Sub technician to testify

By Dan Nakaso and Susan Roth
Advertiser Staff Writers

The USS Greeneville crewman who has been much maligned during a Navy court of inquiry takes the witness stand this morning in a move that could seal his captain's future.

Petty Officer Patrick Seacrest, the fire control technician on watch when the submarine crashed into a Japanese fishing boat, may be the critical act in a courtroom drama drawing to a close at Pearl Harbor, said Jay Fidell, a former Coast Guard attorney and court of inquiry investigator.

"This is like where you buy the testimony of the small fry to nail the large guy," said Fidell, who has been watching the proceedings. "It's 'NYPD Blue.' It's the 'Law & Order' scenario. Inevitably, it's always that way."

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Court of inquiry schedule Today 8 a.m.: Morning session convenes, testimony from Petty Officer First Class Patrick Thomas Seacrest, the fire control technician of the watch. 1 p.m.: Afternoon session convenes, testimony and cross-examinations to continue. 4:30 p.m.: Afternoon session adjourns until Tuesday morning. End-of-day review with question-and-answer period at media center follows adjournment of session.

Waddle has offered to testify at the trial if the Pacific Fleet grants his request for immunity.

Witnesses have testified that on Feb. 9, Seacrest knew about a sonar contact that turned out to be the Ehime Maru fishing boat.

But he inexplicably did not tell anyone in the Greeneville's control room, crowded with civilian passengers. Moments later, the Greeneville shot to the surface and sliced through the hull of the Japanese training ship, sinking it and killing nine of the 35 people aboard.

Seacrest has told the National Transportation Safety Board that the 16 civilians aboard the ship were in his way and distracted him from his job. Initially, he declined to testify before the court of inquiry, indicating he would take the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination.

But on Friday, the court of inquiry determined that his testimony would be valuable and requested that Seacrest be granted immunity — a request quickly granted by Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of the Pacific Fleet.

Under such an arrangement, Seacrest cannot be prosecuted for anything he says on the stand. But it does not protect him from other witnesses' statements. Waddle would get the same deal if Fargo grants his request for the same protection. Lt. j.g. Michael Coen, the Greeneville's officer of the deck the day of the accident, has made the same request.

Charles Gittins, Waddle's attorney, has played down the effect of Seacrest's testimony on Waddle's case. Gittins, who has tried over the last two weeks to pin partial responsibility for the accident on Seacrest and other members of the crew, has said he welcomes the fire control technician's testimony.

On Friday, Naoko Nakata, the wife of teacher Jun Nakata, who died in the accident, said Waddle apologized once again to the eight family members now attending the court of inquiry. She said Waddle wept during the private meeting, bowing deeply as he spoke to each of the family members.

In a three-page letter to the submarine captain, Nakata asked Waddle to propose changes to the Navy's "distinguished visitors" program. She also urged him to tell the truth in the trial "without any deals."

According to the Japanese consulate, Waddle told the families he would "probably" submit some sort of statement to the court today and would speak further later. But Gittins, Waddle's attorney, reiterated after the meeting with the families that Waddle wants to testify but will not do so without the grant of immunity.

If Waddle gets immunity, Gittins has said, the skipper would discuss whether he felt rushed the day of the accident, how he conducted his periscope search and what he knew about the ship's surroundings when he ordered an emergency surfacing maneuver.

After two weeks of testimony that often focused on Waddle's micromanaging command style, observer Fidell said he believes the three admirals presiding over the court of inquiry no longer need to hear from the captain.

"We are really kind of at the end anyway," Fidell said. "We've heard from the brass. We've heard from all of the people you'd want to hear from on the ship except for a few specified people. They don't need his testimony."