A Few Good Men (1992)

J.A. Preston: Judge Julius Alexander Randolph

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Quotes 

• Judge Randolph : [to Kaffee from the judge's bench]  Consider yourself in contempt!

  Kaffee : Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?

  Judge Randolph : You don't have to answer that question!

  Col. Jessup : I'll answer the question!

  [to Kaffee] 

  Col. Jessup : You want answers?

  Kaffee : I think I'm entitled to.

  Col. Jessep : You want answers?

  Kaffee : I WANT THE TRUTH!

  Col. Jessup : YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

  [pauses] 

  Col. Jessup : Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know; that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, *saves lives*. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a *damn* what you think you are entitled to!

  Kaffee : Did you order the code red?

  Col. Jessup : I did the job I...

  Kaffee : [interrupts him]  *Did you order the Code Red?*

  Col. Jessup : *You're God damn right I did!*

• Kaffee : [Kaffee has just asked why Santiago hadn't packed despite being due to be transferred in a few hours after the time of his death. Jessup smirks]  Is this funny, sir?

  Col. Jessup : No, it isn't. It's tragic.

  Kaffee : Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?

  Col. Jessup : Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these really the questions I was called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.

  [Kaffee hesitates, dumbfounded] 

  Col. Jessup : Do you have any more questions for me, Counselor?

  Judge Randolph : Lt. Kaffee?

  [pause] 

  Judge Randolph : Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?

  Col. Jessup : [standing to leave]  Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.

  Kaffee : Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.

  Col. Jessup : I beg your pardon?

  Kaffee : I'm not through with my examination. Sit down.

  Col. Jessup : Colonel!

  Kaffee : What's that?

  Col. Jessup : I would appreciate it if you would address me as "Colonel" or "Sir." I believe I've earned it.

  Judge Randolph : Defense counsel will address the witness as "Colonel" or "Sir."

  Col. Jessup : I don't know what the hell kind of unit you're running here.

  Judge Randolph : And the witness will address this court as "Judge" or "Your Honor." I'm quite certain I've earned it. Take your seat, Colonel.

• Col. Jessup : [Judge dismisses the jury after Jessep's revelation on the stand about the Code Red]  What is this? What's going on? I did my job, I'd do it again!

  [stands up defiantly] 

  Col. Jessup : I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

  Judge Randolph : You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's... guard the Colonel!

  [MPs take post] 

  Judge Randolph : Captain Ross?

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is this?

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent. Any statement you make...

  Col. Jessup : I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is. This is...

  [turning to Kaffee and lunging at him] 

  Col. Jessup : ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and piss into your dead skull! You fucked with the wrong Marine!

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup! Do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

  Col. Jessup : [contemptuously]  You fuckin' people... you have no idea how to defend a nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son.

  Kaffee : Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest you son of a bitch.

  [glares at Jessup] 

  Kaffee : The witness is excused.

• Kaffee : Lieutenant Kendrick, in your opinion was Private Santiago a good Marine?

  Lt. Kendrick : I would say he was about average.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant, you signed three Proficiency and Conduct reports on Santiago, and in all three reports, you indicate a rating of below average.

  Lt. Kendrick : [looking through the reports he signed]  Yes, Private Santiago was below average. I did not see the need to trample on a man's grave.

  Kaffee : Well, we appreciate that, but you are under oath now, and I think as unpleasant as it may be, we'd all just as soon hear the truth.

  Lt. Kendrick : I am aware of my oath.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant, these are the last three Pro-Con reports you signed for Lance Corporal Dawson. Dawson received two marks of exceptional, but on this most recent report dated June 9th of this year, he received a rating of below average. It's this last report I'd like to discuss for a moment.

  Lt. Kendrick : That would be fine.

  Kaffee : Lance Corporal Dawson's ranking after the school of infantry was perfect. Records indicate that more than half that class has since been promoted to full Corporal while Dawson has remained a Lance Corporal. Was Dawson's promotion held up because of this last report?

  Lt. Kendrick : I'm sure it was.

  Kaffee : Do you recall why Dawson was given such a poor grade on this last report?

  Lt. Kendrick : I'm sure I don't. I have many men in my charge, Lieutenant. I write many reports.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant, do you recall an incident involving a PFC Curtis Bell who had been found stealing liquor from the Officer's Club?

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, I do.

  Kaffee : Did you report Private Bell to the proper authorities?

  Lt. Kendrick : I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant: the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, and the Lord, our God.

  Kaffee : At your request, Lieutenant, I can have the record reflect your lack of acknowledgment of this court as a proper authority.

  Capt. Ross : Objection. Argumentative.

  Judge Randolph : Sustained. Watch yourself, Counselor.

  Kaffee : Did you report Private Bell to your superiors?

  Lt. Kendrick : I remember thinking very highly of Private Bell, of not wanted to see his record tarnished by a formal charge.

