Navy plans to seek negligent homicide and other charges in fatal ship collisions
The U.S. Navy plans to seek charges against five officers involved in two ship collisions that killed 17 sailors last year.
Charges being sought include negligent homicide, dereliction of duty, and hazarding a vessel, report the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post. A press release is here.
Among those facing charges are former commanding officers Bryce Benson of the USS Fitzgerald and Alfredo J. Sanchez of the USS John S. McCain. The Navy is also seeking charges against three officers from the USS Fitzgerald.
The evidence will be presented an Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a preliminary hearing or grand jury. The hearing will determine whether the officers will be tried in a court-martial.
After the collisions, the Navy removed the commander of the Seventh Fleet and several other top officers.
The Navy concluded in a report that the collisions could have been avoided, the Times reported in November.
