To Serve
(Epilogue to
"To Kill or Be Killed")
By Sylvia
Danny Williams sat in the
He looked around and saw an odd
combination: Protestors supporting and opposing the war. The press, including
one of the largest collections of cameras he'd ever seen. And the curious, who always came to trials this big.
What made this one so big were
the circumstances and the family ties. Michael Rigney's father was General
Earl Rigney, a veteran of World War 2. Michael's brother, Jack, was a Vietnam
War hero.
Jack had recently died, in a case
Hawaii Five-O had investigated. Originally, Michael was a suspect in Jack's
death. However, General Rigney and Danny's boss, Steve McGarrett, had uncovered
the fact that Army Intelligence was investigating Jack. When the dust had
settled, there was an audiotape proving that Jack, despondent over a massacre
he had been involved in while in combat, had killed himself. The Rigneys,
including the general's wife, had listened to the heartbreaking tape, along
with Steve, Danny, Army Colonel Glenn Franklin and Gail Howard, Michael's
girlfriend.
Once the tape was
played, Michael told his father he was resisting the draft and would go
to jail. To Steve and Danny's shock, General Rigney had said, "I have two
dead sons."
"Why, Steve?" Danny had
asked Steve later. "I know General Rigney is a career military man, and a
good man. But to disown his son-"
"Yeah, Danno, I don't
understand it, either, and I've been in the Navy all my adult life," Steve
said. An
"Mrs. Rigney disagrees,
though," Danny said.
"Yeah. And I guess there lies the hope for healing," Steve
said.
"What are you doing here,
man?"
Danny was
brought out of his thoughts and looked up to see Matthews, the head of the
anti-war group he'd infiltrated. Danny had gone undercover as an
AWOL soldier to investigate Michael Rigney's whereabouts. He had discovered
Michael and Gail at a house of draft resisters. Army Intelligence had raided
the place and had arrested everyone - including Danny, until he had identified
himself.
Matthews was
charged with aiding draft resisters. His own trial was coming up soon,
but he was free on bail.
"Fuzz came to see the damage
he's done?" Matthews said.
Before Danny could answer, he
heard, "Stop it, man. Just, stop it," from the other side. He turned
to see Gail Howard. Gail had already pleaded guilty to aiding Michael in evading
the draft; she would start a 30-day jail sentence the following week.
Gail walked up to Matthews and
said, "He didn't do anything. Just leave him alone."
"Aaaaarrrrgh," Matthews
said, waving an arm in anger and moving to another end of the courtroom.
Gail sat down next to Danny.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Williams," she said.
"Don't worry about it,"
he said. "I can't say I'm surprised." He looked closely at her.
"How is Michael?" he asked.
"He's okay," Gail said.
"Ready for whatever happens."
Danny nodded. They sat in silence,
waiting for the proceedings to begin.
A few minutes later, they heard,
"May I sit here?" Both Danny and Gail looked up to see Nancy Rigney.
"Of course," Danny said,
standing up.
"All rise!" the bailiff
called. Those in the courtroom stood up as Judge John Fitzpatrick stepped up to
the bench.
"The case of
Judge Fitzpatrick looked at the
young man before him. Fitzpatrick had served in World War 2 and couldn't have
imagined then the situation he saw now, as a federal judge who had recently
presided over a number of trials involving draft resisters.
"Mr. Rigney, you are charged
with resisting and evading the military draft. How do you plead?" Fitzpatrick
asked.
"I state my conscientious
objection to the war and I plead guilty, Your Honor," Michael said in a
strong voice.
There was a murmur in the
courtroom. Nancy Rigney began to cry more, and Gail put her arms around the
other woman. A nosy photographer snapped a picture of them
and was going for another when Danny stared him down. The photographer
backed off.
Fitzpatrick gaveled the courtroom
to order. "There will be silence in this courtroom," he asked.
"Mr. Rigney, you do realize what you're saying? The step you are
taking?"
"Yes, Your Honor, I do,"
Michael said.
Fitzpatrick sat back a moment,
regarding the young man in front of him.
"All right, Mr. Rigney,"
he said, and then turned his attention to the court. "There are several rights
on display in this courtroom this morning. Mr. Rigney is executing his right to
conscientious objection. But it conflicts with the
right of this country to create an army as necessary. Therefore, I have no
choice but to sentence Mr. Rigney to three years in jail."
There was another murmur in the
courtroom, louder than before. Fitzpatrick banged his gavel repeatedly.
"Mr. Rigney, of course, you
have another right - the right to appeal your sentence," he said. "I
suspect you will execute that right, and invite you to do so. This court is
dismissed.”
The court rose and Fitzpatrick
left the room. The press swarmed in two sets – one toward Michael Rigney, the
other toward his mother and Gail. Danny moved to protect the two women, and
waved over a couple of
Mrs. Rigney looked toward Danny.
“This way,” he said, motioning the two women to follow him to the jury room. As
they made their way through the swarm, Danny was able to nudge one of the HPD
officers and motion towards the room. The officer nodded.
Danny got the women into the room;
the HPD officers followed with Michael a few moments later. Mrs. Rigney hugged
her son, who was in handcuffs. They tearfully whispered their “I love yous.”
The scene was repeated with Michael and Gail before
the HPD officers took Michael away.
Nancy Rigney touched Danny’s arm.
“Thank you, Detective,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” Danny said.
Mrs. Rigney and Gail shared an
embrace before they left the room and walked through the now-empty courtroom,
each to different fates.
Danny also looked around at the
courtroom, sighed and walked into the lobby.
Danny noticed the lobby had a
special exhibition about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Danny stopped to
read some of the panels, including comments
“I have seen
war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the
wounded. I have seen men coughing out their gassed lungs. I have seen the dead
in the mud. I have seen cities destroyed. I have seen 200 limping, exhausted
men come out of line—the survivors of a regiment of 1,000 that went forward 48
hours before. I have seen children starving. I have seen the agony of mothers
and wives. I hate war.”
I wonder if it’s the same experience Jack Rigney
had, Danny
thought.
He walked
outside the courthouse. Much to his surprise, he saw Steve McGarrett’s black
Mercury parked in front. He peered inside and got another surprise – General
Rigney was sitting next to Steve.
“Steve…..Sir,”
Danny said, nodding at the two men.
“Danno,” Steve
responded.
“You were at
the trial, Detective?” General Rigney asked.
“Yes, Sir,”
Danny said, feeling uncomfortable with what he had to say next. “Your son was
sentenced to three years, to be served on the mainland.”
The general
looked down a moment. He turned to Steve. “Will I be able to see him before he
is transferred?”
“I’ll have that
arranged, Sir,” Steve said.
The general
looked from Steve to Danny. “You know, with apologies to General MacArthur, old
soldiers never die, but sometimes they can be pretty stubborn,” he said. “I was
very stubborn in turning away from the reality of what Jack was involved in,
and the reality of why Michael is taking the stand he’s taking. I suppose every
man has to serve in his own way.”
“Yes, Sir,”
Steve said, as he and Danny exchanged a glance.
“Anyway, thank
you both,” General Rigney said.
Steve started
the car. “I’ll see you later, Danno,” he said.
Danny gave them
a wave and walked toward his own car. This war had already had many casualties,
physical and emotional. But he was gratified that at
least one family had started on the steps toward peace.