Aiding the Enemy by Peg Tittle
Scene 1:
Courtoom.
A court martial (military criminal trial court) has been convened.
Present in the court are the JUDGE, a COURT CLERK, COURT SECURITY
GUARD (military police officer), PRIVATE ANN JONES, the defendant, MR.
McDONALD, civilian counsel for the defence; MR. MORRIS, military
counsel for the defence; MR. TUPPER, trial counsel (military
prosecutor); panel (jury) of five COMMISSIONED OFFICERS (CO #1, CO #2,
CO #3, CO #4, CO #5); various soldiers belonging to Private Jones'
unit, as well as others in civilian (including members of the MEDIA)
and military dress.
COURT CLERK: This court is now in session. Private Ann Jones, please
rise.
Private Jones rises, as do her two lawyers, one on either side of her.
JUDGE: Private Jones, you have been charged with one violation of
Article 104, aiding the enemy. Under the United States Code, this
charge applies to “any person who aids, or attempts to aid, the enemy
with arms, ammunition, supplies, money, or other things.”
Beat.
JUDGE: Your plea of guilty has been entered and accepted by the
court. We are convened today to hear evidence in support of
extenuating circumstances that might bear on your sentence, as it is
within the authority of the court to decide in favor of the death
penalty. (He looks directly at Private Jones.) Do you understand?
PRIVATE JONES: Yes, sir.
JUDGE: Please be seated. Mr. McDonald?
Mr. McDonald rises.
MR. MCDONALD: I call Private Ann Jones to the stand.
Private Jones takes the stand.
JUDGE: You understand you are still under oath?
PRIVATE JONES: Yes, sir.
JUDGE: (to Mr. McDonald) Proceed.
MR. MCDONALD: Thank you, your Honor. Private Jones, to reiterate
previous testimony, you provided a firearm to Ms. Sharif, is that
correct?
PRIVATE JONES: Yes, sir.
MR. MCDONALD: Why? Why did you do that?
PRIVATE JONES: I believed she would need it for self protection,
sir.
MR. MCDONALD: But she was a civilian, living in a town occupied by
your unit. Surely your unit did not intend to open fire upon the
civilians in the town?
PRIVATE JONES: No, sir. (beat) Members of my unit intended to rape
Ms. Sharif.
MR. MCDONALD: They said that?
PRIVATE JONES: Yes, sir.
MR. TUPPER: Objection, hearsay.
JUDGE: (looking at Mr. McDonald) I trust subsequent testimony will
corroborate?
MR. MCDONALD: Yes, your Honor.
JUDGE: Proceed.
MR. MCDONALD: And did you have good reason to believe that they were
serious, that it wasn't just male posturing?
PRIVATE JONES: Yes, sir.
Scene 2: (flashback)
Barracks.
Five male soldiers are raping Private Jones.
SOLDIER #1 is holding her down on a cot, his shirt is off, suggesting
he's had his turn.
SOLDIER #2 is engaged in penetration.
SOLDIERS #3 and #4 are standing near, waiting their turn, bottles of
beer in hand and cheering.
SOLDIER #5 is relaxed in a chair, shirt off, bottle of beer in hand,
enjoying the view.
Private Jones is clearly in pain, and still struggling; her eyes are
closed tightly, she's trying not to cry, not to break, not to break
down.
SOLDIER #1: Come on, private, buck up!
SOLDIER #2: You can take this…oh yeah…
Scene 3:
MR. MCDONALD: And you didn't report this?
PRIVATE JONES: No, sir. Not until now.
MR. MCDONALD: May we know why?
PRIVATE JONES: I was persuaded that it was not in our best interests
to do so at the time.
MR. MCDONALD: By 'our', you mean…
PRIVATE JONES: Our unit. Our country, sir, the U.S. of A.
Scene 4: (flashback)
Barracks.
Private Jones and PRIVATE KELLY DELTON are alone in the barracks,
engaged in conversation.
PRIVATE DELTON: (shrugs, dismissive) So all you're saying is you got
hazed last night.
PRIVATE JONES: (horrified at her trivialization) Is that what you
call it?
PRIVATE DELTON: Oh don't go all prissy. (beat) It's for your own
good.
Private Jones looks at her in shocked disbelief.
PRIVATE DELTON: Look, if you ever get taken POW, what do you think
they're going to do to you? This way, you'll be prepared, you won't
fall apart. Consider it a training exercise.
PRIVATE JONES: Do they 'haze' each other? Do they subject each other
to training exercises?
PRIVATE DELTON: Sure.
PRIVATE JONES: Involving rape?
Private Delton doesn't answer. Private Jones gets up and starts
pacing in frustration.
PRIVATE JONES: How am I supposed to “trust the men in my unit” now?
How am I supposed to put my life on the life for - them? (said
with disgust)
PRIVATE DELTON: Oh please. Do you think you're special? Do you think
you're the only one?
Private Jones' eyes wide as she realizes Private Delton has also been
raped by the men in their unit.
PRIVATE JONES: But -
PRIVATE DELTON: Think, girl. You report this, and we lose them. We
can't afford to lose any more men. We're not exactly winning this
war.
Beat.
PRIVATE DELTON: And if you can't think of your country, then go ahead
and think of yourself. You'll be known as a troublemaker. See who puts
their life on the line for you.