Episode Details

Military Illumination — "Nineteen Acts of Injustice: Act 6 — The Firing of Capt. Gregory Guedel"

In this episode, host Gary continues his series on the Washington National Guard's prosecution of an innocent soldier in 1998. Act 6 focuses on Captain Gregory Goodell, the detailed (assigned) military defense counsel whose advice to the accused soldier was simply to "suck it up." When the soldier, advised by a staffer in Senator Patty Murray's office, formally requested a more experienced attorney, Goodell was never officially removed from the case — though he would later return seeking retaliation.

Key points covered:

• Ineffective assistance of counsel: Goodell, a part-time JAG officer, failed to review evidence, speak with witnesses, or file a motion to dismiss based on violated Article 31 rights (self-incrimination protections).
• The senator's role: While Gary maintains that senators themselves rarely help individual service members, he acknowledges that Senator Murray's staff provided a critical piece of advice — write a letter to JAG requesting new counsel, which established legal standing for the request.
• Military judge inaction: Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Williamson, the military judge assigned to the case, received the letter but took no action — no hearing, no ruling.
• New charges preferred without investigation: In September, Daniel Coffee signed off on new charges (false official statements) without conducting any investigation, making him, in Gary's view, a co-conspirator in the injustice.
• Personnel changes: The original prosecuting attorney (Bennett) exited the case and was replaced by First Lieutenant Christopherson.
• Broader context: Gary frames the episode within systemic issues in the military — the protection of the Feres Doctrine, retaliation against those who speak up, and disproportionate targeting of women and people of color.

The episode teases Act 7, which will detail how Goodell retaliated after being removed and what happened as the case headed toward a January 1999 trial date.