that.
I'll second it.
All in favor, raise your hand.
All right.
It looks unanimous, then.
Good work, folks.
Gedownload van Bierdopje.
com