History Recap / JAGS08E03FamilyBusiness

** TakingTheHeat: spoiler: His dad, not wanting the boy to believe he'd killed his own mother, framed himself by shooting the dead mother once more in the shoulder.
* TitleDrop: Early on in the episode Gunnery Sergeant Akers says something to the effect that "family business" is for family only.

* DomesticAbuser: Joe Akers had publicly slapped his wife to get her to leave a bar after she'd caused a scene. [[spoiler: She had tried to stab her own son, right before she died]].

* {{Matricide}}: [[spoiler: It was actually the boy who'd shot and instantly killed his mother in self defense after she'd cut him with a kitchen knife.]]
** TakingTheHeat: [[spoiler: His dad, not wanting the boy to believe he'd killed his own mother, framed himself by shooting the dead mother once more in the shoulder.]]

Joe Akers wiped his son's prints off the gun, cut himself with the knife, and then shot his wife in the shoulder in order to support a claim of self defense, and shield his son from accountability.

* ArtisticLicenseMilitary: Joe Akers was promoted to Sergeant (E-5) in 1998, the same year as his first recorded incident of spousal abuse. By his uniform's two hashmarks, we know he has served for at least eight years. It was certainly realistic for him to be promoted to E-5 in 1998 when he already had at least four years time in service (TIS). But there are also time in grade (TIG) requirements to be promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6) and Gunnery Sergeant (E-7). Sergeant Akers would have needed at least four years as a sergeant to make staff sergeant and then 27 months to make gunnery sergeant. This means that by normal procedures Akers wouldn't have been promoted to E-7 until at least 2005, by which time he might have gotten a third hashmark. By the way, the TIS and TIG requirements were increased in 2019. Of course this all goes out the window if he was promoted meritoriously to E-6 and to E-7, but there's no mention of Akers's service record being exemplary enough to justify consecutive meritorious promotions. A captain's mast in 1998 would probably throw cold water on the idea of a meritorious promotion in 1999, 2000 or 2001. Without some extraordinary circumstance, Akers's rank is just a little too high to be realistic. Either Akers should've been a staff sergeant for this episode or his 1998 promotion should've been to staff sergeant and he should have had three hashmarks on his uniform.

** TakingTheHeat: [[spoiler: His dad, not wanting the boy to believe he'd killed his own mother, framed himself by shooting the dead mother once more in the shoulder.]]

Certain details of the case don't quite make sense. Mrs. Akers was shot twice: one shot severed her carotid artery, the other was to the shoulder

* DomesticAbuser: The marine gunny had publicly slapped his wife to get her to leave a bar after she’d caused a scene. [[spoiler: She had tried to stab her own son, right before she died]].

* {{Matricide}}: [[spoiler: It was actually the boy who’d shot and instantly killed his mother in self defense after she’d cut him with a kitchen knife.]]
** TakingTheHeat: [[spoiler: His dad, not wanting the boy to believe he’d killed his own mother, framed himself by shooting the dead mother once more in the shoulder.]]

Harm defends a marine gunnery sergeant accused of shooting his alcoholic wife, while Mac prosecutes. Meanwhile, Bud’s physical rehabilitation is hampered by a mental block, one that no one can seem to understand

* [[spoiler: {{Matricide}}: It was actually the boy who’d shot and instantly killed his mother in self defense after she’d cut him with a kitchen knife.]]
** [[spoiler: TakingTheHeat: His dad, not wanting the boy to believe he’d killed his own mother, framed himself by shooting the dead mother once more in the shoulder.]]

** [[spoiler: SilentScapegoat: His dad took the blame, not wanting the boy to believe he’d killed his mother.]]

^^ AlcoholicParent: An alcoholic mother to a ten year old boy.

* [[spoiler: {{Matricide}}: It was actually the boy who’d shot and instantly killed his mother in self defense after she’d cut him with a kitchen knife.
** SilentScapegoat: His dad took the blame, not wanting the boy to believe he’d killed his mother.]]

* [[spoiler: {{Matricide}}: It was actually the boy who’d shot and instantly killed his mother in self defense after she’d cut him with a kitchen knife.]]]]

^^ AlcoholicParent: An alcoholic mother to a ten year old boy.

* TheAlcoholic / LadyDrunk : The murder victim was one, of the mean variety.

* TheAlcoholic: The murder victim was one, of the mean variety.