It’s just a “preliminary inquiry” thus far, but the FBI has opened up a case file to look into Kieren Daly’s weekend gay bashing where two active duty Marines, Keil Joseph Cronauer and Christopher Charles Stanzel, stand accused of levying the abuse after a “wink” gone wrong.
FBI investigators are determining whether the federal Matthew Shepard Act should apply. Prepare for a showdown with military police, who will want to claim jurisdiction — and perhaps, exemption.
Update: A “preliminary internal investigation” conducted by the Marines has the two suspects claiming they were followed, threatened, and subjected to verbal advances.
Col. David Robinson, their commanding offices, says: “Although this certainly does not justify the actions of the Marine who punched the individual, it is important for us to consider both sides of the story.” Hello, gay panic defense! We missed you.
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Now is this what the Bush Doctrine taught us: Military personnel should deliver the most severe of preemptive attacks to make sure the unarmed opponent cannot recover?
Rick Brannon
Looking into it?
Well, I looked, and I am not even that good of a lawyer and I think it does.
Try’em and string’em up!
Ryanthehulk
I am weirdly optimistic about this. The fact that the FBI is looking into this means that they were not shut out immediately and told that this was a local matter.
I will give government agencies a lot of shit, but I generally like the FBI. One of their current driving forces is that they believe that the citizens of the United States are entitled to a uniform standard of equal protection of the law, as an agency, they like the Matthew Shepherd act.
As far as military jurisdiction goes, there is none. The victim is a civilian, it occurred off base, downtown Atlanta is civilian US soil, not a war zone. Plus, the military would be wise (and most likely will be) to minimize their role in this trial. (Hopefully there will be a dishonorable discharge pending the civilian criminal verdict)
Jesse Helms
Since we can’t strïp them of their citizenship, I hope the 2 bashers lose their jobs in USMC, their pensions, and their freedom.
Can you say “Jail time”?
Too many brave men and women have died fighting for freedom and justice and these punks make the whole Armed Forces look bad.
It’s wonderful that Queerty is making an effort to spell the victim’s last name! Four letters are SO difficult to remember.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
There should be zero discussion as to their dishonorable discharge, wondering if they are going to be forced to pay for all their training as discharged Gay soldiers are………….
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
RE: Update:
Way to make the Marines look good Col. David Robinson!!!! Those two big strapping Marines were subject to verbal advances!!!
Cam
They’ve already had a bunch of witnesses come forward to say that nobody followed or harrassed the Marines and that they appeared to be the aggressors. I hope the FBI takes jurisdiction in this one.
RyanTheHulk
Guess I spoke too soon about the Military being wise to distance themselves.
christopher di spirito
If you’re a member of the US Military you get away with murder.
Look at the two, horny Marines who raped two Japanese school girls aged 12 and 13, on Okinawa, Japan. Sure, they were caught and stood trial and nothing happened. They walked.
I will bet $100 dollars these two Marines will use the so-called “gay panic” defense and they will walk.
scott ny'er
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: I missed that until you quoted it. “VERBAL ADVANCES”. LOL.
WTF does that mean? I mean really, that’s their defense. Even if it was true, which we all know it wasn’t. So, a dude comes on to you and you hit the dude back. That’s ridiculous.
I can only hope that there will be justice here, but the pragmatist in me says, nope, they’ll get off.
WiseUp
DiSpirito : There were a lot of claims that the accused (who were African American) were simply victims of the notoriously racist Japanese. I’m not saying that’s true or not, but…
christopher di spirito
WiseUp: Okinawa is pretty much a modern badlands with a rich history of members of the U.S. military committing crimes against Japanese civilians.
Here are a few:
– In September 1995, three marines raped an elementary school girl. This led to a huge protest of 85,000 residents participating.
– In October 1998, a high school girl was run down and killed by a drunken US marine.
– In June 2001, there was rape case by a US airman.
– In November 2002, there was an attempted rape case by a US lieutenant.
– In May 2003, a US marine in Okinawa raped a woman, resulting in extensive injuries.
– In July 2005, a US airman in Okinawa indecently assaulted an elementary school girl.
