Recap / JAGS 05 E 17 People V Gunny

"People v. Gunny" is an episode of JAG that first aired on February 22, 2000. In some listings the title is given incorrectly as "People vs. Gunny," which is wrong. Directed by Terrence O'Hara. Written by Larry Moskowitz.

Gunnery Sergeant Galindez (Randy Vasquez) is accused of gay-bashing, for beating up the civilian Edward Proxy (Jamison Jones) outside a gay bar, and Petty Officer Tiner (Chuck Carrington) comes under suspicion of being gay. Admiral Chegwidden asserts Navy jurisdiction and Galindez is court-martialed.

Commander Mattoni (Rif Hutton) defends, Lt. Aldridge (A. J. Tannen) prosecutes, the judge is Captain Sebring (Corbin Bernsen). Galindez refuses to give up the identity of his friend "Manny" who was also involved in the altercation; for this he is charged with disobeying a lawful order.

While Galindez is tied up in court, Lt. Harriet Sims (Karri Turner), Lt. Roberts's wife, helps out at the JAG office.

Galindez is acquitted, but is almost immediately arrested by Maryland police and tried in civilian court in Maryland. Chegwidden, who is a member of the Maryland bar, defends; District Attorney Baxter Stark (Scott Valentine) prosecutes, the judge is Judge Furuya (Michael Yama).

Galindez talks it over with Master Sergeant Manuel "Manny" Obregon (Jesse Corti). Obregon is willing to step forward and testify, but Galindez won't have it: Obregon's too close to retirement and Galindez doesn't want to drag his old friend down with him.

Obregon pretends to be Tiner's boyfriend and calls JAG headquarters urging Tiner to "come home." In open court, Chegwidden asks Tiner whether he's gay. Tiner discloses that Edward is his half-brother. Tiner went with him to the gay bar to get an idea of what life is like for his brother, and that he himself is straight. Galindez is found not guilty. Chegwidden says he'll try to get just non-judicial punishment (NJP) for Galindez on the obstruction of justice charge.

Meanwhile, Renee Peterson (Cindy Ambuehl) is in Valencia, California, shooting a Demented Souls video. She has a date with Commander Rabb for when he returns from Iceland. But a sudden storm strands Rabb in the Arctic for a few days, making him a no-show for the date.

When Renee shows up at JAG to pick up Rabb, he's not there, she thinks the stuff about Iceland is a lame excuse, so she takes Tiner out to dinner instead.

Lt. Roberts still has his jaw wired shut and is still healing from his injury in the previous episode. It's still tough to understand what he's saying, but not as much as before.

