After investing greater than 19 months restrained in Lake Charles, La., the Russian master of a ship associated with a prohibited discharge situation is cost-free and also able to go back to Russia following his total pardon by a court on May 23, 2019.
As we reported earlier (see tale), in February this year, Limassol, Cyprus, headquartered Interorient Marine Services Limited was fined $2 million and also punished to 4 years probation after being founded guilty for preserving incorrect and also insufficient documents associating with the discharge of oil from the 50,250 dwt, Marshall Islands flagged vessel Ridgebury Alexandra Z
The vessel’s captain, Vjaceslavs Birzakovs, was butted in a six-count charge by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Louisiana onNov 29, 2018, declaring that he routed circumvention of the vessel’s contamination avoidance devices, falsified documents, blocked justice, made incorrect declarations, and also conspired with various other staff participants to misstate the vessel’s Oil Record Book and also to block the united state Coast Guard’s enforcement of the regulation together with prohibited discharges from the vessel.
Following a four-day test prior to united state District Judge Jay C. Zainey in the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division, Captain Birzakovs was acquitted on all costs adhering to simply 2 hrs of court considerations.
Captain Birzakovs was stood for by Michael W. Magner, a companion at law practice Jones Walker, and also T.C. Wicker, IV, a partner at the company.
“I cooperated fully with the Coast Guard’s investigation and am very pleased but not at all surprised by the jury’s verdict,” Captain Birzakovs claimed. “I have always maintained my innocence and am grateful for the fair trial I received from the jury and Judge Zainey.”
“As a result of the fair treatment Captain Birzakovs received in the courts, he is now a believer in the American jury system,” claimedMr Magner. “We are glad that he was vindicated and can now return home to his family and his career.”
