Congressman says gay sailor's death is a possible hate crime [Updated]

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) said today that he has asked the Department of Defense and the Marine Corps to investigate whether the killing of a sailor, who was gay, at Camp Pendleton was a hate crime.

Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he wanted a complete investigation of circumstances surrounding the death of Seaman August Provost, 29, of Houston. Provost's body was found about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday in a guard shack on the western edge of the sprawling base.

Gay leaders in San Diego had asked Filner to intervene. Nicole Murray-Ramirez, chairman of the San Diego Human Relations Commission, said Provost's family believes the sailor had been harassed by other personnel on the base.

Filner said initial indications are that Provost was shot and his body burned. He said his committee also will investigate the case.

[Updated 7:20 p.m.: In a late afternoon news conference, Navy officials today promised a thorough investigation into the killing. They said, however, that there was no evidence it was a hate crime. A sailor who is considered to be a person of interest remains in the brig. Another sailor, who was initially considered a person of interest, has been released.]

Provost's partner found out about the death from a newspaper reporter, Murray-Ramirez said.

The military has said that a "person of interest" is in the brig at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. No information has been released about a possible motive.

"We respect the military, but we want to ensure that there is full disclosure, to see if this was a hate crime," Murray-Ramirez said. "A member of our community has been killed."

Provost was assigned to a unit on the base that takes combat Marines ashore in high-speed craft.

—Tony Perry

Photo: Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) at a campaign rally in 2006.

Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Roman A]

If he was Latino would they have conducted a Hate crime? I don't think so. We need to end this double standard.

[Ed Forbes]

Murder is murder so why does matter if the killer hated the victim?
The motive is of no importance.

[Dan K]

Last time I checked there was no "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy against Latinos....

[Pachecosita]

Comments like the previous ones are a reflection of homophobes. That is why we need to investigate if it was homophobia in practice what happened there. Very sad that we don't understand what gay people is still going through. Our president need to step up and really LEGALIZE gay now.
Stop the killing of people because of their feelings orientation.

[John]

Ed, your logic is faulty. If there were no motive, there would be no murder. The motive means everything, and as long as LGBTQ individuals are treated as second-class citizens, there will continue to be motivated individuals to perpetrate hate crimes against them.

[markiejoe]

The motive is very much of importance in a crime. And hate crimes can deserve enhanced punishments, as the U.S. Supreme Court has decided UNANIMOUSLY.

[Nathan]

We have hate crime laws for the same reasons there are different levels of murder (first/second degree, etc). Because the victim was killed simply because he was gay is and SHOULD be considered a seperate crime in itself because it has broader social impact.

[Get Real]

Don't worry this will be covered up! The military is excellent at lying.
I am positive he fell into a fire and then shot himself because of temporary insanity caused by the pain.
See, just another military accident, no sweat.

[SullyWatch]

Why is the military being allowed to police itself? Hello? Several years ago an almost identical murder occurred. A gay talk radio host, Mike Webb, reported about it and tried to get someone to investigate. At the time, another gay soldier had been on some kind of perimeter patrol and was murdered. Everyone is afraid to call the military on these crimes because they will be labelled a "traitor".