1633 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Commander Sturgis Turner enters the JAG Headquarters main office after having had lunch. It looks pretty much the same as it did when he was first assigned here, with a white tiled floor, desks, bulleton boards on the walls, and television sets mounted on top of one of the walls. The lawyers and support staff for the main office are busy looking through files and making calls.
"Commander Turner," a voice says.
Sturgis looks to see a man in a white Navy uniform, a little shorter than him with dark hair. The shoulder insignia identify him as a lieutenant commander.
"What can I do for you, Bud?" asks the commander.
"I just heard from Captain Rabb, sir," replies Lieutenant Commander Bud Roberts. "He's alive and well."
"Thank God," replies Turner, a small burden in his heart relieved. He had been worried ever since hearing about the terrorist blasts in London yesterday, which were reported to have killed over fifty people. He and U.S. Navy Captain Harmon Rabb have been friends since their days at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. His first thought was of Harm when he saw the news report on the London attacks.
"I've got a court hearing to attend to, sir," says Bud. "See you for lunch."
Sturgis glaces at the bulletin board. Lieutenant Gregory Vukovic had been assigned to the naval station in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Lucky bastard, he thinks.
"Turner, my office," says Major General Gordon M. Creswell as he walks past.
Seconds later, Sturgis is standing inside General Creswell's office. Standing beside him is a woman with short blond hair, whose shoulder insignia identify her as a commander.
"Just this morning, the U.S. Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the murder conviction of Petty Officer Third Class David Bruce Parker," says General Creswell, who is the Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy. "Parker had been convicted of seven counts of murder in what was known as Baltimore's Halloween Massacre. A nightclub known to be a hangout for gangsters was shot up. After an investigation, Parker was arrested and convicted."
"On what technicality was the conviction overturned?" asks Commander Meg Austin.
"Falsified evidence," replies the general. "An FBI fingerprint analyst came under investigation by the Attorney General's office. It turned out he falsified fingerprint evidence on a number of cases. Even now, cases that he testified in are being reviewed. A lawyer contacted Mr. Parker and offered to represent him on appeal. He was the one who filed the appeal."
"Who is his attorney?" asks Sturgis.
"Take a look, Commander."
Sturgis and Meg look at the files Creswell had given them. A smile forms on Sturgis's face.
"This is interesting," says Sturgis.
"Turner, Austin, you will re-examine the murder case," says General Creswell. "The court gave the Navy a ninety day deadline to refile charges. SecNav has assumed convening authority over this. The Baltimore scandal has gotten quyite a bit of national press attention. You will make recommendation on whether to reconvene a general court-martial. I understand that there is a temptation try him in court because of whom his lawyer is. You will not let that color your judgment.Your recommendation to the SecNav will be based solely on the evidence."
"Understood, sir," says Sturgis.
"Dismissed."
"Aye aye, sir," say Sturgis and Meg.
ooooooooooooo
1756 ZULU
NCIS HEADQUARTERS
Sturgis and Meg get out of the blue Ford Crown Victoria staff car and enter ther building that houses the headquarters for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes involving the Navy and Marine Corps. As they walk through carpeted hallways, they pass by agents dressed in suits. They enter the NCIS main office.
"Excuse me," says Meg, "is there a Tony Dinozzo here?"
"That's me," says a dark haired man wearing black shoes, black pants, a black coat, a black necktie, and a white shirt. "Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo."
"Commander Meg Austin," says Meg. "This is Commander Sturgis Turner. We're from JAG."
"What is this about?" asks Agent Dinozzo. "Why do you want to talk to me first instead of the director or Agent Gibbs?"
"You were working homicide for the Baltimore PD back in '97, right?" asjks Sturgis.
"Yeah?"
"You remember the 1997 Halloween Massacre?"
"Yeah, a couiple of dealers got shot. I remember because a sailor got arrested and charged with a crime. It was the first time I testified in a military court."
"His conviction was overturned," says Meg.
"What?"
"Apparently, an FBI fingerprint analyst falsified evidence in this and other cases," says Sturgis.
"I remember that," says Dinozzo. "Someone from the Maryland attorney's office asked me questions about him. I didn't know he was the subject."
"Well, we're going to reexamine the case," says Meg.
"He's guilty," says Dinozzo. "When I questioned where he was on Halloween night, he said he was on base that night preparing for his deployment to sea. He lied. The gate records showed that he went back in less than an hour after the crime was committed. He lied a second time when I asked him where he was."
"He could have been doing something else that he did not want anyone to find out," suggests Sturgis. "Or he could have been confused about the times."
"No way. He told two different lies to that same question."
"We'll need more than that," says Meg.
"What is going on?" asks a silver-haired man walking in.
"I was speaking to these two JAG lawyers about a case I worked on when I was with the Baltimore police," says Dinozzo.
"Leroy Gibbs, NCIS," says the silver-haired man.
