Navy's File Reveals Truth Behind Gay Sailor Schindler's Murder

Many thanks to my longtime, dear friend and comrade in the struggle Jay Blotcher for his editorial assistance in creating this package of info. We both advocated for justice on behalf of Allen Schindler and this week, as the nation marks Veterans Day, we're here to bear witness to the U.S. military's complicity in Schindler's demise and honor this fallen gay youth. Read on.

SAN FRANCISCO – The truth behind the 1992 gay-bashing murder of US Navy serviceman Allen Schindler has finally been uncovered.

The 900-page file from the United States Navy has only been made public now, thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request made by veteran gay activist Michael Petrelis of San Francisco. Buried in these pages are eight startling facts previously not made public.

Schindler, a young U.S. sailor, was stationed in Sasebo, Japan. After numerous episodes of harassment and beatings, Schindler sought to get out of the military. However, on October 27, 1992, Schindler was brutally beaten and killed by two fellow sailors. The murder took place in a men's restroom on the grounds of a public park. His head was bashed repeatedly against a urinal so violently that the porcelain broke. Schindler’s own mother, Dorothy Hadjys, was unable to identify the mutilated and disfigured corpse.

The murder took place during a time when President Bill Clinton was reviewing the military’s policy of excluding gay and lesbian people from the military, and the decades of abuse – and killings – inflicted upon suspected homosexuals while serving their country.

The Navy covered up the Schindler killing, granting a sweetheart immunity plea bargain to one of the suspects, Charles Vins, and convicting the other, Terry Helvey. But gay friends of Schindler's demanded that justice be served; they shared information about the miscarriage of justice with the Stars & Stripes newspaper, which wrote the first news story about the murder.

Lawyers for the killer attempted to use a gay-panic defense, with their client erroneously claiming Schindler had tried to entice the suspects into sex inside the restroom. Even though two sailors admitted causing bodily harm on Schindler, only one received an appropriate sentence.

Activist Michael Petrelis, a member of the direct-action organization Queer Nation, traveled twice to Japan to research the case. His travel was sponsored by many LGBT activists. Petrelis lobbied energetically on behalf of justice for Schindler, and to hold the Navy accountable.

“Allen Schindler was destined to become yet another gay man killed and forgotten,” said Michael Petrelis. “Now, 23 years after his death, we finally share the full details of his murder. In doing so, we honor his memory on Veterans Day 2015. People must know the role that governmental homophobia played in his murder and the subsequent cover-up.”

Mr. Petrelis is sharing the Allen Schindler file here with reporters who plan to file a story on the case. He has highlighted eight salient facts about the gay-bashing murder that have never been shared before with the media or public.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/htkw50xgrzt5b2l/r_2015-001627%20Release.pdf?dl=0

The U.S. Navy’s Gay Witch Hunt: 8 Facts About the Schindler Murder

Here are the major revelations in the Allen Schindler file, unveiled for the first time:

1. A Sodomy Witch Hunt: During its wide-ranging and comprehensive criminal investigation, the Naval Investigative Service questioned Schindler's acquaintances in the service. However, telling the truth about Schindler made his colleagues vulnerable to persecution under the military’s archaic anti-sodomy laws. (Pages 286 - 297)

2. Constant Anti-Gay Harassment: Allen Schindler's berthing area on his ship, the USS Belleau Wood, was defaced with the words "ball-gazer" – just one part of a constant and escalating campaign of homophobic harassment he faced from fellow sailors. (Page 729)

3. A Diary of Persecution: Allen Schindler meticulously chronicled the anguish and abuse he experienced in a diary he kept in the weeks leading up to his murder. The entire diary, part of the evidence at trial, is now available to the media. (Pages 379-412)

4. Public Humiliation: Radioman Petty Officer Schindler filed for a discharge because of his homosexuality and requesting a closed and private hearing. Instead, sadistically, the ship's captain discussed the matter in front of other shipmates, accelerating the climate of danger that led to Schindler’s brutal killing. (Page 133)

