Alternatively, to the yet-to-be-proven-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt that Mays started the fire, there are other reasonable alternatives to how the fire got started, and then, because of numerous failures by ship officers, got totally out of control and burned for nearly five days, destroying the ship.
Furthermore, the judge at the preliminary (Art. 32) hearing recommended against a court-martial but was overruled by the (then) Fleet Commander.
Let’s hope this doesn’t turn into a kangaroo court-martial where clear evidence is replaced by character assassination.
Furthermore, the judge at the preliminary (Art. 32) hearing recommended against a court-martial but was overruled by the (then) Fleet Commander.
NEVER a good sign. The Art 32 standard is probable cause, and if the Art 32 IO (I’ve been one on a number of occasions) recommended against, the Fleet Commander is likely exercising undue command influence, which may result in a mistrial or overturning a conviction on appeal.
Colonel, USAF JAGCR (Ret)
From the article I read a fire suppression system was in place and a button had to be pushed but the training was so lacking no one did so and some just didn’t know to do so and we lost a carrier to an arsonist and incompetent officers and sorry training.