Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker
Encyclopedia
Assault at West Point is a 1994 television docudrama
about Johnson Chesnut Whittaker
, one of the first black cadets at West Point
, and the trial that followed an assault he suffered. The film features Samuel L. Jackson
, who portrays a lawyer who defends Whittaker.
The assault on him by fellow cadets quickly makes its way into the press and gained widespread attention. Richard Greener (played by Samuel L. Jackson), is the Harvard alumnus lawyer
who defends Johnson at his trial and, since he is also black, has also personally experienced racism
. Greener's partner, Daniel Chamberlain (played by Sam Waterston
), does not share his determination but rather has a different agenda - acquiring fame.
The trial begins and the two lawyers are at odds with one another. The prosecutor, Major Asa Bird Gardiner
, cross-examines Johnson, who manages to evade his tactics. On the day the verdict is to be delivered, the judge whose vote they had hoped would be favorable does not show up in court. The other two judges find Johnson guilty of assaulting himself so as not to participate in the exam.
The film closes in later years, with Johnson being interviewed by a reporter. The reporter asks Johnson what happened afterwards. Johnson tells him that he went on to become a school principal, while Greener is now retired. He also informs the reporter that Chamberlain later on went to defend lynching
. "People will sometimes do anything to gather fame", states Johnson, to which the reporter replies, "I wonder what hidden agenda he was carrying". The film ends with the reporter telephoning the newspaper and telling them to hold the first page; he has a great story.
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
about Johnson Chesnut Whittaker
Johnson Chesnut Whittaker
Johnson Chesnut Whittaker was one of the first black men to win an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. When at the academy, he was brutally assaulted and then expelled after being falsely accused and convicted of faking the incident...
, one of the first black cadets at West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, and the trial that followed an assault he suffered. The film features Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
, who portrays a lawyer who defends Whittaker.
Plot
Johnson Whittaker, a black cadet at West Point, is attacked by three fellow students. The school administrators court-martial Whittaker in the mistaken belief that he staged his own attack, supposedly to avoid a philosophy exam.The assault on him by fellow cadets quickly makes its way into the press and gained widespread attention. Richard Greener (played by Samuel L. Jackson), is the Harvard alumnus lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who defends Johnson at his trial and, since he is also black, has also personally experienced racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. Greener's partner, Daniel Chamberlain (played by Sam Waterston
Sam Waterston
Samuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy...
), does not share his determination but rather has a different agenda - acquiring fame.
The trial begins and the two lawyers are at odds with one another. The prosecutor, Major Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner was a controversial American soldier, attorney, and prosecutor. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the American Civil War in 1872, it was rescinded when the supporting documentation was not found...
, cross-examines Johnson, who manages to evade his tactics. On the day the verdict is to be delivered, the judge whose vote they had hoped would be favorable does not show up in court. The other two judges find Johnson guilty of assaulting himself so as not to participate in the exam.
The film closes in later years, with Johnson being interviewed by a reporter. The reporter asks Johnson what happened afterwards. Johnson tells him that he went on to become a school principal, while Greener is now retired. He also informs the reporter that Chamberlain later on went to defend lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
. "People will sometimes do anything to gather fame", states Johnson, to which the reporter replies, "I wonder what hidden agenda he was carrying". The film ends with the reporter telephoning the newspaper and telling them to hold the first page; he has a great story.