The whole thing snowballed. Weemer wanted to join the Secret Service and was given a polygraph test as part of the application process. During the test, Weemer was asked if he ever took part in an unlawful killing in Iraq. He responded, “Well, there was this one time in Fallujah...”
The Secret Service later called NCIS and agents showed up at the coffee shop where Weemer was working. The agents started out as if they were just shooting the breeze, and then things got more serious. Weemer was up to his eyeballs before he ever knew what hit him.
I have to wonder at what point Weemer decides there may have been something wrong with whatever happened in Iraq. Is it much later, say, after he comes home and gets to hear about all the others allegedly involved in similar situations?
The thing that bothers me the most is the POINTED question specifically asking about if he ever took part in an “illegal” killing in Iraq. What is the mindset and the agenda to specifically ask this question?
And from Weemer’s POV he doesn’t think he’s really done anything wrong because he IS one of the good guys trying to join up with another group of ‘good’ guys. So invoking his rights doesn’t (probably) occur to him cause hey, we’re all on the same side, right?
Law enforcement officers never stop by just to "shoot the breeze".