PAHRUMP, NEVADA
Commander Sturgis Turner parks the Ford Crown Victoria on the curb in a quiet tree-lined residential street in Pahrump. From Nellis Air Force Base, he drove south on the 15 Freeway, then drove west on Nevada Highway 160. The entire trip took well over an hour.
He walks along a concrete walkway to a single-level house. He checks the house number with the address where Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett has been reported to have been living in.
He rings the doorbell. Minutes later, the door opens and a dark-haired teenage girl opens the door.
"What do you want?" she asks.
"Commander Sturgis Turner from the Navy JAG," says the Navy lawyer. "Was this the home of Sam Archer?"
"Yeah, I guess. I'll go get mom."
Seconds later, an older woman appears at the door. She wears a red blouse and blue jeans. Her straight black hair reaches her shoulders. Sturgis introduces himself.
"My name is Donna," she says. "I was known as Mrs. Beckett until twelve years ago when my husband moved us here from Yuma and changed our name to Archer. I suppose this is about his arrest."
"Yes, it is, Mrs. Beckett," says Sturgis.
"Please come inside, Commander."
Sturgis enters the living room. It is small, with a coffee table, a fireplace, couches, and a Toshiba color television with a satellite receiver. On the fireplace is a photograph of Staff Sergeant Beckett in his dress blues, taken at least twelve years ago.
"I understand that you told the sheriff whom your husband really was," says the commander, sitting down on the couch facing the coffee table.
"That's right," replies Donna. "When they asked me whom this Jonathan Beckett was, I told them that that was his real name, and that he came here to make a fresh start. He told me he wanted to make a fresh start after he was reported to be dead. He moved us over here, got some fake ID's for us, and he lived as Sam Archer for the past twelve years. I had been calling him Sam for so long I'm thinking of him like that."
"Tell us how this started from the beginning."
"I was living in the Phillipines when he was stationed there back in 1987. He was a Marine, a corporal at the time. He was very charming. We got married. I moved around with him every time he transferred. The first time he was accused of child molestation was when he was stationed in Okinawa, before the first Gulf War. I supported him at the time, the case never made it to court. After the first Gulf War, we were transfered to Yuma. We were there for two years until I heard a call from him telling me that the MP's arrested him for child molestation. The Marines allowed him to leave base. He went on a camping trip near Las Vegas, and that was when I heard that he died. Later on, he appeared. He said that he wanted us to make a dfresh start. I had no money and no family here, so what else could I do? We moved around and settled here ten years ago. I continued to support him until what he did. How could he do that. How could he do that to our daughters? Damn him!"
"I understand, Mrs. Beckett," says Sturgis. "I want to speak to yiour daughters, ma'am."
"Okay," replies Donna.
And so Sturgis went inside one of the bedrooms. The girl who had answeered the door is inside. The bedroom is typical for a teenage girl, with a bed and a dresser and a closet. A poster of Justin Timberlake hangs on the wall.
"My name is Rita," says the girl.
The Navy commander introduces himself. "I understadn that you accused your own father of raping you. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Tell me more about it."
And so Sturgis hears what the girl had been going through.
ooooooooo
1614 ZULU
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE
CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA
The next morning, as he is eating his breakfast, Major General Gordon M. Cresswell hearrs the telephone ring.
"Hello," he says.
"Is General Cresswell there?" asks a male voice. "This is Commander Roberts."
"Yes, this is Cresswell. How are thing going over ther?"
"Fine, sir," says Roberts. "I have here three requests for courts of military review. I can fax them over to you for review."
"Very good, Roberts."
"I did hear from the convening authorirty over Staff Sergeant Beckett's court-martial. They made an agreement with the Air Force. They will keep custody of Staff Sergeant Beckett and they will provide facilities for the court-martial."
"So the court-martial will be here?"
"Yes, sir. They've already picked a judge- Colonel Melissa Lansing. She's arriving at Nellis today."
"What do you know about Colonel Lansing?"
