Four sailors arraigned in deaths of Navy divers at Aberdeen

Four sailors arraigned in deaths of Navy divers at Aberdeen
The Virginian-Pilot
By Mike Hixenbaugh
Published: October 9, 2013

NORFOLK, Va. — A military judge has reserved most of January for the trials of four sailors charged for their roles in the accidental deaths of two Navy divers.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason M. Bennett, Chief Petty Officer Gary G. Ladd Jr., Senior Chief Petty Officer David C. Jones and Senior Chief Petty Officer James C. Burger, all of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, were arraigned Wednesday at Norfolk Naval Station.

All four are charged with dereliction of duty in connection to the Feb. 26 deaths of Petty Officer 1st Class James Reyher and Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Harris, who died during a training dive at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

Marine Capt. Keaton Harrell, the lead prosecutor, told the judge, Cmdr. Colleen Glaser-Allen, that the cases are complicated and each is likely to require several days of testimony.

A fifth sailor, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mark Smith, accepted administrative punishment for his role in the training accident. The four facing courts-martial refused to accept non-judicial punishment, known as captain’s mast.
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