  Kaffee : You preferred that it be handled within the unit.

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, I most certainly did.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant, do you know what a Code Red is?

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, I do.

• Kaffee : Lt. Kendrick, was Lance Corporal Dawson given a below average rating on this last report because you learned he had been sneaking food to Private Bell?

  Capt. Ross : Object!

  Judge Randolph : Not so fast. Lieutenant?

  Lt. Kendrick : Lance Corporal Dawson was given a below average rating because he had committed a crime.

  Kaffee : A crime? What crime did he commit? Lieutenant Kendrick, Dawson brought a hungry guy some food. What crime did he commit?

  Lt. Kendrick : He disobeyed an order.

  Kaffee : And because he did, because he exercised his own set of values, because he made a decision about the welfare of a Marine that was in conflict with an order of yours, he was punished. Is that right?

  Lt. Kendrick : Lance Corporal Dawson disobeyed an order!

  Kaffee : Yeah, but it wasn't a real order, was it? After all, it's peace time. He wasn't being asked to secure a hill or advance on a beachhead. I mean, surely a Marine of Dawson's intelligence can be trusted to determine on his own which are the really important orders and which orders might, say, be morally questionable? Lieutenant Kendrick, can he? Can Dawson determine on his own which orders he's going to follow?

  Lt. Kendrick : No, he cannot.

  Kaffee : A lesson he learned after the Curtis Bell incident, am I right?

  Lt. Kendrick : I would think so.

  Kaffee : You know so, don't you, Lieutenant?

  Capt. Ross : Object.

  Judge Randolph : Sustained.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant Kendrick, one final question. If you had ordered Dawson to give Santiago a code red...

  Lt. Kendrick : I specifically ordered those men not to touch Santiago!

  Kaffee : Is it reasonable to think he would've disobeyed you again?

  Capt. Ross : Lieutenant, don't answer that!

  Kaffee : You don't have to. I'm through.

  Capt. Ross : Lieutenant Kendrick, did you order Lance Corporal Dawson and Private Downey to give Willie Santiago a code red?

  [Kendrick initially refuses to answer, sensing he's been caught lying] 

  Capt. Ross : Lieutenant Kendrick, did you...

  Lt. Kendrick : No, I did not.

  Capt. Ross : Thank you.

• Capt. Ross : Your honor, it's become obvious that Lt. Kaffee's intention this afternoon are to smear a high ranking Marine officer in the desperate hope that the mere appearance of impropriety will win him points with the court members. Now, it is my recommendation, sir, that Lt. Kaffee be reprimanded for his conduct and that this witness be excused with the court's deepest apologies.

  Judge Randolph : [from the judge's bench]  Overruled.

  Capt. Ross : Your honor...

  Judge Randolph : [from the judge's bench]  Your objection is noted.

• Capt. Ross : Why did you go into Santiago's room?

  Galloway : The witness has rights!

  Capt. Ross : The witness has been read his rights, Commander.

  Judge Randolph : The question will be repeated.

  Galloway : Your Honor!

  Capt. Ross : Why did you go into Santiago's room?

  Downey : Hal?

  Capt. Ross : Did Lance Corporal Dawson tell you to give Santiago a Code Red?

  Downey : Hal?

  Capt. Ross : Don't look at him!

  Downey : Hal?

  Dawson : Private, answer the captain's question!

  [Private Downey turn back and answer Captain Ross's question. Captain is mean and grudge] 

  Downey : Yes, Captain, I was given an order by my squad leader, Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson, United States Marine Corps, and I followed it.

  [Captain Ross hears a good answer. What's wrong with Commander Galloway while she's objecting. And Lieutenant Kaffee is silent and listen to Downey's testimony] 

• Kaffee : Colonel, the 6 a.m. was first flight off the base?

  Col. Jessup : Yes.

  Kaffee : There wasn't a flight that left seven hours earlier and landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m.?

  Judge Randolph : Lieutenant, I think we've covered this, haven't we?

  Kaffee : [hands him the log books]  Your Honor, these are the tower chief's logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews Air Force Base. The Guantanamo log lists no flight leaving at 11 pm and the Andrews log lists no flight arriving at 2 am. I'd like to submit these as defense exhibits Alpha and Bravo.

  Judge Randolph : I don't understand. You're submitting evidence of a flight that never existed.

  Kaffee : Oh, we believe it did, sir.

• [In the film edited for TV on NBC dubbed in the Modified Version. Judge Randolph dismisses the jury after Jessup's revelation on the stand about the Code Red] 

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is this? Colonel, what's going on? I did my job. I'd do it again. I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

  Judge Randolph : You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's, guard the Colonel.

  M.P. : Yes, sir.

  [MP's take to the post. And Col. Jessup find out what's going on] 

  Judge Randolph : Captain Ross.

