多年来，美国司法部一直以保护环境为名，在执行航运污染案件时采用特殊方式，包括剥夺船员的自由数月甚至数年，甚至有时还会剥夺他们出庭受审的自由，其合法性饱受质疑。

例如，散货船“JOANNA”轮轮机长Warlito Tan被美国当局关押了20个月，在经过漫长的审讯和审判后，他取得了对美国司法部的胜利，近日被无罪释放。

虽然其他五名船员从未被指控犯有任何罪行，但是他们也被作为重要证人强制关押。在被关押了7个月后，美国当局起诉了轮机长Warlito Tan，并释放了其他人，但是条件是他们在需要时必须回来接受审判，而审判又被反复推迟。

虽然最终的裁决以轮机长胜诉告终，但美国司法部在案件审判过程中对待外国船员的方式引发了巨大争议。在漫长的过程中，轮机长Warlito Tan仅两次在获得法庭许可的情况下离开美国。一次是参加父亲的葬礼，另一次是检察官在审判开始一年多后感染了新冠病毒，审判被推迟。

美国路易斯安那州东区联邦法院同意美国司法部对待外国船员的方式上存在过错，其地方法官在一项裁决中写道:“在疫情期间，Warlito Tan被要求留在国外近7个月，无法与家人团聚或从事生产性工作，也不清楚何时会被释放。这段经历对他的身心健康造成了巨大伤害。”

Tan的辩护律师，船员辩护专家Edward MacColl，研究了检察官在此类案件中的做法和背后的历史依据后，他认为这违反了美国宪法和被告的基本人权，更不用说那些未受指控的海员们的权利，以及故意偏离《国际防止船舶造成污染公约》（MARPOL）的国际条约原则。

Chief Engineer Warlito Tan, Jr. was found not guilty for alleged violations of environmental and safety laws related to MV Joanna, a Marshall Islands registered bulk carrier, according to Most & Associates on Thursday (17 November). 

Most & Associates, who was part of a team representing Tan, said a twelve person federal jury sitting in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana returned a unanimous verdict finding Chief Engineer Warlito Tan, Jr. not guilty on all four felony counts against him on 16 November 2022.

The US government charged Tan with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act, Obstruction of Justice, and Obstructing a Coast Guard Investigation. The jury heard testimony from fourteen witnesses over the course of seven days. 

Attorney Caroline Gabriel of Most & Associates was on the trial team that led to a full acquittal of our client. Attorney Ed MacColl of Thompson, MacColl & Bass LLC, P.A. led the team, aided by Briton Sparkman of Chalos & Co., P.C.

Tan testified in his own defense and explained to the jury that at all times he believed he was properly operating the oily water separator on board the vessel and that he never knowingly made any inaccurate entries in the oil record book. 

He further explained that he fully cooperated with the U.S. Coast Guard, never lied to the port state investigators, and returned on two separate occasions to the U.S. to defend the charges against him, despite having been permitted to return home to the Philippines to attend to family matters while the case was pending over the past eighteen months.

Manifold Times previously reported the United States Department of Justice charged the Empire Bulkers Ltd., Joanna Maritime Limited and Chief Engineer Warlito Tan in New Orleans for alleged violations of environmental and safety laws related to MV Joanna.

In May, Empire Bulkers Limited and Joanna Maritime Limited, related companies based in Greece pled guilty to knowing violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act related to the Motor Vessel Joanna, said U.S. Department of Justice.