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On behalf of the Caldari Navy
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Classification level: Shogun
RECORD OF THE COURTS MARTIAL
Trial: Yutsaysen/N/M/000273-SDF/C:Tama/001
Dates of trial: YC112.08.14 to YC112.08.23
Presiding officers:
Admiral Ruuyo Ankivva,
Brig. Gen. Kenichi Asumira,
Colonel Kasto Skidochi
Defendant:
Commander Niva Matrenka Yutsaysen.
Commanding officer, CNS Antero Vipunen
Charges brought by:
The Office of the Caldari Providence Directorate
on behalf of:
The population of planet Tama IV.
Representative for the Prosecution:
Lt. Mikko Estuya
for the Defence:
Lt. Arni Testalaiken
Charge: That on YC112.05.12, Commander Niva Matrenka Yutsaysen, in her capacity as commanding officer of the Caldari Navy Rokh-class Battleship CNS “
Antero Vipunen” did neglect her duty to the defence of State citizens during the attack by the forces of Sansha's Nation on that date. That her excessive caution contributed to the total population that was abducted, and that she disobeyed a standing order.
Plea: Not Guilty
SUMMARYThe after-action report states that during the battle of Tama, YC112.05.12, a total of approximately one hundred thousand citizens of the Caldari State were abducted from the planet of Tama IV by forces belonging to Sansha's Nation. Commander Yutsaysen was the commanding officer of the battleship (Rokh-class) “
Antero Vipunen” which was active as a component part of the system's standing defence fleet on that date. The record shows that while freelance Capsuleer forces engaged the Sansha's Nation beachhead force in high orbit, the system defence navy, supported by elements of the DED, established a low-orbit blockade to intercept hostile drop-ships.
The
Antero Vipunen was responsible for covering an exclusion zone with a radius of 250Km above the planet's surface. During the battle, the Antero Vipunen's sensors officer reported a target within range at lower altitude, and the gunnery chief confirmed a firing solution. The target was confirmed as a Sansha's Nation drop-ship inbound to a landing zone.
Orders from the admiral of the fleet were to destroy all inbound dropships. (cross ref.: Trial Viktuunen/A/R/001438-SDF/A:Tama/004).
Commander Yutsaysen gave the order to hold fire, as the firing solution included a possibility of striking the civilian settlement of “Karvu's Point” in the event of a missed shot. Before a safer solution could be acquired, the hostile drop-ship was able to escape the
Antero Vipunen's targeting range and complete its mission, ultimately escaping with an estimated two hundred and fifty abductees.
Prosecution: The prosecution argues that Commander Yutsaysen's order to hold fire when her gunnery chief had presented a solution constitutes dereliction of duty, and that the two hundred and fifty abductees who were taken by the drop-ship were lost only because of her failure to act.
Defence: The defence argues that commander Yutsaysen displayed due caution in not authorising a firing pattern that could have caused many thousands of deaths in the event of stray fire.
Prosection: the prosecution argues that the sensor logs show that the drop-ship was inside the
Antero Vipunen's optimal range and that the transversal velocity was low enough for the firing solution to be 100% accurate
Defence: The defence argues that there is no such thing as a 100% accurate firing solution.
Prosecution: The prosecution refutes the above argument, citing the Rokh-class battleship's design specifications, service record and logs from, quote: “Thousands of battles”, indicating that where the gunnery chief has presented an accurate solution the incidence of stray rounds is <0.1% (zero actual)
Defence: The defence logs an objection on the grounds that the sensor data includes records from capsuleer battles, where capsule-commanded vessels are known to have superior performance
Objection: overruled – the data also included a statistically significant number of records from ships not commanded by capsuleers.
Defence: The defence argues that caution is always appropriate in such circumstances regardless of the accuracy of the firing solution because of the possibility of malfunction, evasive action or human error.
Prosecution: the prosecution argues that the Antero Vipunen had undergone a full service and calibration only five days prior to the battle, and that firing solutions are too automated for human error to be a realistic factor. The prosecution further notes that evasive action has no effect when the target's transversal velocity is below the tracking speed of the guns, as the guns can compensate.
Prosecution rests.
Defence rests.
No further arguments
Verdict returned: Guilty (vote: 2-1)
Sentence: Commander Yutsaysen to be demoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander and to spend one year in corrective training before return to active service. Commander Yutsaysen also to be issued one grade three (3) demerit.
Reaction: Commander Yutsaysen respectfully declined the sentence and tendered her resignation.
Sentence Commuted: Honourable discharge with pension at rank of Commander, minus campaign and decoration bonuses.
Record Ends.