7:00-8:00 p.m. - The Life and Execution of Private Eddie Slovik, with Martin Sheen and moderated by Joe Cosgrove

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with iconic American actor Martin Sheen as he reflects on his performance in The Execution of Private Slovik (1974). In this gripping film, Sheen portrays WWII Private Eddie Slovik, the only American soldier since the Civil War to be court-martialed and executed for desertion. The discussion will confront one of the most unsettling moral questions of wartime justice: Was Slovik’s death a necessary act of military discipline or a tragic failure of compassion? Through the lens of the film and historical context, we’ll explore the ethical dilemmas of war, the limits of justice, and the lasting consequences of this controversial episode in American military history. The program will be moderated by retired Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Joe Cosgrove.

8:30-10:30 p.m. - Film Screening: "The Execution of Private Slovik"

Determined to put his criminal record behind him, Eddie Slovik (Martin Sheen) finds a wife, settles down and thinks himself fortunate not to be drafted, owing to his prison record. But when the rules of the draft change, Eddie finds himself at boot camp, where he is hopelessly inept as a soldier. Nevertheless, his superiors cheat to push him through, and Eddie quickly proves just as much of a bungler on the front line until he finally chooses to desert – an act that will have dire consequences.