"Court Martial" Star Trek: TOS episode
Kirk is tried for the wrongful death of a crewman, Court Martial.
Episode no.	20
Prod. code	015
Airdate	February 2, 1967
Writer(s)	Don M. Mankiewica story by Don M. Mankiewica Stephen W. Carabatsos
Director	Marc Daniels
Guest star(s)	Majel Barrett Elisha Cook, Jr. Percy Rodriguez Joan Marshall Richard Webb Hagan Beggs Winston DeLugo Tom Curtis Alice Rawlings

"Court Martial" is an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. It is a first season episode, #15, and was aired on February 2, 1967. It was written by Don M. Mankiewica, and Stephen W. Carabatsos, and directed by Marc Daniels. February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... A television director is usually responsible for directing the actors and other taped aspects of a television production. ... Marc Daniels (January 27, 1912–April 23, 1989) was a television director from Pennsylvania. ... Majel Barret Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (born Majel Lee Hudec on February 23, 1932 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American actress and widow of television director/producer/writer Gene Roddenberry. ... Richard Webb (September 9, 1915 - June 19, 1993) was a film, television and radio actor. ... Tomorrow is Yesterday is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. ... Stardate is the dating convention used in the fictional Star Trek universe. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... The Return of the Archons is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Marc Daniels (January 27, 1912–April 23, 1989) was a television director from Pennsylvania. ...

Quick Overview: Captain Kirk stands trial on charges of negligence. Captain James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, a fictional character in the Star Trek television series, was the captain of the starship Enterprise (NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A). ...

On stardate 2947.3, the starship USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, sustains severe damage from an ion storm and seeks repairs at Starbase 11. Soon after the Enterprise arrives, Commodore Stone begins an investigation of the only reported casualty; the death of Lt. Commander Ben Finney. Reports show Finney had been killed during the storm when his research pod was jettisoned from the ship. Kirk claims the ejection of the pod was necessary to save the Enterprise. Stone refers to computer logs which show Kirk had ordered the pod ejected while the ship was at "Yellow Alert" status; indicating the ship was not yet considered to be in serious danger. Stardate is the dating convention used in the fictional Star Trek universe. ... This article is about the vehicle for interstellar travel. ... The early Earth starship Enterprise (NX-01) The original Federation starship Enterprise (NCC-1701) The second Federation starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) The third Federation starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-B) The fourth Federation starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-C) The fifth Federation starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) The sixth Federation starship... Yellow Alert is a condition of increased readiness in the fictional Star Trek universe. ...

Kirk however, maintains his claim that the ship was at "Red Alert" status during the ejection of the pod. Suspicion grows when Stone uncovers that Mr. Finney was disgruntled with his Captain. This stemmed from an incident aboard the USS Republic, when a young Ensign Kirk accused Ensign Finney of carelessly leaving a switch to the atomic matter piles open which would have blown the ship up in a matter of minutes. Since the incident, Starfleet has put Finney at the bottom of the promotion list and Finney accused Kirk of "keeping him down". Typical Red Alert visual indicator visible behind Kirk, from The Immunity Syndrome Red Alert is the highest state of alert for Starfleet in the Star Trek fictional universe. ...

Stone believes there is enough evidence for Kirk to be guilty of negligence and urges Kirk to stand down as Captain of the Enterprise, and take a ground assignment for the rest of his career. Kirk denies the accusations as absurd and demands to be put on trial to prove the charges. Kirk seeks legal representation from attorney Samuel T. Cogley on the advice of Lt. Ariel Shaw, a former girlfriend of his. Kirk finds Cogley quirky, but very meticulous. Kirk is taken aback when he learns that Shaw herself will be acting as the prosecutor in the trial. The trial is overseen by Commodore Stone with a bench consisting of Kirk's peers; including Space Command Representative Linstrom and fellow Starfleet Captains Chandra, and Crisnowski. Among the trial audience is Finney's young daughter Jamie. Kirk is given an uncomfortable glare by Jamie who believes he killed her father. Starfleet Command In the Star Trek fictional universe, Starfleet is the defense, research, diplomacy, and exploration force of the United Federation of Planets (UFP), with hundreds of advanced starships of various class and size at its disposal. ...

The trial begins and testimony is given by Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock, and Kirk himself, but none of it is enlightening or consistent with computer records. During the trial, Spock checks to make sure nothing is wrong with the computer system which diagnostics show to be functioning normally. The prosecution presents a computer recording of the events on the Enterprise bridge during the ion storm in question. The evidence proves damning as the recording clearly shows Kirk hitting the button to jettison the pod while still at Yellow Alert. Kirk and his council are all but ready to give up, and Kirk notes to Spock that he might find an easier chess opponent with his new captain. This comment gives Spock an idea. Leonard Horatio McCoy, M.D., nicknamed Bones (as in Sawbones, an old-fashioned colloquialism for a doctor or a surgeon), is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe, played by the late DeForest Kelley. ... Spock, commonly called Mr. ...

Later during recess, McCoy discovers Spock playing 3D chess and he angrily questions how Spock can just waste time with all that is going on. Spock then reveals he had in fact been conducting an investigation of the computer, noting he has been able to beat it at chess, five times, even though the machine is supposedly incapable of doing any worse than stalemate. McCoy asks how that is possible, and Spock explains he is convinced that the system has somehow been tampered with since game programming he made three months before has now been altered. Three-dimensional chess, or 3D chess, are examples of chess variants. ... Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves but is not in check. ...

The court martial continues and the bench is prepared to hand down a sentence; however, Spock enters, ready to present new evidence on behalf of his Captain: the suspected tampering of the computer system. Without any real evidence to back up the claim, Spock insists that aside from himself and the Captain, only Mr. Finney had the knowledge and clearance to alter the computer logs and he believes Finney is still aboard the Enterprise. Kirk's lawyer asks the trial to reconvene aboard the Enterprise to see proof of the defense's new theory. The prosecution objects to the new request, stating the computer files are proof enough of Kirk's guilt. The court overrules when Cogley states that a man's guilt can not be proven by a machine, since machines can make mistakes. The court seems to agree.

Now aboard the Enterprise, Kirk orders all unnecessary personnel to disembark for the time being. Dr. McCoy then takes an auditory sensor that detects the slightest sound, and attaches it to the ship's computer. The device is so sensitive, it detects all remaining human heartbeats that are still aboard the ship. One heartbeat is found unaccounted for and located down in engineering. Tracking the sound to its source, Kirk discovers Finney alive, and in an agitated mental state, and that he has tapped into the ship's control systems.

Upon the discovery, Kirk goes after Finney and a struggle ensues. Kirk subdues Finney, but the crazed officer informs Kirk he is too late and points out he has drained the Enterprise's energy circuits which will eventually cause the ship to fall out of orbit and burn up in Starbase 11's atmosphere. Kirk manages to trick Finney however, telling him that his daughter Jamie is also aboard the ship to sit in the trial. Alarmed, Finney breaks down and realizes has no choice but to surrender. He then tells Kirk how to regain control of the ship.

After undoing the damage, Kirk has Finney taken into custody, and Kirk's record is cleared.

External links

• Court Martial article at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek wiki