{"id":18371,"date":"2019-11-07T22:43:40","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T22:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/11\/07\/no-board-of-inquiry-for-ex-fitz-co\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:12:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:12:45","slug":"no-board-of-inquiry-for-ex-fitz-co","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/11\/07\/no-board-of-inquiry-for-ex-fitz-co\/","title":{"rendered":"No Board of Inquiry for ex-Fitz CO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The officer who commanded the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald<\/a> during its fatal 2017 collision won\u2019t go before a Navy Board of Inquiry<\/a> after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cmdr. Bryce Benson<\/a> was notified by officials late last month, according to his attorney, Cmdr. Justin Henderson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Cmdr. Adam Cole, a spokesman for the Chief of Naval Personnel, declined to comment on the development, citing \u201cprivacy concerns\u201d about personnel matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the latest twist in the case of Benson, who learned in September that he would appear before a panel convened to determine whether he should be punitively removed from the sea service for his role in the June 17, 2017, collision with the merchant vessel ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superiors administratively disciplined Benson after the collision and he was charged in early 2018 with negligent homicide<\/a> in the death of seven shipmates, but military prosecutors withdrew those charges six months later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogged by allegations that senior Navy leaders wielded unlawful command influence to keep Benson from getting a fair trial, prosecutors dropped dereliction of duty and hazarding a vessel charges in A<\/a>pril<\/a> of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\t