Standing Watch

Seaman August Provost

San Diego – Petty Officer 2^nd Class Jonathan Campos has been arrested and charged in the shooting death of Seaman August Provost, in what US Navy officials describe as part of an overall “crime spree” by Campos, which included an arson attack against the unit Provost was guarding. Campos is currently being held at the Miramar Naval Consolidated Brig , pending Article 32 proceedings. Article 32 is an administrative investigation conducted prior to Trial by Courts Martial.

Gay rights activists, as well as some of Provost’s family, had believed the shooting death to be a hate crime against Provost, who was reported to be gay. The mainstream media, and indeed the gay press, has made a point of addressing Seaman Provost as “gay sailor,” which many LGBT military veterans have taken offense with, believing sexual orientation may have been the motive but should not have been the focus of the crime report. (this writer included).

Provost had been assigned to his guard post at about 11:30 pm on June 30, 2009. Naval officials allege that sometime before 3:30 am the following morning, Campos approached Provost, shot Provost several times, stole Provost’s service weapon, and then set fire to the guard shack with Provost in it, using gasoline and a lighter. Naval officials are ignoring the fact that secondary crimes, such as arson or robbery, are frequently used to hide the intent of a hate-crime.

Instead, Naval officials are linking the crime to an overall alleged crime spree, which the US Navy alleges began around June 13, 2009 with the home burglary of another sailor. That crime included the theft of a firearm that was ultimately used in the murder of Provost a couple of weeks later. While how Campos became the primary suspect in the murder of Provost is unknown, it is known that Campos had failed to report for duty prior to his arrest on July 1, 2009. Naval officials are saying that the murder of Provost is linked to an attempt by Campos to gain entry into the unit area Provost was guarding, where Campos allegedly planned a major arson attack against the unit as a whole. Campos was unsuccessful at gaining entry, or may have aborted the alleged plan after setting fire to the guard shack for an unknown reason.

Naval officials say Campos is now cooperating with them in their investigation of Provost’s murder, as well as other crimes Campos is alleged to have committed.

According to the US Navy, they do not believe Provost was targeted for his sexual orientation because he had never filed a complaint of sexual harassment. The Navy is ignoring the fact that, had Provost filed a complaint, he would have been forced to admit his sexual orientation, a clear violation of the US Military policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which would have resulted in Provost being administratively discharged from the US Navy, and barred from service in the US Armed Forces. Neither the US Armed Forces, nor the US Federal Government, recognize crimes against persons for their sexual orientation as a hate-crime, nor does the military have any specific statutes for dealing in a particular way with hate-crimes of any kind. According to Provost family members, Provost had been repeatedly harassed prior to his murder for being gay.

From Associated Press, LezGetReal, San Diego Union Tribune, Los Angeles Times, KCBS-TV Los Angeles