"She's a reservist, sir. Did a tour of duty in Iraq two years ago. She was activated to serve as judge for this court-martial. A reserve MP platoon was also activated to act as bailiffs."
"Keep me posted on what's happening at headquarters."
"Yes, sir."
ooooooooooooo
1820 ZULU
PAHRUMP, NEVADA
"Yes, I've been did the examinations on those girls," says the gynecologist in a white lab coat. "The county does not have a fullt-ime sexual assault response team; I'm the one who is usually called to perform gynecological exams on rape victims, because I have the most experience."
"And what did you find?" asks Sturgis, sitting inside the small doctor's office, with typical office furniture and decorations - a desk, file cabinets, a Pentium personal computer, diplomas hanging on the walls. And there is a poster of the female reproductive system framing the left wall.
"They're not virgins, that is for sure," replies the gynecologist, who is Dr. Emma Goldstein. "They've all been vaginally penetrated. I have photographs of the vaginal area."
The commander looks at the photographs of the accusers' external genital area. "Does this prove that these girls were raped by a particular person, like Staff Sergeant Jonathan Beckett?"
"Rape is not the only method of penetrating a vagina," says Dr. Goldstein. "Sex with teenage boys comes to mind."
Sturgis takes another look at the pictures; he will need more threads to weave the tapestry.
ooooooooooooooo
2230 ZULU
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE
General Cresswell and Commander Turner arrive at the building where the court-martial will take place. The two lawyers are due to appear in court to meet the judge and discuss any preliminary motions.
They enter the courtroom, with its judge's bench, the witness stand, the tables for prosecution and defense, and the pews for the witnesses to the trial.
A woman stands right in front of the judge's bench; she has short blond hair. She wears the olive-green Marine duty uniform, and the silver eagle emblems on her shoulders indicate that she is a Marine colonel.
"I am Colonel Melissa Lansing," she says. "I was activated and selected to serve as trial judge for this court-martial."
Sturgis and Cresswell introduce themselves to the judge.
"If you follow me into my chambers," says the judge.
The chambers for Colonel Lansing is a small room with a steel desk with a Pentium laptop computer sitting upon it. On the floor are several cardboard boxes filled with documents.
"Before we get started, I will swear to you under oath that I have no prior connection to this case," she says. "I am not acquainted with the defendant, the arresting officers, or the accusers. I did hear about the case before being selected as judge; I saw it on the news the evening that Staff Sergeant Beckett was arrested. As I understand, the people are considering adding new charges."
"Yes, your Honor," says Sturgis. "We are seeking charges of desertion, five counts of rape, five counts of unlawful carnal knowledge, and possibly one count of premeditated murder."
"Have you reached any plea agreement?" asks the colonel. "If you have I can schedule an arraignment at 1600 and we can dispose of this case today."
"We have not reached an agreement, your Honor," replies General Cresswell. "We are still looking over the evidence in relation to these charges."
"Fair enough. I hope that next Monday would be fine for the arraignment."
"Monday should give us enough time to see where we stand," says Sturgis.
"Take your time. Of course, we all know that there is no way the jury will doubt the desertion charge."
Cresswell nods in agreement. "I would like to request an examination of the body by an expert chosen by me," says the general.
"Any reason?"
"A second opinion won't hurt."
"Denied, counselor," replies Lansing. "The initial autopsy was preformed while it was believed the body was that of the defendant, and there was no reason for anyone at the time to believe that the defendant had killed the person. There is no expectation for any bias."
"I would like to then request the accusers be subjected to a medical exam by an expert of my own choosing."
"Denied," says the judge. "Those girls have already suffered through a great trauma. Putting them through another invasive exam would cause undue hardship. You may, of course, cross-examine the doctor who examined them and even have access to the doctor's employment record."
"Okay," says the general.
"I request that the convening authority keep Stasff Sergeant Beckett in custody," says Sturgis. "The arrst report indicated that he was going by an assumed name, and was trying to hide from the Marines."
