United States of America v Rivera - US Court of Appeals (1st Circuit)(Sitting en banc) - 2 December 1997

Shipping manager prosecuted for knowingly sending vessel to sea in an unseaworthy state likely to endanger the life of an individual - Interpretation of relevant statute - Whether sufficient evidence to support jury’s guilty verdict

This case arose out of a major oil spill that occurred during the night of 6/7 January 1994 off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The accident occurred after the tow wire connecting the tugboat Emily S to the barge Morris J Berman parted. The barge subsequently ran aground, spilling its cargo of oil. The defendant was the general manager of the Bunker Group, which managed the tugboat.