1805 ZULU

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE

CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA

"I have served in the Marine Corps for over fifteen years," says the gunnery sergeant sitting in the witness suit. "I got back from a tour of duty in Iraq last October."

"So you served under Staff Sergeant Beckett when you were a lance corporal stationed in Yuma, is that correct?" asks Major General Gordon M. Cresswell.

"Yes, sir."

"And you worked with him closely, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"What is your opinion of Staff Sergeant Beckett?" asks the general.

"He was dedicated to the Corps, sir," replies the gunnery sergeant. "He always looked out for those under his command. He even offered to take care of the children living on base with their parents."

"Having known Staff Sergeant Beckett, in your opinion, are the accusations against him credible?"

"No, sir."

"i have no further questions, your Honor."

"Your witness," says Colonel Melissa Lansing.

"You say he is a good Marine," says Commander Sturgis Turner. "Do good Marines desert?"

"No," replies the gunnery sergeant.

"Staff Sergeant Beckett went missing from December of 1993 up until he was arrested for rape two weeks ago," says the commander. "He had plenty of opportunity to go to the nearest military base and turn himself in, and yet when he was arrested, he was found with false identification. So tell me again, is Staff Sergeant Beckett a good Marine?"

"I guess not, sir."

"And those accusations against him?"

"I know he's not the kind of guy that would hurt kids!"

"did you ever suspect that he would fake his own death to desert the Marines?" asks Sturgis.

"No, sir," replies the gunnery sergeant.

"No further questions."

"Witness may step down," says the judge. "Call your next witness."

oooooooooooooooo

1922 ZULU

"I knew him as Sam Archer ever since he moved to Pahrump ten years ago," says Kevin Fulton, dressed in a suit and sitting in the witness stand.

"How would you describe him, sir?" asks General Cresswell.

"He's a good guy," says Fulton. "He always made sure to help out his neighbors. He sometimes volunteered to do gardening in my yard. He's a wonderful father and a loving husband. He's great with the town's kids. I've even invited him and his wife over for dinner, and their daughter Rita babysat for my kids a couple of times. And he's an honest businessman too- he would never cheat us and he would make sure to keep his side of the deal even if it ended up in a loss."

"As you know, this man Sam Archer, he was really Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett. How do you feel about the desertion charges against him?"

"I'm not in charge of the Marine Corps," says the witness. "I'm not going to judge him on that; that is for the Marines to do. He's a good man."

"And in your opinion, do you believe he did what he was accused of?"

"No, I do not. The kids loved him."

"No further questions."

"Your witness," says Colonel Lansing.

"So you do not believe that Staff Sergeant Beckett, this man you knew as Sam Archer, would rape someone," says Sturgis.

"I do not," replies Fulton.

"I know you have a daughter, Mr. Fulton. She's thirteen. Would you trust him to be alone with her?"

There is silence from the witness.

"Answer the question, Mr. Fulton," says the judge.

"No, I would not," he replies.

"No further questions:" says Sturgis.

"The defense rests its case,"says Cresswell.

"The government will not request a rebuttal case," says Sturgis.

ooooooooo

DAY 17

1702 ZULU

"You have heard the evidence," Sturgis says to the jury of Marines. "You have heard of how Staff Sergeant Beckett molested a girl. you have heard about the burnt trailer, the body presumed to be that of Jonathan Beckett. You heard his wife's testimony about how he lived a new life under a different name. And you have heard testimony from three girls, including his own daughter, about how he raped them. These girls are crying out for justice. Justice, I tell you! And that man who was presumed to be Staff Sergeant Beckett for so many years, he, though his name is known only to God, he was someone's son, and maybe someone's father. He too, cries for justice. Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett is a deserter, a rapist, and a murderer. You must find him guilty."

"I understand the outrage you must feel when you hear about such terrible crimes," says General Cresswell. "But you must look at the facts; that is your duty as Marines. The fact is there is no evidence that the man mistakenly identified as Jonathan Scott Beckett was in fact murdered. There is no forensic evidence proving that any rape took place or that Staff Sergeant Beckett even had contact with them, all you have is the words of three girls with no independent corroboration. That is why you must find Staff Sergrant Beckett not guilty of all charges and specifications."

oooooooooooooo

2012 ZULU

Sturgis hears the telephone ring even as he sits in his guest quarters awaiting the verdict.

"Commander Turner here," he says.

"Commander, this is Dr. Mallard from NCIS," says a male voice.

"How may I help you, Doctor?"

"Well, sir, I've been going about this John Doe that was sent to us."

