The four Marines arrested Monday after allegedly beating a gay man unconscious outside a Long Beach bar have been identified as Lance Cpl. Lewis Serna, Pfc. Thomas Pentek, Pfc. Sean Miller and Lance Cpl. John O’Leary, reports UT San Diego.
The Marines have been released on bail and have returned to their Camp Pendleton base as Long Beach police investigate the case as a possible hate crime. In addition to cooperating with the LBPD, the Marine Corps is also gathering info and proceeding with an investigation of their own.
The attackers reportedly called the victim, a film student from San Dimas, a series of derogatory remarks outside the Silver Fox, a popular gay bar, before beating him unconscious. The victim, fearing for his safety, chose not to be identified.
Joe Stilinovich, commander of the Long Beach Police Department’s gang and violent crime division said they are “still trying to determine everyone’s individual role in the assault and to what extent each of them will be held culpable.” According to LBPD spokeswoman Lisa Massacani, the police department will present its findings to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office today.
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justiceday
Our friend was raped by a Pendleton Marine and when she reported that she also reported witnessing he and his friends trying to pick fights with gay men and calling them names. Camp Pendleton ignored that and her rape! One Sgt. Major even told her they don’t let gays in the marines.
This was all reported to Congressman Mark Critz, who serves on the armed forces committee and he did nothing! He didn’t care about the rape and his office wouldn’t even respond to the gay bashing.
Camp Pendleton needs to be investigated by the state of California and the federal government!
http://theusmarinesrape.com/
http://www.citizensagainstmarkcritz.com/
Aidan8
It’s an uphill battle in a country where people are arguing over “legitimate” rape and fantasy-based anatomy and physiology. I hope your friend gets justice.
Mjl-428
@justiceday: You’re damn right about that. These guys are supposed to be held to a higher standard, no matter what.
mlbumiller
@justiceday:
justiceday,
Well a little limited on the info there…
Who?
When?
Where? If it happend off base, the city police does the investigaton. On marine base the marine provost marshal office would have done the investigation.
No State has any jurisdiction on any military base. Until the full repeal
(after the effective date) the Dept of Defense did not let gays in any service. Aslo,
spewing hateful words is still free speach in this country, only when it occurs with a crime, MAY IT be deamed a hate crime.
LadyL
@mlbumiller: Spoken like a true apologist for military injustice.
streeteditions
These Marines went into the bar, created a disturbance, then attacked this person outside. Sounds more than pre-mediatated to me. Sounds more like another hazing tradition of beat down to prove you’re a “man!” My second lover was a Marine.
mlbumiller
@LadyL:
so can you tell me where the rape happened? When it happened? Was she a civilian? Was he also active duty? Onbase or off base? Then keep your trap shut. But then agian, that is why my ass was shot in three wars, so you can be an ass. All of this factors greatly in who does the investication and who brings up charges. if it happened off base she should be contacting the city police and demanding the DA do something.
No, spoken like a 20 year Navy veteran, retired in 2006. Do not bash my fellow servicemen without giving all the information. Also for your information, anyone in military service get convicted of a crime in civilian court, gets a second conviction in military court. Not saying there is not injustice. At least she has a recourse if she decides to fright for it. When I was raped by fellow shipmates, I couldn’t do a damn thing!
The two sailors beat to death a very close friend in a public bathroom in Japan. He was station on the same ship with them. The only punishment one received was a discharge. The other receive 20years, but his mother has to go to parole board every year to make sure the bastard stays in prison. One reason they both were not just discharged, was the GLBT community in SD kept pressuring the Dept of the Navy.
Allen R. Schindler, Jr. (December 13, 1969 – October 27, 1992) was an American Radioman Petty Officer Third Class in the United States Navy who was murdered for being gay. He was killed in a public toilet in Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan by shipmate Terry M. Helvey, who acted with the aid of an accomplice, Charles Vins.
Unless
EricinChicago
The next thing will be the men will say he tried to hit on them. The homophobes who attack gays always say that. Just the fact they think that IS a defense is offensive.
They dishonor the uniforms and should pay a high price for it.
Freddie27
A marine tortured my friend’s dog to death! I’m not gonna give you any more info, any news reports, the name of the friend, the name of the marine, where it happened, how it happened. Just assume it’s true!
andy_d
Part of the problem goes back to the easing of qualifications for entry into ANY branch of the services. Because the bushies were so intent on punishing Hussein for what he tried to do to daddy bush, there was a call for bodies to fill the ranks with low pay to fight a SECOND war when the (relatively) legitimate first one was nowhere near to accomplishing its goals.
Remember, the attacks cited are the exception, rather than the rule. Almost all Armed Services members I have met have been polite, professional and informed. In these few cases, however, it all boils down to “What ye sow, so shall ye reap;” and “You get what you pay for.”
FranklyMrShankly
@andy_d:
They may have lowered standards to fight the Freedom of Middle Eastern Oil. But I’ve never bought into the mostly BS “honor and glory” and high standards mirage of the military. Can you name a time in recent history when the military DID NOT exemplify the worst standards when it came to homophobia, racism, sexism, etc?
Most former military people I meet don’t buy into it. They leave the military, incredibly bitter about the sick organization and how it used them up and spit them out.
FranklyMrShankly
@EricinChicago:
It’s the USMC and US Govt that should ultimately pay for damages.
IN THE MILLIONS.