Sturgis and Meg introduce themselves and tell Gibbs about the Parker case.
"Tony, you will work with these two in their investigation," says Gibbs. "Make contact with your old co-workers. Maybe the original fingerprint samples are on file. If Abby matches them to Parker..."
"He goes back to Leavenworth," completes Sturgis.
ooooooooooooo
1930 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
"You'll never guess who's here," says Bud as he sees Sturgis and Meg.
"We've been expecting him to meet with us," says Meg.
"He's waiting for you two in the conference room."
The two of them head towards the conference room. A wooden table dominates the room, sitting on a carpet-covered floor.
A bald man in a gray suit sits at one of the chars. Sturgis and Meg recognize him.
"Hi," says AJ Chegwidden, the retired Judge Advocate General.
"Good to see you, Admiral," says Sturgis. "Are you here to ask for a plea bargain?"
"Oh no," says the retired admiral. "I understand that you're reopening the case."
"Yes," says Meg. "We asked the Baltimore PD to send a copy of the original fingerprint sample to NCIS. If it matches, you might want to consider a plea bargain to spare your client's life."
"That is if it matches," says AJ. "What if there is no match? Or it matches someone else, proving that someone else was the killer? What will you have then?"
"We have until October to file charges," says Sturgis. "And yes, it is possible that there won't be ebnough evidence for another trial."
"Let's get down to business," says AJ. "I want all of your investigation notes. I've already subpoenaed all of the Baltimore PD and FBI records related to this case."
"Okay then," says Meg. "Good to see you again, sir."
oooooooooooooo
AJ later sits inside the office he used to have, meeting with his replacement.
"I see that the office is just as busy as when I was here," he says.
"We've had a lot to deal with," says General Creswell. "I've heard great things about you, AJ. You were a great influence on these people- Rabb, Mackenzie, Turner, Roberts, Coates."
"You shouldn't try to fill my shoes, General. Fill your own shoes."
"Your shoes would probably be really loose," says the general, who is clearly shorter than AJ. "They'd fly off my feet if I even jog. Anyway, I heard that you once defended an Al Qaeda terrorist."
"Someone had to do it. I figured that since I was JAG, I should be the one to do it."
"I understand you are working the Parker case pro bono. Is there any reason why you chose him?"
"He was convicted with falsified evidence during my tenure here," says AJ. "It's my responsibilty to correct this injustice. And this case is getting quite a bit of publicity. My firm gets free advertising and a case in its resume."
"Tell me about your personal life," says Creswell.
"Divorced. I have a daughter in Italy. I flew to meet her after I retired. You?"
"Still married. We keep pulling through. I have two daughters. One of them is attending Annapolis."
The two men continue talking, about their time in the service and other stuff as well.
ooooooooooo
2115 ZULU
NORTH OF UNION STATION
Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Coates returns to her apartment in Washington, DC. She had moved in here a while ago. It is a modestly furnished apartment, considering her savings and her petty officer's salary.
She sees one message on her answering machine. She presses the play button.
"This is Detective Morris," the voice says. "They caught your friend Pia Bonfilio. She was just extradited here to DC today. You'll have to give a statement to the DC attorney."
Jennifer remembers that incident not long ago when her friend Pia Bonfilio came back asking for help. One thing led to another, and Jennifer ended up as a murder suspect fora while. But further investigation revealed Pia as the killer. Pia was on the run for months. She had even been profiled on America's Most Wanted. Now she is in custody.
Jennifer had been a crook untila judge made her go to the Navy. She later deserted and was caught. Her attorney at the time, Commander Harmon Rabb, convinced the judge that her enlistment was coerced. Rabb also convinced her that a future in the Navy would be worthwhile and that the Navy was the best thing to happen to her. Now she might have to testify in court if Pia's attorney decides to go to trial. She would surely be cross-examined about her criminal past. She might have to divulge things she had not told anyone at JAG.
oooooooooooooo
DAY 2
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Saturday is not as busy as other days in JAG Headquarters. There are only a few lawyers working here today, catching up on assigments. General Creswell is not in.
Commander Meg Austin has some work to catch up on. She has been revieweing the David Parker case, from the original invesatigation notes to the court transcripts.
"Commander Austin, there's a call for you from a Tony Dinozzo," says Seaman First Class Jack Culp, who is filling in for Petty Officer Coates this day. "Line Three."
"I'll take it in my office," says Meg. She enters her office and sits behind her desk. "This is Commander Austin," she says, holding the telephone.
"It's me, Agent Dinozzo," says Tony Dinozzo. "Abby just ran a test on the fingerprints."
"And what?" she asks. His answer could end the investigation, one way or the other.
"The result is inconclusive. We can't say if it's his or not."
"Thanks. I guess I'll see you again."
Meg hangs up the phone. It is going to be a long summer.