"Agreed," says the judge. "I will make that recommendation."
oooooooooooo
DAY 4
0107 ZULU
"Hello," says a female voice.
"Dora, it's me, Gordon," says General Cresswell, speaking on the telephone inside the study in his guest quarters.
"How are you doing over there?" asks his wife Dora. "What time is it?"
"About 1300, or 5:00."
"We're all just preparing dinner. How is your case?"
"I'm still following up leads. The arraignment's on Monday. How are the girls and my parents?"
"They're all fine. Nothing much new is happening, except for Cammie still getting used to her new school."
"That is good to hear," replies the general. "It's somewhat warmer here than over in West Arlington."
"Are you kidding, Gordon? We just had a new foot of snow fall."
"Where I am now, snow is only something you see in the mountains."
"So you'll be over there over the weekend?"
"Got to track down witnesses, make request for background checks on all of them."
"Well, I look forward to seeing you again. Love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart."
He hangs up the phone and sits down in the study. Speaking to his wife always had made his heart flutter, and this time is no exception.
Maybe Dora could come here sometime, he thinks.
Or maybe Staff Sergeant Beckett will accept a plea bargain and I will be home by Monday evening, he also thinks.
ooooooooooo
1940 ZULU
CLARK COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
The Clark County coroner is responsibke for conducting autopsies on people who died in Clark County, the most populated county in Nevada. The coroner's office in Las Vegas exmaines the dead and makes a report. The office has been instrumental in solving hundreds of criminal homicide cases in this southernmost county of Nevada.
Sturgis currently meets with the coroner, Dr. Casey McNichols, inside the examination room, a mostly sterile room with drawers for the corpses to be examined. Dr. McNichols was the coroner who performed the autopsy on the corpse that had been presumed to be Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett.
"I still remember that case," says the coroner. "I remember because I was informed that Mr. Beckett was on trial for child molestation, and at the time there was the possibility that he was murdered."
"So what was the cause of death?" asks Sturgis.
"Injuries sustained in the gas explosion," replies McNichols. "The explosion blew apart his body."
"And you identified him as that of Staff Sergeant Beckett, right?"
"Correct. Though now it no longer seems to be true."
"But you investigated this as a possible murder. Was there any evidence of homicide?"
"No, there wasn't," replies the coroner. "that was why the case was closed then."
"Of course, with Beckett alive and well, the murder case will have to be re-opened," says the commander.
ooooooooooo
DAY 6
1814 ZULU
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE
The day is Saturday, and most of the personnel of Nellis Air Force Base are on weekend liberty, either spending quiet time at home or going to the casinos of Las Vegas and the other cities of Clark County. Of course, the base's stockade is still fuilly manned by guards who had been assigned the weekend shift by their superiors.
Commander Turner and General Cresswell meet in one of the rooms. The prisoner, Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett, is seated, his hands and feet chained. An Air Force sergeant stands guard.
"I have come to offer you a deal, Staff Sergeant Beckett," says Sturgis. "Plead guilty to desertion, two counts of assault, three counts of unlawful carnal knowledge, one count of attempted assault, and one count of manslaughter for the guy who died in your place. I can understand your situation. There were these four underage girls, and you felt attracted to them, so you took advantage of them. And I can understand how desperate you were facing the original charges twelve years ago. In desperation, you killed a man and then set that trailer on fire to fake your death."
"How much time is he looking at?" asks General Cresswell.
"Thirty to fifty years. A good deal compared to what he can get."
Cresswell and Beckett whisper to each other.
"I have studied criminal procedure as a hobby since that first accusation in Okinawa," says Staff Sergeant Beckett. "And I know, sir, if you had a tight case against me, you would not offer manslaughter. You would offer taking the death penalty off the table in exchange for me pleading guilty to premeditated murder."
"This isn't Law and Order, Beckett," replies the commander. "This is real life."
"This is a good deal," says General Cresswell.
"You don't have a case, Commander," says Beckett. "No deal."