5. Private Humiliation: Medical examiners performed post-mortem rape protocol tests on Schindler’s corpse by taking a rectal swab and mouth smear. (Page 570)

6. Perjury: Terry Helvey, the convicted killer now serving a life sentence at the Ft. Leavenworth Penitentiary, initially made a bogus confession to naval authorities. Later, it was amended in his own hand-writing and presented to the judge, including honest details of the fatal beating and killing of Allen Schindler. (Page 608)

7. Beaten to Death: Accomplice Charles Vins, who served only four-months in the brig in exchange for testimony against Helvey, confessed to kicking and stomping Schindler as he lay dying on the public restroom floor. Vins also admitted guilt to a sodomy charge, but did not name his sexual partner. Because of his sweetheart deal, Vins was protected from the typical punishment for servicemen convicted for sodomy. He was ultimately given an honorable discharge in June, 1993. (Pages 27, 753-761)

8. Gay Media Watchdogs: The Navy closely monitored the gay media's coverage of the investigation and trial, paying particular attention to stories in San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter, Chicago’s Windy City Times and San Diego’s Update. (Pages 133, 182 - 186)

9. The Murder Scene: Local Japanese police in Sasebo took extensive photographs of the crime scene within hours of Schindler's brutal death. These graphic images were shared with the Naval investigators, who nonetheless covered up the facts. (Pages 516-562)

ATTENTION MEDIA: Michael Petrelis is available for interviews about his years of investigation into the Allen Schindler murder case. He can also make available three additional files in connection with the Schindler case. Call (415) 621-6267 or email mpetrelis@aol.com.

SF Mayoral Candidates Caught in Compromising Photo!

On my way to Rainbow Grocery yesterday, a lovely Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, I spent a few moments on the Folsom Street sidewalk chatting with Broke Ass Stuart Schuffman. Like me, he was a candidate for mayor and was on ballot, while I was a write-in hopeful.

Collectively, all challengers to Ron Conway's puppet-mayor Ed Lee garner 43 percent of the vote. This achievement happened without any help from slimy Tim Redmond, formerly of the dead Bay Guardian rag and now providing stenography PR for his small circle of buddies.

Redmond gave scant pre-election attention to Schuffman, Green Party candidate Francisco Herrera and Amy Weiss who together waged a successful "1-2-3: Anyone But Ed Lee" strategy, which he very begrudgingly, after knocking each of the three, sorta endorsed with caveats. But I digress.

I asked Schuffman why he wasn't identified by his alias Broke-Ass Stuart on election materials, as was write-in challenger Karla Gottschalk. As shown on the preliminary vote totals, she got an "a.k.a Belle Starr" identification after he name.

Schuffman was unaware she had this privilege and he said Gregory P. Slocum of the Elections Department told him aliases weren't not allow by law, and he wondered if there were different ballot listing requirements for those on the ballot versus write-ins.

Not sure and mentioned that Slocum told me, after I inquired about Gottschalk's alias at least on the results, that Schuffman hadn't requested being identified as Broke Ass Stuart. He could have racked up a few more votes with that well-known designation of his.

Here's hoping Schuffman uses his status as a mayoral candidate to stay engaged with the San Francisco political world.

Lastly, John Arntz, the director of the Elections Department informed me on Friday that he hopes on Monday to have preliminary breakdown figures for the 453 write-in votes cast. Who knew San Francisco officials need almost a full week to count write-ins?

SF Election Dept: No Write-In Tally 2-Days After Voting

Friends and family have asked how many write-in votes I got in the mayoral race. On Twitter, my critics have crowed that, based on info from the San Francisco Election Department, I didn't vote for myself because the department's site shows zeroes for all write-in candidates.

Yes, two-days after only 30% of registered voters cast ballots, the department was unable to produce a breakdown of the 453 write-ins cast in the mayoral race.

Why can't the San Francisco Election Department count and release the tally of a few hundred write-ins, in two-and-half-days?

