Word Of Honor Page #7

Sit down!

-Major.

-State your full name, please.

Sister Teresa Maria Carpentire.

-And your occupation.

-l do missionary work...

...in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, lndia.

Are you aware of the circumstances

of this trial...

...and the charges against the defendant,

Benjamin Tyson?

Yes, l am.

Sister Teresa, were you present

at the international hospital at Misericorde...

...when a U.S. platoon approached

from the direction of the town square?

l was.

And can you tell us as clearly

as you can recall after so many years...

...what was experienced on that day?

l was on the veranda when l heard a shot.

Peterson!

Come on, give me a hand!

Come on, you hear me?

-Go, go, go!

-Come on, Petey.

Cover the outside!

-Please.

-Let her go.

Nobody move!

Down, everybody!

-He's bleeding to death, lieutenant!

-Doctor, l've got an injured man.

-Come on!

-This is my surgery.

What the hell are you doing?

Come on!

Come on, don't die on me, man.

Hey, you know who's coming?

Bob Hope and Elke Sommer. You love her,

don't you? Come on, Peterson!

-Get to work, froggy!

-Let him alone.

-This is an enemy!

-Doctor, get over here!

-You gotta help my friend!

-Put your weapons down.

This is an international hospital...

...and l decide who's seen here

and in what order.

Die!

Get out of here.

Cane, put the gun down, now.

Cane! Oh, my God, Cane.

What the...?

He's dead.

Lower your weapons and

place yourselves under arrest.

Kelly, call battalion.

Try it, boy.

-Do him, man.

-Go ahead. Try it.

Do him! Kill--

Waste them all!

One final question, Sister Teresa.

Do you credit Lieutenant Tyson

with saving your life?

Yes, l do.

No more questions.

Thank you.

Mr. Runnells?

l have nothing, Your Honor.

Thank you, Sister. You can step down.

Do you have any statement you'd like

to make before this court renders a verdict?

-No.

-All right, this is going to stop, now!

You have frustrated this court

at every turn...

...and l demand to know why.

l believed...

...then...

...as l believe now...

...about what's happening here...

...that...

...my coming forward...

...nothing good...

...would come to this country...

...to the Army...

...or to those soldiers.

You account for your conduct in '72...

...but you maintain a recalcitrance

at your defense today.

More importantly...

...you continue to shelter your men.

Why?

l don't pass judgment on my men.

They didn't want to go to Vietnam.

They were ordered to go to Vietnam.

They didn't want to be there.

They didn't believe in that war.

But they went.

That's nonresponsive, lieutenant.

l want to know why you manipulated

the Army into giving these men immunity.

lmagine...

...being asked...

...to measure men's souls...

...to decide their legacy...

...because of one day...

...if on that day...

...they went mad...

...and in their madness...

...committed...

...a terrible, terrible crime

against humanity...

...against innocent people.

But on every other day...

...they were fine men...

...who in the middle of complete insanity...

...fought with decency...

...and honor, not for themselves...

...but for this country...

...sacrificed their lives for this country...

...went home in body bags

for this country...

...lost their minds...

...for this country.

My word of honor...

...is not an oath of silence.

lt's an oath to defend my country

and to protect my men...

...and to take full responsibility...

...for what happened...

...for my role in what happened.

l should have stopped the massacre...

...or died trying.

And l bear full responsibility...

...for that tragedy.

l bear full responsibility for that tragedy.

And the shame...

...that l carry....

No one on this panel...

...could possibly comprehend.

Your closing statement has been noted.

This panel will recess.

Well...

...can't make a run for it.

Too many MPs.

You know l cheated on that test, right?

Yeah.

And l lied to you about it.

l'm sorry.

l know.

They have a verdict.

Lieutenant, please rise.

Lieutenant Benjamin Tyson,

as president of this court...

...it is my duty to inform you

that the court, in closed session...

...in full and open discussion,

and upon secret written ballot...

...all of the members concurring...

...we find you guilty of the murder

of Lawrence Albert Cane.

lt is further our determination

that you be sentenced...

...to forfeit all pay and allowances due you.

You are hereby dismissed

from the Army of the United States.

Oh, God.

Well....

Oh, my God.

[ENGLlSH]

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