"See you at the arraignment," says Sturgis.
Beckett is escorted back to his cell. Sturgis and Cresswell leave the stockade.
"What will you be up to, Turner?" asks the general as they walk outside.
"Preparing for jury selection, finding a nearby place that offers worshipo services," replies Sturgis. "I suppose the base chapel will suffice."
"I could rent a movie; my guest quarters has a DVD player in the den. And if I'm here for weeks, I can get Dora to visit me."
oooooooooooo
DAY 8
1730 ZULU
Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett walks into the courtroom. He is wearing an olive-green Marine dress uniform, a uniform he had not worn in twelve years. He sits down at the table with his lawyer, General Cresswell. He notes the prosecutor is sitting at the other table. Marine MP's keep watch over the courtroom.
He then sees a woman approach the bench, who is the judge. He notes that she is a Marine colonel.
"Court is now in session," says the bailiff. "Colonel Melissa Lansing presiding."
"Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett," says Colonel Lansing, "You are charged with two counts of Article 128, subsection b, assault, one count of Article 85, desertion, Article 126, subsection a, aggravated arson, three counts of Article 120, rape, one count of Article 80, attempt to commit rape, and one count of Article 118, clause 1, premeditated murder. How do you plead?"
Beckett glances at the sheet on the table which specifies, in further detail, the criminal charges against him. "I plead not guilty," says the staff sergeant.
"Defendant is remanded to custody of Nellis Air Force Base," says the judge. "Jury selection begins tomorrow at 0900."
An MP leads Staff Sergeant Beckett away.
ooooooooooooo
"Excuse me," Sturgis hears as he leaves the courtroom.
He turns and sees a bespectacled balding man in a suit. "How may I help you?" asks the commander.
"Colin Dunaway, Clark County District Attorney's Office," says the man. "Sir, the murder and arson that Sergeant Beckett is accused of happened in my county; the case falls under the jurisdiction of the Clark County DA. I request case notes for the possibility of filing charges in state criminal court."
"In case we lose, right?" asks Sturgis.
"Well, yes, Commander. Or if a civilian served as an accessory to the sergeant's crimes."
"I will provide your office with any information for any future prosecution," says the Navy lawyer.
Strugis goes back to his quarters to review the files on the Marines who had been nominated to serve in the court-martial as jurors.
ooooooooooo
DAY 9
1822 ZULU
"Please stand, Juror Number One," says Colonel Lansing.
One of the twelve Marines in the jury box stands up. He is an average-height man with short black hair.
"State you name for the record," says the judge.
"Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Marcos," says the Marine officer. "I am currently assigned to Camp Pendleton in California. This is unusual, a court-martial in an Air Force base."
"We sometimes have to improvise, Colonel," replies Lansing. "I will start by asking questions, and then the prosecution and defense will have their turn. Colonel Marcos, are you acquainted with Staff Sergeant Jonathan Beckett?"
"I haven't heard of him until just a week ago," replies the colonel.
"Are you acquainted with Rita Beckett?"
"No, ma'am."
"Rita Archer?"
"No, ma'am."
"Nicole Chambers?"
"No, ma'am."
"Jacqueline Carter?"
"No, ma'am."
"Anita Mann?"
"No, ma'am."
"Dana Dixon?"
"No, ma'am."
"Have you formed an opinion about this case?"
"No, ma'am."
"Can you, to the best of your ability, judge the cvase based solely on the evidence, in a fair and impartial manner?"
"Yes, ma'am," replies Colonel Marcos.
"The government may question the nominee," says Colonel Lansing.
"Colonel Marcos, have you ever been accused of rape?" asks Sturgis.
"No, Commander," replies Marcos.
"Has any member of your immediate family been accused of rape?"
"No."
"Have you been accused of murder?"
"No."
"Has anyone in your family been accused of murder?"
"No."
"Have you ever been court-martialed for any offense?"
"No, Commander."