I've emailed and left vmail for department chief John Arntz, seeking answers about this ridiculous delay and when his staff will finally have counted the write-ins. When he gets back to me, I'll share his reply.

The latest numbers, maybe even for write-ins, will be released today, Friday, November 6, at 4 pm both at City Hall and online. Will the department finally provide voters and the public with the write-in figures?

Finally, big congrats to the alternative on-ballot candidates who received 43% of the vote!

Vote Tally Today from SF Election Department?

At 4 pm yesterday, Wednesday, November 4th, the San Francisco Election Department was supposed to release the write-in vote tally in the mayoral race. However, poll workers were too busy counting regular ballots and didn't have time to sort and count write-in ballots.

So, today and every day until all the ballots are counted for all race and propositions, the department will release the latest numbers at 4 pm. Let's hope we get our write-in figure later today.

Regardless of our write-in figure, we're very pleased to have participated in the electoral process as a candidate in San Francisco two-years running!

Will UK's Cameron & Foreign Office Release LGBT Jamaica Emails?

On October 5th, I submitted the same basic Freedom of Information Act request with the United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for copies of files related to gays in Jamaica.

Cameron was preparing for an official visit to the former colony and questions were asked by British journalists and gays if he would broach the topic of LGBT human rights. I was curious to learn what emails and letters may have flowed from the UK embassy in Kingston to 10 Downing Street pertaining in any way to Jamaica's gay community.

Today, both the PM's office and the FCO emailed official replies to my FOIA request. Cameron's office claims they would need a large amount of time, costing them a tidy sum, to search for the requested files:

"Our records are managed by broad subject area, and we do not hold a single file relating to LGBT issues in Jamaica in which the information you request could be easily and swiftly located. We would therefore in this instance have to ask all members of staff to search through their records going back over 10 months to identify and provide relevant information, as well as make a search of our official records.

"Should you wish to submit a refined request, for example by narrowing the date range of your request, it might be that we could comply with that request within the appropriate limit, although I cannot guarantee that this will be the case. I should add that even if you do refine your request and the information is held one or more exemptions specified within the Act may apply."

Yes, I am submitting an amended request and will see how the prime minister's FOIA officer responds, and I'm surprised they claim not to maintain a file just on LGBT concerns in Jamaica. Surely, the PM's officers have files on single topics such as Jamaican reparations' demands, immigration, trade and prisons, so why no file on the gays?

Here's the FCO's response confirming they have information I am seeking, but there's further review needed:

"I can confirm that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does hold information falling within the terms of your request.

"The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, and in any case no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption applies to the information and the public interest test is engaged, the Act allows the time for response to be longer than 20 working days, and a full response must be provided within such time as is reasonable in all circumstances of the case. We do, of course, aim to make all decisions within 20 working days, including in cases where we need to consider where the public interest lies in respect of a request for exempt information. In this case, however, we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of the public interest lies.

"In your case we estimate that it will take an additional 20 days to take a decision on where the balance of the public interest lies Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 30 November 2015. If it appears that it will take longer than this to reach a conclusion, we will keep you informed."

Updates will be shared, as new letters come from London in the coming weeks.

PM's letter:

FCO letter:

>> WRITE-IN PETRELS FOR MAYOR <<

What's SFPD's Twitter-Sharing Mugshot Policy?

After seeing a mugshot of an arrestee posted by the San Francisco Police Department on their Twitter feed, I tweeted to their spokesman Albie Esparza about what criteria the department used when deciding which mugshots to share online.

The mugshot and SFPD tweet of it are in the comments.

I asked him simple questions. Does the SFPD post all mugshots? Only a select few? Instead of giving me direct answers, Esparza engaged in spin and grandly opined he had answered my questions when all he did was spin and deflect.

See the image below in the comments of our back-and-forth.

