Fact1: U.S. Marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey are facing general court-martial accused of killing fellow Marine Private William Santiago at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, Fact2: Santiago broke chain of command in attempt to get transferred out of Guantanamo, Fact3: Base Commander Colonel Nathan Jessup and officers argue about best course of action, Fact4: Kendrick had ordered platoon not to touch publicly Santiago, Fact5: Galloway convinces Kaffee to call Jessup as witness despite risk of court-martial for smearing high-ranking officer
Output: U.S. Marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey are facing a general courtmartial, accused of killing fellow Marine Private William Santiago at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Santiago had poor relations with his fellow Marines, compared unfavorably to them, and broke the chain of command in an attempt to get transferred out of Guantanamo. Base Commander Colonel Nathan Jessup and his officers argue about the best course of action: while Jessups executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson, advocates that Santiago be transferred, Jessup dismisses the option and orders Santiagos commanding officer, Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick, to train Santiago to become a better Marine. Naval investigator and lawyer Lieutenant commander JoAnne Galloway suspects Dawson and Downey carried out a code red: a violent extrajudicial punishment. Galloway wants to defend them, but the case is given to Lieutenant junior grade Daniel Kaffee, an inexperienced and unenthusiastic lawyer with a penchant for plea bargains. Initially, friction exists between Galloway, who resents Kaffees apparent laziness, and Kaffee, who resents Galloways interference. Kaffee negotiates a plea bargain with the prosecutor, Captain Jack Ross USMC; insisting Kendrick gave the code red order minutes after he had publicly ordered the platoon not to touch Santiago, and never intending their victim to die, Dawson and Downey refuse the deal. Dawson shows outright contempt for Kaffees cowardice, even refusing to salute. Kaffee meets with Jessup, who tells Kaffee that Santiago was set to be transferred. Galloway convinces Kaffee to take the case to court; the defense establishes the existence of code red orders at Guantanamo, and that Dawson specifically had learned not to disobey any order after a promotion was denied for helping out a Marine who was under what could be seen as a code red. However, they suffer two major setbacks: Downey, under crossexamination, reveals he was not actually present when Dawson received the supposed code red order, and Markinson, ashamed that he failed to protect a Marine under his command, tells Kaffee that Jessup never ordered the transfer, but commits suicide rather than testify. Without Markinsons testimony, Kaffee believes the case lost, lamenting that he fought the case instead of taking a deal. Galloway convinces Kaffee to call Jessup as a witness, despite the risk of a courtmartial for smearing a highranking officer. Jessup spars evenly with Kaffees questioning, but is unnerved when Kaffee points out a contradiction in his testimony: Jessup stated Marines never disobey orders and that Santiago was to be transferred offbase for his own safety, but, having ordered his men to leave Santiago alone, then Santiago was in no danger. Irate at being caught in a lie and disgusted by what he sees as Kaffees impudence towards the Marines, Jessup extols the militarys importance, and his own, to national security. When asked pointblank if he ordered the code red, he bellows with contempt that he did; Jessup tries to justify the order as he is arrested, and Kendrick is later arrested for his part. Dawson and Downey are cleared of the murder charge, but found guilty of conduct unbecoming a United States Marine and are dishonorably discharged. Dawson accepts the verdict, but Downey does not understand what they did wrong. Dawson explains they had failed to stand up for those too weak to fight for themselves, like Santiago. As the two are leaving, Kaffee tells Dawson honor doesnt come from a patch on his arm. Dawson stands at attention, recognizing him as an officer and rendering a salute.