A Few Good Men

Kaffee meets Jack Ross, the prosecutor in the trial. Ross offers Kaffee a deal in which the men would plead guilty to manslaughter and in exchange would receive a reduced sentence. Kaffee tries to haggle for an even shorter sentence, claiming that Santiago’s death was accidental. Ross mentions that Kendrick specifically told the Marines “not to touch Santiago” (32). Kaffee delays making any deal until he returns from his meeting with Jessup. Galloway, having failed to have Kaffee removed from the case, announces that she’ll accompany Kaffee to Cuba.

Later, Kaffee visits Weinburg’s house. Kaffee reveals that he’s hesitant to accept Ross’s offer. While Weinburg encourages Kaffee to take the deal, Kaffee admits that he’s beginning to have doubts about the case.

In a flashback to before Santiago’s murder, Kendrick holds a meeting. Downey is absent because his jeep broke down while he was on patrol. Santiago is also absent, as Kendrick has excused him from the meeting. Kendrick criticizes Santiago for embarrassing the Marines. He makes the men repeat their codified list of priorities: “Unit, Corps, God, Country” (36). Kendrick instructs the men not to touch Santiago. After dismissing most of the Marines, however, he turns to Dawson.

Kaffee, Galloway, and Weinburg arrive at Guantanamo Bay. They ride past the fence that surrounds the American military base. Their escort describes the danger that the fence poses, though Kaffee is more concerned about taking a boat trip. They arrive in Jessup’s office, where Markinson and Kendrick join them. Jessup is impressed when he learns that Kaffee’s now-deceased father was a famous lawyer. In a brief flashback, Downey and Dawson pin down Santiago. The meeting in Jessup’s office continues. Kaffee asks about the illegal fence shooting that Santiago mentioned in his transfer request. Jessup suggests that Santiago was about to receive his transfer: He was scheduled to depart the day after his death.

Kaffee finishes his questions, but Galloway refuses to leave. She quizzes Kendrick as to whether he thinks “Santiago was murdered” (42). Kendrick thinks that Santiago is dead because he had no code and no honor. Galloway asks Jessup about Code Reds. Jessup suggests that Code Reds are a necessary part of maintaining discipline, though he notes that they have been forbidden. When Galloway asks whether Santiago’s death was a botched Code Red, Jessup defends himself. He welcomes Galloway to investigate him if she must but insists that he isn’t afraid. As they prepare to leave, Kaffee asks for a copy of Santiago’s transfer order. Jessup agrees on the provision that Kaffee asks him “nicely”. Kaffee politely requests the paperwork and then exits with the other lawyers. Once they leave, Jessup complains about lawyers and suggests that Downey and Dawson were acting in the interests of the Marines.

Kaffee talks to Downey and Dawson again. They insist that Santiago’s death was part of a Code Red; as Santiago’s squad leader, Dawson thinks that disciplining Santiago was his job. Kaffee aggressively quizzes Downey, who repeats Dawson’s comments until Dawson interrupts and admits that Kendrick gave him the order to carry out a Code Red on Santiago. Outside, Galloway tells Kaffee that Markinson has taken a leave of unauthorized absence. No one can find him.

Kaffee meets with Ross, who claims that Kendrick denies issuing a Code Red order to Dawson. Amid a heated discussion about legal ethics, Kaffee calls for calm. While Ross acknowledges that Dawson and Downey may have been following orders, he says that no one will believe them. Jessup is too well respected to suffer any consequences. However, he’s willing to offer the defendants a vastly reduced sentence to save any embarrassment for the Marines. Galloway wants to go to court to fully exonerate the defendants, but Ross knows that if they go to court, he’ll have to seek the harshest possible punishment. Ross and Kaffee both know that Ross is likely to win in court, so his offer has a time limit.

Kaffee takes Ross’s offer to Downey and Dawson. He tells the men that Ross’s offer is their best option, but the men are unwilling to accept a dishonorable discharge. As Dawson explains, they do not want to “sign a piece of paper that says we have no honor” (52). Instead, they’re willing to accept whatever punishment the court hands them.

Kaffee, Galloway, and Weinburg discuss the trial. Frustrated that Ross’s offer was rejected, Kaffee wants to be removed from the case. Galloway taunts Kaffee, suggesting that he’s struggling to live up to his father’s reputation. She tells him that he’s a confident, charming man who “knows how to win” (53) even if he knows nothing about the law.

Later that night, Kaffee visits Dawson’s cell. He offers Dawson a drink from his hipflask, but Dawson declines. When Kaffee encourages Dawson to accept Ross’s offer, Dawson quizzes Kaffee. He demands to know whether Kaffee thinks that he and Downey are guilty. Kaffee dodges the question, so Dawson calls him a coward. Kaffee punches him in the stomach and leaves. Dawson refuses to salute Kaffee.

At a hearing in the courtroom, Kaffee says that the defendants will enter a not guilty plea. The trial is set for a week from the hearing. Kaffee instructs the defendants not to talk to anyone. He then explains to Weinburg why he’s continuing with the case: He thinks that the men were just following orders. Galloway is now happy that Kaffee is going to take the case.