Simply incredible.Anecdote:Years ago one of my roommates had cassette tapes made by his older brother while stationed in VN on a fire base.The quality wasn’t exactly stereophonic,but we could understand what he was saying-very clearly-even artillery booming in the background.I understand recorders were pretty common in VN.I’ll bet they’re still popular.(Fast forward 30+ years)How hard would it have been to ask a marine to borrow a recorder?This stinks to high heaven.Question:(i was never in the service)Is(was)this woman in the military?No uniform.I assumed all involved in investigation were military.I may have missed it,but i didn’t see her rank mentioned.
No rank, the NCIS is civilian.
What she didn’t say was that NCIS has a policy to not tape interviews. This has led to many charges that agents falsify testimony to help the prosecution.
In the LCpl Sharratt case, an agent changed witness testimony to read that Sharratt “made up a story” rather than “had a story”. Pretty ugly stuff.
Q: What is your occupation?
MS N: I'm a lead investigator.
Q: When you went to Iraq what were you told was your mission?
MS N: Actually, we thought we were just going for rice wrapped in grape leaves....a little carryout a little coffee and then we'd be back home.
Q: Is it your testimony that you didn't know you were going to Iraq to question witnesses, that you thought you were actually going for a little lunch break? <> MS N: Yes, sir.
Q: Is it possible that this understanding of your mission could be the reason you did not take a tape recorder?
MS N: Oh, absolutely sir. We would never do a professional investigation with witnesses without having the proper equipment.
Q: In your field, MS N, is it common to go over to Iraq for a light lunch?
MS N: It happens all the time, sir. A little photo op, a chance for a line in your record that says you were in a battle zone, a nice hazardous duty raise for that month. It's a career enhancer, sir.
Q: Do you have anything to tell the court, MS N?
MS N: Surely I do. If I'd had any idea that I was going to Iraq on anything other than a lunch break, I would have brought a lot of professional equipment.
Q: Would that have included a brain, MS N?
MS N: No, sir. That would be against NCIS policy.