VLADIVOSTOK, April 8 - RAPSI. Captain Dmitry Lavrentyev has pleaded not guilty during the trial of the Nerpa nuclear submarine accident case, a defense attorney told RIA Novosti.  Lavrentyev stated that he followed the proper procedure for an emergency.

"During questioning, Lavrentyev asserted he was not guilty for what happened, as he acted strictly in accordance with the prescribed emergency routine," the source said. "He said he did not issue any of the extra orders which the prosecutors ascribe to him. We believe that the arguments and evidence presented by the defense confirm his statements."

The proceedings have reached one of the most important stages, the speeches of the prosecution and the defense. The judge has called an adjournment until April 23 to give the sides time to prepare for this.

"The pleadings are a very important part of a trial," the attorney said. "Given how the questioning went, I would say we are in for a heated argument."

On November 8, 2008, the Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine Nerpa was running sea trials in the Sea of Japan in the western Pacific when its freon-based fire extinguishing system malfunctioned, killing 20 of 208 people on board and injuring 21.

Lavrentyev was charged with abuse of power and engineer Dmitry Grobov was accused of negligently causing death. The jury acquitted both men on Sep. 14, 2011. The Supreme Court's military board overturned the verdict in May 2012 and ordered a retrial.

The previous hearing largely focused on the materials supplied by the investigators, the defense attorney said. This time around, both the prosecution and the defense are centered on witness testimonies.