BREMERTON – Three sailors from the USS Nimitz involved in an altercation that led to a sailor being stabbed Jan. 27 at Naval Base Kitsap barracks have been charged in military court. One pleaded guilty to assault by battery and drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and other cases are in the pretrial phase.
NCIS has completed its investigation into the altercation and charges have been filed against the sailors, NCIS spokesman Darwin Lam confirmed in an email on May 30. Following NCIS’ investigation and review of the evidence, the convening authority decided to resolve these cases through a special court. Martial, USS Nimitz spokesman Tim Pietrack said in an email to the Kitsap Sun last week.
The three sailors were a Hull Maintenance Technician Petty Officer Third Class, an Aviation Electrician’s Mate Airman Apprentice and an Aviation Ordnanceman Airman, according to charging documents the Kitsap Sun received from the Navy.
More: A Nimitz sailor is hospitalized and two others are being held after a reported incident
According to charging documents, the first man attempted to take approximately $150 from another “by force” with a knife. He is accused of hitting the other man on the head with a tumbler, causing “swelling and lacerations to the head”, attacking the second man by pressing a knife into his hand and pressing him with his knees hit the ground.
The third man joined in an attempt to steal the $150, placed the second man in a headlock and used his arms and body to pin him to the ground, according to Navy charging documents.
The charging document does not indicate how the second man subsequently came into possession of the knife, but once he did, he stabbed the third man in the ‘chest, shoulder and head’, causing him significant bodily harm , to wit: wounds to the chest, shoulder and head,” according to a charge sheet. The man who was stabbed was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for his injuries.
According to the documents, all three sailors were “drunk and disorderly.”
In March and April they were referred to a special court-martial.
The first man was referred on March 18 on the basis of one specification under UCMJ, Article 80 for attempted robbery, two specifications under UCMJ, Article 128 for aggravated assault, substantial bodily harm and aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, one specification under UCMJ, Article 134 for drunkenness. and disorderly conduct, and one specification under UCMJ Article 128, for assault consummated by battery, referenced April 2, Pietrack said.
He pleaded guilty to violation of UCMJ, Article 128 for assault by battery and violation of UCMJ, Article 134 for drunk and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 70 days in confinement, Pietrack said.
“He is awaiting an administrative separation from the Navy,” Pietrack said. “The Navy has taken appropriate action based on the evidence as this behavior is contrary to the Navy’s core values.”
The man flown to Harborview was referred on March 18 under one specification under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 80 for attempted robbery, one specification under UCMJ, Article 128 for assault by battery, one specification under UCMJ Article 134 for disorderly conduct, and one specification under UCMJ Article 128 for assault by battery, referenced March 28. His case is in the pretrial phase, Pietrack said.
The other man, who initially had the money but ended up stabbing another sailor, was referred on March 18 for one specification under UCMJ, Article 128 for assault completed by battery and one specification under UCMJ, Article 134 for drunken and disorderly conduct. His case is also in the pre-trial phase, Pietrack said.
Enacted by Congress, UCMJ contains the substantive and procedural laws governing the military justice system. According to the Defense Department’s Victim and Witness Assistance Council (VWAC) website, a special court-martial is an intermediate level consisting of a military judge or at least three members and a judge.
“Their conduct is contrary to the core values of the U.S. Navy and we take these matters seriously,” Pietrack said. “In addition, the Nimitz has continued to provide more intensive risk management training to help reduce Sailor involvement in further incidents of this nature.”
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Nimitz sailors charged with assault after being stabbed once in base incident
