SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The defense rested on the second day of the trial of the navy sailor accused of starting fire aboard the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard.
The court martial heard from Seaman Edwin Kongo who says he was alerted by Sean Ryan Mays to get off the ship after the fire started. Seaman Kongo says he wasn’t working that day but he was in the berthing, a space on the ship where the sailors sleep. Kongo says Mays barged in, told him and another sailor that there was a fire on the ship, and they needed to leave. He says Mays alerted them, then quickly left.
When the defense asked what Seaman Mays was wearing at the time Kongo said he was wearing his type 3 camouflage uniform.
This also contradicts the testimony of a key witness last week. The sailor said he saw Mays wearing Bootcamp coveralls, heading to the lower storage area, where the fire started.
The defense also called a fire protection engineer to the stand Tuesday morning. Witness, Dan Arnold, said he was hired to take a look at the heat detection system in the lower-v. Arnold said there were some resistors on the wires, that needed to be looked at further, to see if they hindered any part of the system.
The defense also called on two different forensic investigators, who examined items in the lower storage area, determining they couldn't rule out causes like lithium-ion batteries, a spark from a forklift, or a tossed cigarette.
On cross-examination, those experts conceded one possible cause of the prosecution's arson theory.
The prosecution will present their rebuttal case on Wednesday which will be followed by closing arguments. This is a bench case trial, so the judge will be deciding the verdict.
