A Few Good Men

In a flashback, Jessup meets with the base’s lead medical officer, Commander Stone. They discuss Santiago’s death and Stone’s struggles to determine the cause of death. Jessup threatens to hinder Stone’s career unless Stone lists poison on the rag stuffed into Santiago’s mouth as the cause of death.

Kaffee talks with Dawson. He assures Dawson that the legal team are trying their best but warns him that they will likely “get creamed.”

In the courtroom, Judge Randolph presides over the case. Galloway objects to the heavy security in the room because it projects the image that the defendants are dangerous. Ross begins by calling Stone as a witness. Stone describes the rope marks on Santiago’s wrists, his partially shaved head, and the lab results, which indicated a buildup of acid in the lungs. Stone thinks that the cause of death was poison. Having rehearsed his cross-examination, Kaffee questions Stone. He uses Stone’s own medical reports on Santiago to suggest that he may have had a pre-existing heart condition, which may have caused his death. Ross questions Stone again, emphasizing the likelihood that Santiago was poisoned, while Galloway asks that Stone’s testimony be stricken from the record.

After the court session, Weinburg criticizes Galloway’s strenuous objections as a rookie mistake. He then explains that he dislikes Dawson and Downey because they “beat up on a weakling” (70). Weinburg considers their defense of the Marines immoral but nevertheless will work hard on the case.

Markinson pretends to be a journalist to obtain the records of incoming and outgoing flights from Guantanamo Bay on the day of Santiago’s death. When the orderly requests the corresponding paperwork, Markinson threatens him with a pistol.

In the courtroom, Kaffee calls Corporal Howard as his first witness. Howard explains the purpose of the Marines in Guantanamo Bay, describing how they held six-hour patrols along the fence separating the US territory from Cuba while armed with M-16 rifles. Howard also explains to the court the nature and purpose of Code Reds. He received a Code Red in the past; his fellow Marines beat him for dropping his rifle, then bought him a beer. Howard describes Santiago’s struggles to maintain fitness and discipline. However, he says that Dawson forbade the men from carrying out a Code Red on Santiago. Ross questions Howard and points out that the official Marine training documents never mention the term Code Red. Kaffee responds that such documents do not mention many parts of life as a Marine, but they’re nevertheless true.

During a brief recess, Ross makes Kaffee another offer. He doesn’t want Kendrick to testify, as he’s worried that it might negatively affect the reputation of Kendrick and the Marines. Kaffee rejects Ross’s offer and calls Kendrick as a witness. Under Kaffee’s examination, Kendrick calls Santiago a “below average” (81) Marine. He admits to issuing a bad report to Dawson, which delayed a promotion, and Kaffee suggests that the bad report was linked to Dawson’s attempt to give food to a fellow Marine who was being deliberately starved as part of a Code Red punishment. Kendrick thinks that Dawson committed the crime of disobeying an order. As a result of this poor report, Kaffee suggests that Dawson learned that he can’t pick which orders to follow, even if he thinks that he may hurt someone. Kendrick flatly denies issuing any order to Dawson or Downey to give Santiago a Code Red.

In Kaffee’s apartment that evening, Weinburg discovers a package from Markinson. Kaffee opens the package. Inside is a letter from Markinson, suggesting that Jessup never intended to transfer Santiago, along with the flight records to and from Cuba that prove this to be true. Markinson tells Kaffee not to look for him but pleads with Kaffee to “save these men” (86). Though the evidence is damning, it is inadmissible, as no one can find Markinson and he obtained the documents at gunpoint. Kaffee wants to bring Markinson to the court to testify.