Melbourne Captain Acquitted By Court

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32076, 26 August 1969, Page 19

Melbourne Captain Acquitted By Court

CN.Z. Press Association-Copyright) SYDNEY, August 25. A Royal Australian Navy court-martial today honourably acquitted Captain John Stevenson, commander of the aircraft-carrier Melbourne, of two charges of negligence arising from the ship’s collision with the American destroyer Frank E. Evans in the South China Sea on June 3.

The court was directed by the Judge-Advocate (Commander P. L. Sharp), that there was no case to answer. Seventy-four American naval men died as a result of the collision, which occurred during S.E.A.T.O. exercises. After a 90-minute hearing today. Captain Stevenson walked from the court, unsmiling and declining to comment on the verdict Earlier, when the President (Rear-Admiral D. C. Wells) dissolved the court Captain Stevenson had smiled broadly,

turned around and kissed his wife, and briefly thanked his counsel. Commander Sharp said that the court had been faced with deciding' either on a verdict of not guilty, or on honourable acquittal. The term “honourable acquittal” applied where the personal or professional conduct of the accused was in issue. When the court reassembled, the hilt of Captain : Stevenson’s sword on the court table was pointed in his direction; this meant he had been freed of the charges.