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is these?

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent; Any statement you make may be used against you in a trial by court-martial or in other judicial or administrative proceedings. You have the right to consult with a lawyer prior any further questions. This lawyer may be a civilian lawyer retained by you at your own expense...

  Col. Jessup : I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is...

  [Turning to Kaffee and lunging at him. But the MP's restrain Colonel Jessup] 

  Col. Jessup : ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and puke into your dead skull, you messed with the wrong marine!

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

  Col. Jessup : You friggin' people. You have no idea how to defend the nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son,

  Kaffee : Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.

  [Glares at Jessup] 

  Kaffee : The witness is excused.

  [Colonel Jessup calms down, taking a deep breath to cool off, bend down and grab his hat on the floor, and MP's taken Colonel Jessup away into custody] 

• Judge Randolph : [Judge Randolph reading the verdict]  Lance Corporal Dawson, Private First Class Downey.

  [Two defendants rises] 

  Judge Randolph : On the charge of murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conduct unbecoming a United States Marine, the members find the accused guilty as charged. The accused are hereby sentenced to time already served, and you are ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps. This court martial is adjourned.

  [Bangs the gavel] 

  Bailiff : All rise.

  [the courtroom clears; Downey is baffled and afraid, and speaks to Dawson] 

  Downey : What does that mean?

• Kaffee : Colonel, Lt. Kendrick ordered the Code Red because *that's* what you told Lt. Kendrick to do!

  Capt. Ross : *Object!*

  Judge Randolph : [from the judge's bench]  Sustained!

  Kaffee : And when it went bad, you cut these guys *loose!*

  Capt. Ross : Your honor!

  Kaffee : You doctored the log book!...

  Capt. Ross : *Damn it, Kaffee!*

• Kaffee : Lieutenant, do you know what a code red is?

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, I do.

  Kaffee : Have you ever ordered a code red?

  Lt. Kendrick : No, I have not.

  Kaffee : Lieutenant, did you order Dawson and two other men to make sure that Private Bell receive no food or drink except water for a period of seven days?

  Lt. Kendrick : That is a distortion of the truth, Lieutenant. Private Bell was placed on barracks restriction. He was given water and vitamin supplements, and I can assure you that at no time was his health in danger.

  Kaffee : [sarcastic]  I'm sure it was lovely for Private Bell. But you did order the barracks restriction, didn't you? You did order the denial of food.

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, I did.

  Kaffee : Wouldn't this form of discipline be considered a code red?

  Lt. Kendrick : No.

  Kaffee : If I called the other 478 Marines from Guantanamo Bay to testify, would they consider it a code red?

  Capt. Ross : If it please the court, the witness can't possibly testify as to what 478 other men would say. Now, we object to this entire line of questioning as argumentative and irrelevant badgering of the witness.

  Judge Randolph : The government's objection is sustained, Lieutenant Kaffee, and I would remind you that you are now questioning a Marine officer with an impeccable service record.

  Capt. Ross : Thank you, Your Honor.

• Capt. Ross : were you present at a meeting held on the afternoon of September sixth with the members of the second platoon?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : yes sir

  Capt. Ross : would you tell the court the substance of that meeting?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : Lieutenant Kendrick told us we had a informer in our group, that Private Santiago had gone outside the chain of command and reported to the NIS a member of our platoon

  Capt. Ross : did that make you mad?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : [remains silent] 

  Capt. Ross : you can tell the truth Corporal, it's alright, did that make you mad?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : yes sir

  Capt. Ross : how mad?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : Private Santiago betrayed a code we believe in very deeply sir

  Capt. Ross : were the other members of the squad angry?

  Kaffee : object, speculation

  Capt. Ross : were Dawson and Downey?

  Kaffee : please the court, is the government counsel honestly asking this witness to testify to as to how my clients felt on September sixth?

  Judge Randolph : sustained

  Capt. Ross : Corporal, did Lieutenant Kendrick leave a standing order at that meeting?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : yes sir

  Capt. Ross : what was it?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : well it was clear that he didn't want us taking matters in our own hands

  Capt. Ross : what was the order?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : Sir, he said Santiago wasn't to be touched.

  Capt. Ross : [to Danny]  your witness

  Kaffee : were you in Dawson and Downey's room five minutes after this meeting?

  Cpl. Carl Hammaker : no, sir

  Kaffee : thanks, I have no more questions.

• Capt. Ross : [to the Judge]  Docket number 411275 VR-5. The United States vs. Harold W. Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey. The accused are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conduct unbecoming a United States Marine.

  Judge Randolph : Does the defense wish to enter a plea?

  Kaffee : [while standing up]  Yeah, they're not guilty.

  Judge Randolph : Enter a plea of not guilty for the accused, we will adjourn until 1000, 3 weeks from today, at which this general court martial will reconvene.