"The charges for which the defendant is accused of carries a possible death sentence. Are you open to voting in favor of a death sentence if the defendant is convicted?"
"That will depend on what comes out during the trial."
"I have no questions at this time and no challenge."
"The defense may question the nominee," says the judge.
"Colonel Marcos, have you ever been a victim of a sexual assault?" asks General Cresswell.
"No, sir, I have not," replies the lieutenant colonel.
"Has anyone in your immediate family been a victim of sexual assault?"
"To the best of my knowledge, General, no."
"Has anyone in your family been murdered?"
"No, sir."
"Will you be open to a life sentence for the defendant is he is convicted?"
"I'm open to that, sir," says Marcos. "It would depend on the circumstances of the crime, sir."
"No further questions and no challenges."
"The government will not challenge thos nominee at this time," saysd Sturgis.
"Very well then," says Colonel Lansing. "Juror Number One, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Marcos, is appointed to the court-martial."
oooooooooooooo
2012 ZULU
"The government has no challenge for this nominee," says Sturgis.
"The defense may question the nominee," says Colonel Lansing.
"Master Gunnery Sergeant," says Cresswell, "have you ever been a victim of sexual assault?"
"No, sir," replies the Marine master gunnery sergeant who had been nominated to the court-martial.
"Has any member of your family ever been a victim of a sexual assault?"
"Yes, sir. My daughter was raped when she was fourteen."
"And what became of the case?"
"No charges were filed against the assailant."
"Your Honor, I request that Juror Number five be removed for cause."
"On what grounds?" asks the judge.
"The juror admitted that his own daughter was raped and that will impair his ability to judge the case on its merits alone," says the general.
"Motion to dismiss denied."
"How did you feel about your daughter being raped?" asks Cresswell.
"I was outraged!" says the jury nominee.
"Given this outrage over what happened to your daughter, how can you be sure you can impartially judge based on the evidence?"
"General Cresswell, that is out of line!" scolds Colonel Lansing.
"I motion to dismiss this juror without cause."
"That is your perogative, sir," says the colonel. "Juror number five is excused."
oooooooooo
DAY 10
0211 ZULU
"How is your school going?" asks General Cresswell.
"I've gotten used to the new schedule," says his daughter, Cameron Cresswell. "It is a lot less structured than at the Academy. How are you doing over there?"
"Fine, Cammie. We're going through jury selection right now."
"I remember my classes about military justice. Are you keeping up to date about what's happening back at the office?"
"Commander Roberts speaks with me regularly. He sends me a fax on matters which I must personally handle. And how is that boy, Mike? You two getting along?"
"Yeah. I got to spend some time with him because of the winter break. He's back in Annapolis now, so I only get to see him once a week."
"Well, you take care, Cammie. Love you."
"Love you too, Dad."
oooooooooooo
2335 ZULU
Colonel Lansing faces the four officers and three enlistees making up the panel, as well an the two enslitees making up the alternates.
The members of the court-martial are then sworn in by the Marine judge.
"Do either oif you have any motions to file at this moment?" she asks.
"No," replies both the prosecutor and defense attorney.
"Then opening arguments are scheduled for tomorrow," says the colonel.
ooooooooooo
DAY 11
1511 ZULU
Today is the day for opening arguments in the case of People v. Beckett. Sturgis is in his quarters, wearing his Navy uniform minus the coat. He speaks on the phone.
"Have you found anything new on the autopsy?" asks Sturgis.
"I'm afraid not, Commander," replies Dr. Donald Mallard, a medical examiner at the heasquarters of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. "All we know is that the dental records do not match Staff Sergeant Beckett."
"I need proof that this was a homicide, Doctor."
"TYhere is no indication."
"Then find an indication!"
"Commander, I must remind you that we are not on the same team. My duty is simply to examine the body and publish the report. If I do find anything that might affect the case, I will let you and the defense counsel know."
"Very well, sir," says Sturgis. "Keep me informed."
He hangs up the phone, mentally preparing himself for his court appearance.