Tropes

• Continuity Nod:
  • Sims is apparently still angry about her husband's comment about the topless beach in "Boomerang" (Part I). Poor Roberts is still recovering from being accidentally punched in the face by Brumby and Rabb in "Boomerang" (Part II), and Mac is the only one who seems to understand what he's saying.
    Sims: Here are the photos for your office, sir. Sorry there's no pictures of naked breasts. I know how you like to gawk at them.
    Roberts: I don't want to gawk at naked breasts. I want to gawk at yours...
    Sims: Did he just say what I think he said, ma'am?
    Mac: Sorry, Harriet. I missed it.
  • There's also a very subtle continuity nod to "Boomerang" (Part II). When Chegwidden sees Tiner has a black eye, the admiral asks if the yeoman's been hanging out with Rabb. In that episode, Brumby and Rabb were ordered to inflict on each other as much pain as they visited upon Roberts when they accidentally punched him meaning to punch each other.
  • "Boomerang" (Part II), which took place in Australia, is also referenced when Renee complains that Rabb is never around. "So the first time, he was on a sinking ship, then he was in Australia, and now he's stranded at the North Pole." The "sinking ship" probably refers to the USS Suribachi in 'Cabin Pressure', which was in no danger of sinking but did run aground, flooding the compartment where Rabb happened to be at.
• Everyone is Homophobic: How Edward Proxy feels.
• Freudian Slip: Roberts tells Mac that Tiner has a nice "homogram" on his computer, then nervously corrects himself to say "hologram."
• Get Back in the Closet: Galindez's friend Obregon believes that homosexual people shouldn't be in the military. Galindez, on the other hand, doesn't care what they do in their free time.
• Ironic Echo: Mac is puzzled that Rabb is dating Renee, and Rabb is puzzled that Mac is dating Brumby and might even be engaged to marry him. They discuss this as Rabb is about to go to Iceland.
  Rabb: I'll leave a number where I can be reached.
  Mac: What about your video princess friend [Renee]? Isn't she coming to town?
  Rabb: Well, I should be back by then. What is it that you have against her, anyway?
  Mac: Well, nothing. I'm just surprised you like that type.
  Sims: Excuse me, ma'am, sir. Lt. junior grade Harriet Sims reporting for duty.
  Mac: Harriet, thanks. Harriet's gonna be helping out until Gunny's back on duty.
  Sims: (looking at the ring on Mac's hand) Is that it? Oh, it's beautiful.
  Mac: Thanks.
  Rabb: I'm out of here.
  Mac: He's got a problem with Mic [Brumby].
  Rabb: That is not true. I'm just surprised you like that type.
  Mac: Anyway, it's just a friendship ring.
• Jurisdiction Friction: District Attorney Stark claims that Maryland is the correct jurisdiction for Galindez's alleged crime because a verdict from a military court will look bad for the military regardless of what it is: if Galindez is found not guilty by the court-martial panel, then it's a cover-up, but if he's found guilty, then he's being scapegoated. Chegwidden of course rejects that theory and has the court-martial proceed, but then Stark was ready to grab Galindez as soon as he was found not guilty by the court-martial panel.
• Mandatory Line: Aside from Rabb's conversation with Mac early in the episode, there is nothing for David James Elliott to do in this episode other than look out a window at a cold and snowy landscape at the end of the episode.
• Miscarriage of Justice: What the civilian prosecutor believes after the preliminary hearing recommends no charges, thinking the prosecutor was incompetent and the defense ridiculous.
• Mistaken for Gay: Tiner. He admits to Mac that it was actually his half-brother who is gay, and Tiner wanted to see for himself what his brother dealt with on a daily basis.
• Mistaken for Homophobic: Gunnery Sergeant Galindez.
• My Rule Fu Is Stronger than Yours: Stark tries to have Chegwidden rejected as Galindez's defense counsel, saying Chegwidden's conduct in the military trial should raise questions of bias. Chegwidden deftly points out that by taking the case he's doing openly what prosecutor is accusing him of doing covertly, and that the bias would be in favor of his client anyway.
• Police Brutality: The Baltimore Police Department detective who interrogates Galindez accuses him of this, when he talks to her in cop speak about "adequate restraint." She thinks he learned that from the MPs but when he says he was a deputy sheriff back home in New Mexico she backs off. Slightly.
• Shout-Out to Mike Tyson: With all the visible face injuries at JAG headquarters, Lt. Aldridge jokes the place "looks like Mike Tyson's training camp."
• Taking the Heat: Galindez won't say that Obregon started the fight because his friend is close to retirement and a court-martial could cost him his pension.
• Whip Pan: Before Tiner testifies at a court-martial, and before Stark's closing statement in civilian court, with a noticeable "whoosh" in both cases.
• With All Due Respect: Said a few times in this episode, not always about higher ranking officers.
  • Said by Mattoni to Sebring about Aldridge.
    Mattoni: I intend to establish the defendant's propensity for attacking gays.
    Aldridge: This is a case of two men getting into an altercation on the street. Homosexuality is not an issue.
    Mattoni: With all due respect to defense counsel, that's what we're here to determine.
  • Sebring wants to know who this person named "Manny" is.
    Sebring: Who is this, gunnery sergeant?
    Galindez: I'd rather not say, sir.
    Sebring: It's not a request. I want this man's name.
    Galindez: With all due respect, sir, I can't give you his name.
  • In civilian court, Tiner sets the record straight about his presumed homosexuality.
    Chegwidden: Tiner, are you gay?
    Tiner: No, sir, I'm not.
    Chegwidden: What were you doing in a gay bar?
    Tiner: I was there to keep Edward company, sir. It was his birthday. Edward's my brother, my half-brother.
    Chegwidden: And why did it take so long for you to reveal this?
    Tiner: Nobody asked me. Everyone assumed. And with all due respect, sir, I didn't think it was anybody's business.