Submarine Captain Denied Immunity

ByABC News
March 19, 2001, 6:23 PM

March 19 -- Cmdr. Scott Waddle likely will not testify before the court of inquiry investigating the accidental sinking of a Japanese boat by the submarine he commanded as the Navy denied him testimonial immunity today.

Waddle asked for immunity from having his testimony used in a criminal prosecution in exchange for his side of the story of how the USS Greeneville surfaced into and sank the fishing boat Ehime Maru on Feb. 9. Nine people, including four teenagers on an expedition to learn commercial fishing, were killed.

Without immunity, Waddle "will not offer up a written unsworn statement," his civilian attorney, Charles Gittens, has said. But he may not be completely silent on the matter.

"He may address the court briefly to explain why he is not going to participate in the hearings," Gittens said before the Navy denied the immunity request.

Gittens also said he will ask that two of the 16 civilians who were aboard the submarine at the time of the accident be subpoenaed to return to Hawaii to testify.

The third week of testimony began today, with Petty Officer Patrick Seacrest the Greeneville crewman who was responsible for tracking surface vessels taking the stand.

Seacrest admitted he was a bit "lazy" before the accident and failed to provide Waddle with crucial information about the location of the Japanese trawler.

Lawmakers to Tour Sub

Also today, eight freshmen U.S. lawmakers were to board a sub at Port Everglades, Fla., in a tour organized by Rep. Ed Schrock, R-Va.

"I think it's even more important now than it was before the incident, that we go aboard these ships to understand what they do and how they do it," Schrock says.

In the wake of the Greeneville accident, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld began a study of the civilian visits. He ordered all armed services to stop allowing visitors to handle the controls of military equipment, as civilians did in the Greeneville accident.

But the "ride-alongs," which are seen as crucial to maintaining civilian support for the military, continue.