"The John doe that was presumed to be the body of Staff Sergeant Beckett?"

"Yes. I was thinking of this case I worked on a long time ago, back when I frst worked for NCIS. We have all these advanced techniques now, MRI's chromography. We look at the littlest things to find out what happened. We do this so much sometimes we forget the big things."

"What's the point, sir?"

"The point, Commander, is that this John doe was in fact murdered. Stabbed in the brain stem, most likely, and left in that trailer to burn. It was so obvious. But sometimes we miss things because they are so obvious. I feel like a fool. Well, I can fax you my report."

"Except there is one thing, doctor. The case already went to the jury," says the commander.

"Oh, that is a problem," replies Dr. Mallard. "Well, I'll fax it to you anyway. Maybe it can be of use."

oooooooooooooo

2309 ZULU

Sturgis and General Cresswell are standing inside Colonel Lansing's chambers.

"Tell me what you want, Commander," says the judge.

"Ma'am, I want to file a motion to declare a mistrial," says Sturgis. "We have uncovered new evidence that Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett murdered the man who was buried in his place. The jury needs to hear this."

"The case already went to the jury, your Honor!" argues Cresswell. "You can't have a do-ever like this."

"A man may get away with murder unless you do this," argues the commander.

"Enough," says Lansing. "This, this request I can not do. There is absolutely no legal precedent for this, and doing such a thing will only put chaos into our entire justice system. The jury will only consider the evidence already heard."

"Excuse me, ma'am."

The three of them turn to face a staff sergeant serving as Colonel Lansing's paralegal aide.

"What is it, Staff Sergeant?" asks the judge.

"Ma'am, sirs, the jury has reached a verdict."

"The verdict will be published tomorrow at 0900," says Lansing.

oooooooooooo

DAY 18

1700 ZULU

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" asks Colonel Lansing.

"We have, your Honor," replies Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Marcos, the foreman.

"What is the verdict?"

"On the charge and specification of Article 118, murder, we find the defendant, Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett, not guilty."

Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett breathes a sigh of relief.

"On the charge and specification of Article 85, desertion, we find the defendant guilty."

The staff sergeant bows his head.

"On the charge and specification of Article 118, the rape of Rita Beckett, we find the defendant guilty."

And the verdict on the rest of the charges is guilty.

"Court will recess until 0900 tomorrow for sentencing," says Lansing. "Defendant is remanded to custody of Nellis Air force Base."

oooooooooooooo

1950 ZULU

"You wanted to see us?" asks General Cresswell, sitting in the stockade with Staff Sergeant Beckett. "You know I'm going to appeal, and there is plenty of reasons to overturn the convictions."

"Sir, this is Colin Dunaway from the Clark County DA's office," says Sturgis.

"Hello, General," says the assistant district attorney. "your client committed murder in Clark County. That falls under the jurisdiction of my office. I have read the report from NCIS. I can build an airtight capital murder case against your client."

"So why are you telling me this now?" asks the general. "What is stopping you from filing in state court?"

"I always give murder suspects one chance to avoid the death penalty," says Dunaway. "I understand you are filing appeals. So here is the deal. Drop all appeals, drop any attempt to get out of prison early, and I will not seek murder charges."

"You expect me to accept a guilty verdict from an unjust trial?" asks Cresswell.

"And you expect me to let your client get away with murder? Here is the deal, your client drops all appeals and serves the next sixty-five years in prison."

"I'll be over a hundred if I live long enough to get out," protests Beckett.

"There are no statute of limitations for murder," says Dunaway. "At least you'll have a better chance of getting out of prison alive than if I go ahead with a capital murder case."

Cresswell and Beckett have a whispered conversation.

"Well, there are times when a Marine has to surrender," says the staff sergeant. "I'll accept your offer."

oooooooooooo

2236 ZULU

"Though I scheduled sentencing to be tomorrow," says Colonel Lansing, "I am willing to accomodate a mutual motion of both prosecution and defense. Staff Sergeant Beckett, you do understand the terms of the plea?"

"Yes, ma'am," replies the defendant.

"Staff Sergeant Jonathan Scott Beckett, you are hereby sentenced to sixty-five years in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth. There is nothing more needed to be said about your crimes beyond what your victims have said on the stand. The defendant is to remain in custody of Nellis Air Force Base pending transfer to Leavenworth."

The judge then bangs the gavel.

oooooooooooooo

2344 ZULU

General Cresswell sits inside the C-130 Hercules as it flies east towards Virginia.

He feels dirty on the inside.