So, I filed a public records request for any files about departmental policy regarding mugshots shared on Twitter. Here's the response from Briseida Banuelos of the legal division of the SFPD:

"In response to your request, please be advised that there are no responsive records to your request. The department does not have a written policy, and the decision to release mugshots is discretionary."

IMHO, the police need to develop some standards about whose mugshot gets posted on Twitter and other social media. If they release all mugshots regardless of news value, state that, but if the whims of the public info officers is to post mugshots of arrestees generating media attention or whom department officials don't like for whatever reason, then that needs to be scrutinized.

>> WRITE-IN PETRELIS 4 MAYOR <<

Lead Paint From Private Murals Closes SF Mission Park

I've received a substantive response from the Recreation and Parks Department about the closure of a park in the Mission, after asking the City questions about the closing and reasons behind it. Glad to have this info and share it with folks. Here is the email in full:

Hi Mr. Petrelis,

Apologies for any confusion you may have experienced. 24th and York mini Park has been closed due to an initial complaint from a patron regarding peeling paint falling into the park from some of the ageing murals surrounding the park.

Karen Yu from the Department of Health assessed the situation and found traces of lead present in the paint and on the ground. As soon as this was reported to me I closed the park until further information was apparent or until the situation could be addressed.

The issue is complicated in that the murals surrounding the park are in fact on private property. Additionally as artworks the murals have some protection and artists have had to be contacted.

Karen Yu has been sorting through these difficulties and I believe has indeed contacted most if not all affected parties and artists. I am expecting notice from DPH that they are ready to have the work begin but I have not heard definitively from DPH at this time.

I hope this explains the current situation, please let me know if you have further questions.

Thank You, Adrian Field
Park Services Manager
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Dept.
Park Service Area 6 Mission and Bernal Heights Neighborhoods

>> WRITE-IN PETRELIS FOR MAYOR <<

DPH, Rec & Parks Clueless: Why is SF Mission Park Closed?

Since Wednesday, October 28, I've emailed the Department of Public Health for info about why the 24th and York Streets mini park is closed. Phone calls to the listed DPH number on the closed noticed have not been returned.

Various replies over three days from DPH: "We will follow up on this question and get back to you . . . The Rec and Park Department has more information and will be responding to you shortly to explain the closure of 24th and York mini park . . . They will contact you, but if you don’t hear back from them today, let me know."

Here's the word from Rec and Parks today: "I have passed this on to the area manager who will be in touch."

Anyone near the mini park have a clue as to why it's closed, when it was no longer available for public use and when it might reopen?

>> WRITE-IN PETRELIS FOR MAYOR <<

Treasurer Expands SF Govt Records Access for the Public

Let's applaud Jose Cisneros, San Francisco's treasurer and an out gay politician, for moving quickly to expand sunshine at his office. His site lacked an addy for where to send public records requests, and I want to obtain his monthly work calendars, so I tweeted my request to Cisneros.

Asked him to add a sunshine addy to his taxpayer-funded web site and it was done fast. One small step in our constant push for easier and expanded access to our govt records created with our public dollars. Thanks, Jose!

>> WRITE-IN PETRELIS 4 MAYOR <<

UN's Iran Report's One LGBT Human Rights Citation

The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations for Human Rights in Iran is Ahmed Shaheed and his just-released report has received much mainstream media attention none of which mentioned the resounding omission of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and human rights violations they suffer.

There is a single citation contained here, http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/70/411, and bears scrutiny. Of 291 recommendations, twelve were about LGBT categories for 2.9 percentage of the total recommendations. The number of recommendations accepted by Iran zero in absolute and percent figures.

In 26-pages, the atrocities of Iran's execution machine with 694 reported hangings from January 1 through September 15, and horrendous human rights record across the board and particularly violations against women and girls, are documented and deserve all the attention the receive from the special rapporteur.

However, it's my view that a full-page could and should have been included about the abysmal state of LGBT citizens in Iran and violations of human rights protections. Sadly, the UN has missed a valuable opportunity to include our human rights concerns among others inside Iran in this worthwhile report.