"Secrets" is an episode of JAG that first aired on January 10, 1997. Directed by Ray Austin. Written by Tom Towler.
Private Jason Magida (Victor Love), a Marine convicted for espionage, escapes from a Navy brig, and while claiming that his court-martial for espionage was a frame-up, he takes Admiral Chegwidden hostage inside his office, demanding a new trial.
Magida insists on being called "corporal," as that was his rank before the trial, which he views as illegitimate. Magida also takes Major MacKenzie and Lt. j.g. Roberts as hostages, casting Roberts as the judge and Mac as the prosecutor. Now Chegwidden, the prosecutor in the original trial, is pressed to be defense counsel.
With the help of CIA Agent Webb (Steven Culp), Lt. Commander Rabb uncovers new information about the original trial while also keeping a SWAT team from killing Magida.
The earlier conviction is vacated, and Magida is restored in rank to corporal. For taking Chegwidden, Mac and Roberts hostage, Magida is sentenced to eight years' confinement, but is given credit for time served. Thus, he's to return to regular duty.
Tropes
- Bavarian Fire Drill: How Magida got into Chegwidden's office in the first place. He simply put on a Marine uniform, walked into the building claiming he had something for the admiral, and then entered his office. Magida could have killed Chegwidden if he had wanted to.
- Changed My Mind, Kid: Webb is prepared to walk out on the situation when he sees Osborne and his team arrive. He comes back and tells Rabb that Osborne's not here to end the hostage situation peacefully; he's here to kill Magida.
- Classified Information: Everything about Magida's court-martial is classified "Top Secret", which gets Rabb's suspicion up right away.
- Genius Bruiser: Magida's ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) scores are at or near the top of the chart, showing a strong proficiency in pretty much any military specialty he wanted to choose. Rabb also notes that he was on the list to be referred to Officer Candidate School before he was arrested.
- Honey Trap: Corporal Magida is suspected of leaking secrets to an Israeli woman he was sleeping with. In actuality, although he broke regulations by sleeping with her, he didn't pass on any secrets.
- Meaningful Rename: A variant. Chegwidden consistently refers to Magida as "private" (the rank he was dishonorably discharged at) while being held hostage and believing Magida was a traitor. Once they find evidence that proves Magida's innocence, Chegwidden refers to him as "corporal" again.
- Miscarriage of Justice: The core plot of the episode revolves around an escaped prisoner trying to prove his innocence.
- Out-of-Character Alert: Chegwidden is being held at gunpoint inside his office by Magida when Roberts calls him about a case file the admiral wants. Chegwidden tells Roberts he doesn't want that file but instead a different case file. When Roberts asks Rabb and Mac about the file, they realize the file the admiral asked for is about a sailor who held his CO hostage, tipping them off.
As you were...
Dismissed.