– In February 2008, a US marine was suspected in the assault a junior high school girl.
SOURCE: http://closethebase.org/us-military-bases/incidents-involving-us-military-in-okinawa/
It would be convenient to blame these cases on Japanese racism directed toward a bunch of homesick, American leathernecks but the sheer volume of cases suggests a deeper problem.
WiseUp
Understood. Admittedly, it’s not like these “gangstas” being sent to Japan are going to take advantage of visting Shuri Castle or a famous shrine on their offtime. (They let those types into the military and yet ban men who like men. So crazy).
Jesse Helms
“Verbal advances”? Reports say that of the Marines accused Kieren of “winking” at him. Even if that WERE the case, *so* what? It’s no excuse to render a guy half unconsciouas and needing hospital care.
As a gay man confident in my sexuality, when a woman or guy I’m not interested in flirts with me, I smile and move on (and I will miss these flirts when they stop!)
The two brats who bashed Daly are an embarassment to the USMC, the DOD & the fine people of Savannah.
trickstertara
If their police statements stating “he *winked* at me…!” have already been released to the press, any blanket defense of these two men is a public relations nightmare the military does not need. No way the U.S. Marines want to dirty their hands with this. They’re waiting for the Feds to make a case and then they’ll let their boys go to their fate — as they should.
ossurworld
Two big tough Marines felt threatened by one gay man! Wow. So much for national security.
Kieran
Imagine if these US Marines had attacked and beaten a black or Mexican man because he supposedly looked at them the wrong way? CNN would be running a Soledad O’Brian special report investigating ‘Racism in the military’ all this week. But a gay man attacked? Ehhhh.
Michael
The guy was attacked from behind so how is this possible if the guy was following the Marines?
I thought the Marines were suppose to be about courage and honor and not about being a complete and utter coward. The FBI needs to hang these guys out to dry because there is no way in hell this is NOT a hate crime.
Shawn
Were there no other witnesses present to back up either of their stories?
ewe
So this means any woman who gets heckled and whistled at has the right to blow your fucken head off and put a hole in your groin with a pistol because you should know that you just shouldn’t do that to her thinking there will be no consequences?
Evan
@Ryanthehulk: The military doesn’t have jurisdiction in the sense that it’s allowed to interfere with the civilian prosecution. But it does have jurisdiction in the sense that it has the authority to conduct its own investigation, trial, and sentencing, either in parallel with or after the civilian process. Odds are the investigation will be held in parallel so that evidence can be obtained while it’s fresh and shared.
christopher di spirito
@Kieran: I agree. But then, 98% of CNN’s U.S. programming isn’t news, it’s special interest shows about blacks in America, women in America, or Hispanics in America. Go to CNN International and you will find the original new excellence they were once known for.
Michael
Perhaps, the Marines were telling the truth, ya think? Updating this story, “The 26-year-old, gay Savannah man who claims two Beaufort Marines committed a hate crime against him last weekend was accused earlier this year of using racial slurs and trading punches with a black truck driver at a Georgia gas station.
According to a Port Wentworth (GA) Police Department incident report, the man cut off the truck driver while driving on Old Highway 21 in Chatham County on Jan. 19 and made an obscene gesture at the trucker. The truck driver told officers he followed the man to a nearby gas station to confront him, and an argument ensued, during which the man called the truck driver a racial slur. When the man repeated the slur, the truck driver punched him in the face, and the man then punched the trucker in the mouth. The truck driver then drove off, the report said.
The man claimed the truck driver “grabbed him by the neck and hit him in his head with a closed fist multiple times” and “struck (him) in the head, stomach, back and abdomen,” according to the report. The man said he eventually struck back in self defense.
Both men were cited for affray, or fighting in a public place, simple battery and aggressive driving, the report said.
According to court records, the charges were merged into one misdemeanor charge of affray. The gay man paid a fine in Port Wentworth Municipal Court on Feb. 23.”
Ann
@Michael: How does the gay man’s altercation with a truck driver have anything to do with him getting his ass beat by two marines for winking at them? How does that make the marines side of the story true? Vilifying the victim to make the aggressors seem innocent?