Col. Nathan R. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.
You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you, " and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
Lt. Daniel Kaffee: My client is a moron. That's not against the law.
Col. Nathan R. Jessup: Sweet dreams, son.
Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Don't call me son. I am a lawyer and officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
Colonel Nathan R Jessup: You can't handle the truth!
Kaffee: Did you order the code red?
Jessup: You're goddamn right I did!
Lt. Daniel Kaffee: Commander, do you have some jurisdiction here that I should know about?
Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway: My job is to make sure that you do your job. I'm special counsel for Internal Affairs. So my jurisdiction's pretty much in your face.
Answer: An autopsy can show what physically caused a death, but not necessarily what led up to it. Kaffee is trying to prove that there could be more than one reason for the marine's death.