Editorial: Corps put spin control ahead of victims’ health

[unhappycamper]

Editorial: Corps put spin control ahead of victims’ health

Lt. Cmdr. John Thomas Matthew Lee, a Catholic chaplain who led a second, secret life as an HIV-positive homosexual predator, acknowledged to a military court that he lied when a lieutenant colonel asked him about his health prior to a sexual liaison in 2006. He told the officer he was fine, knowing full well he could infect him with the incurable virus that causes AIDS.

After being exposed when his advances toward an enlisted Marine were rebuffed, Lee was removed from his post as a chaplain at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., in June and court-martialed Dec. 6.

~snip~

The facts of this case are startling. Lee apparently led a double life for much of his 12-year career as an officer, and many of his sexual partners were service members. In at least one known case, he used alcohol, his rank and his role as a chaplain to seduce a midshipman during a tour of duty at the Naval Academy.

~snip~

By trying to control the story and dampen the coverage, Marine officials delayed informing the public about the case — and Lee’s partners and victims about potential health risks. The officials knew that aim was important: They were willing to reduce the fairness of the sentence to achieve it.

Had the Corps released this public information to the media, it would have bought Lee’s victims more than a month to seek treatment, since the charges relating to his HIV status were preferred Nov. 1. It might not sound like much, but ask the victims whether they would like that time back. More important, ask anyone who’s had sex with the victims since then.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/community/opinion/navy_editorial_gaychaplain_071217/

[acmavm]

1. At the least he needs to do decades for reckless and willful disregard

for the safety of the people he had sex with. If someone becomes HIV positive, then attempted murder. If someone dies, murder.