"I'm sorry I'm late." Lieutenant Commander Dale Greenburg said as he came
into the conference room, he was representing the Captain. "Traffic." He
dumped his briefcase and cover on the desk. "Petty Officer Coates I
presume."
"Yes sir."
"And you sir?" He questioned Harm.
"Commander Harmon Rabb. I'm the Petty Officer's legal representation."
"You think you need legal representation Petty Officer?" He asked Jen.
"Sir, I work in this building so I know it always pays to have legal representation, especially in legal preceding."
"I see." He sat down. "Let's begin shall we." He nodded to the court reporter who started typing. "Deposit of Petty Officer Coates in the case of the US NAVY vs. Captain William Thornton and the US NAVY vs. Commander Zachary Hiltman. Present Lieutenant Commander Dale Greenburg, for the defence of Captain Thornton and a representative for the defence of Commander Hiltman. Also present Commander Rabb legal representative for Petty Officer Coates and the court reporter..." He paused.
"Staff Sgt Stella Trentman." She supplied.
"Staff Sgt Stella Trentman. Petty Officer please raise your right hand." Jen did as she was told. "Do you swear that the evidence you shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do." Jen replied.
"Petty Officer, please state for the record, your name, rank and current billing for the record."
"Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Coates. I'm clerk of court and aide to Colonel Mackenzie, with the Judge Advocate General Corps, Falls Church Virginia."
"Petty Officer, do you understand that this deposit is being taken for both the case against Captain Thornton and the case against Commander Hiltman?"
"Yes sir." Jen replied.
"How long have you been at JAG?" He asked.
"Just over a year, three months sir."
"And all this time have you been assigned to Colonel Mackenzie?"
"No sir, only for the past year. Before that I was assigned to help run the officer."
"What was your previous billet?"
"I was legal man on the USS Seahawk first with Lieutenant Roberts, then Lieutenant Singer and then Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie and finally Lieutenant Gordon. When I became ready for orders, Admiral Chegwidden requested me here."
"Why were you assigned to Colonel Mackenzie?" He asked.
"She was appointed to judiciary and needed a clerk of court and aide, which is a role I had already filled for Commander Rabb when he had taken a temporary position on the bench."
"Had you had any experience of the Naval justice system before you were assigned as legal man to the Seahawk?"
"Yes sir." Jen replied.
"In what capacity."
"I've spent time in the brig if that's what you're asking sir." Jen replied.
"What for?" Commander Greenburg asked.
"The Petty Officer's previous criminal record has nothing to do with the scope of this deposition." Harm interjected. "Move on Commander."
"It goes to her mindset against investigations."
"It's okay sir." Jen said. "I was in the brig for petty thief, and impersonating Santa Claus. I did my time and it made me realise that I wanted to be in Navy because it was what I wanted and not because a civilian judge had ordered me to be. I made mistakes Commander, but I've paid for them and I'm good at my job."
"The Petty Officer's fit reps for the last eighteen months and her promotion are evidence of that." Harm added.
"Also the ring I can tell you are engaged."
"Yes sir."
"Who to?" He asked.
"Sir, how is that relevant?" Jen asked.
"Petty Officer, answer the question." Harm nodded.
"Petty Officer First Class Jason Tiner, yeoman to Admiral AJ Chegwidden Navy Judge Advocate General." She replied.
"So someone in this office. Isn't that interesting as this office has a reputation for that." Harm shuffled uncomfortably.
"Sir, we started dating after I was assigned to Colonel Mackenzie, who reports directly to Admiral Morris, who is the senior judge here. He in turn reports to Admiral Chegwidden. It's a different chain of Command to Petty Officer Tiner who reports directly to Admiral Chegwidden. So therefore it isn't a problem with the regulations. But Commander what does this have to do with what happened on the Truman and the investigation afterwards?"
"Just a little background information."
"I suggest you move onto what information is relevant to your case." Harm suggested.
TBC
"Yes sir."
"And you sir?" He questioned Harm.
"Commander Harmon Rabb. I'm the Petty Officer's legal representation."
"You think you need legal representation Petty Officer?" He asked Jen.
"Sir, I work in this building so I know it always pays to have legal representation, especially in legal preceding."
"I see." He sat down. "Let's begin shall we." He nodded to the court reporter who started typing. "Deposit of Petty Officer Coates in the case of the US NAVY vs. Captain William Thornton and the US NAVY vs. Commander Zachary Hiltman. Present Lieutenant Commander Dale Greenburg, for the defence of Captain Thornton and a representative for the defence of Commander Hiltman. Also present Commander Rabb legal representative for Petty Officer Coates and the court reporter..." He paused.
"Staff Sgt Stella Trentman." She supplied.
"Staff Sgt Stella Trentman. Petty Officer please raise your right hand." Jen did as she was told. "Do you swear that the evidence you shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do." Jen replied.
"Petty Officer, please state for the record, your name, rank and current billing for the record."
"Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Coates. I'm clerk of court and aide to Colonel Mackenzie, with the Judge Advocate General Corps, Falls Church Virginia."
"Petty Officer, do you understand that this deposit is being taken for both the case against Captain Thornton and the case against Commander Hiltman?"
"Yes sir." Jen replied.
"How long have you been at JAG?" He asked.
"Just over a year, three months sir."
"And all this time have you been assigned to Colonel Mackenzie?"
"No sir, only for the past year. Before that I was assigned to help run the officer."
"What was your previous billet?"
"I was legal man on the USS Seahawk first with Lieutenant Roberts, then Lieutenant Singer and then Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie and finally Lieutenant Gordon. When I became ready for orders, Admiral Chegwidden requested me here."
"Why were you assigned to Colonel Mackenzie?" He asked.
"She was appointed to judiciary and needed a clerk of court and aide, which is a role I had already filled for Commander Rabb when he had taken a temporary position on the bench."
"Had you had any experience of the Naval justice system before you were assigned as legal man to the Seahawk?"
"Yes sir." Jen replied.
"In what capacity."
"I've spent time in the brig if that's what you're asking sir." Jen replied.
"What for?" Commander Greenburg asked.
"The Petty Officer's previous criminal record has nothing to do with the scope of this deposition." Harm interjected. "Move on Commander."
"It goes to her mindset against investigations."
"It's okay sir." Jen said. "I was in the brig for petty thief, and impersonating Santa Claus. I did my time and it made me realise that I wanted to be in Navy because it was what I wanted and not because a civilian judge had ordered me to be. I made mistakes Commander, but I've paid for them and I'm good at my job."
"The Petty Officer's fit reps for the last eighteen months and her promotion are evidence of that." Harm added.
"Also the ring I can tell you are engaged."
"Yes sir."
"Who to?" He asked.
"Sir, how is that relevant?" Jen asked.
"Petty Officer, answer the question." Harm nodded.
"Petty Officer First Class Jason Tiner, yeoman to Admiral AJ Chegwidden Navy Judge Advocate General." She replied.
"So someone in this office. Isn't that interesting as this office has a reputation for that." Harm shuffled uncomfortably.
"Sir, we started dating after I was assigned to Colonel Mackenzie, who reports directly to Admiral Morris, who is the senior judge here. He in turn reports to Admiral Chegwidden. It's a different chain of Command to Petty Officer Tiner who reports directly to Admiral Chegwidden. So therefore it isn't a problem with the regulations. But Commander what does this have to do with what happened on the Truman and the investigation afterwards?"
"Just a little background information."
"I suggest you move onto what information is relevant to your case." Harm suggested.
TBC
