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U.S. Naval Commanders Charged With Negligent Homicide for Role in Ship Collisions

posted by martyb on Wednesday January 17 2018, @06:18PM   
from the actions-and-reactions dept.

takyon writes:

Naval Commanders In 2 Deadly Ship Collisions To Be Charged With Negligent Homicide

The U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that the commanding officers of two vessels involved in separate collisions in the Pacific Ocean last year will face court-martial proceedings and possible criminal charges including negligent homicide.

The statement by Navy spokesman Capt. Greg Hicks says the decision to prosecute the commanders, and several lower-ranking officers as well, was made by Adm. Frank Caldwell.

[...] In the case of the USS Fitzgerald, the commander, two lieutenants and one lieutenant junior grade face possible charges of dereliction of duty, hazarding a vessel and negligent homicide.

The commander of the USS John S. McCain will face possible charges of dereliction of duty, hazarding a vessel and negligent homicide. A chief petty officer also faces one possible charge of dereliction of duty.

Previously: U.S. Navy Destroyer Collides With Container Vessel
10 Sailors Still Missing After U.S. Destroyer Collision With Oil Tanker
Chief of Naval Operations Report on This Summer's Destroyer Collisions

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Original Submission

• Re:change Re:change (Score: 3, Informative) by stormwyrm on Wednesday January 17 2018, @09:51PM (2 children)

  by stormwyrm (717) on Wednesday January 17 2018, @09:51PM (#623839) Journal

  In that case, were I the captain, I would at the very least get a paper trail showing how I had made every effort to keep my ship rust-free, but I had not been granted the resources I needed to do so. I have thus still taken responsibility, but not the blame because the poor condition of the ship is something beyond my control. So when I am called to account for the poor state of my ship, I can point to all of these memos I had sent up the chain of command where I complained that despite all my repeated requests I had never been provided the time at drydock I required, and so on.

  --
  Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate.

  Parent

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• Re:change Re:change (Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Wednesday January 17 2018, @10:19PM (1 child)

  by Grishnakh (2831) on Wednesday January 17 2018, @10:19PM (#623856)

  Right, that's what I would expect too. This whole idea that the captain is somehow punishable for things totally outside his control really rubs me the wrong way. And these latest charges just reek of scapegoating. The ultimate problem was the top brass, and probably also Congress. Why aren't they being court-martialed for negligent homicide for not providing any training, for insisting that the automatic locater systems be kept off in busy shipping lanes, and for giving these crews too much work to do with the manpower they have?

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  • Re:change (Score: 2) by stormwyrm on Thursday January 18 2018, @02:48AM

    by stormwyrm (717) on Thursday January 18 2018, @02:48AM (#623976) Journal

    Well, if that's actually true, I do hope those guys have the paper to cover their asses. Like repeated written requests for training and additional manpower that were denied by their superiors, written orders from higher up to keep their automatic locater systems off even in busy shipping lanes, and so on. That should prove extremely valuable for their defence attorneys when the time comes. From what I can tell using CYA paperwork still works in the Navy.

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    Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate.

    Parent