European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 9, 1993 . The stars and stripes Pago 5 slain Sailor s mom urges end to Gay bashing she wants Case taken out of military jurisdiction Dorothy Hajdys Mother of slain Seaman Allen Schindler pleas for an end to harassment of Gays. By Anne m. Peterson the associated press san Francisco a a woman who says her son was killed because of his homosexuality urged officials sunday to Stop harassment of Gays in the military and turn Over her songs Case to Independent prosecutors. Quot i Don t want any homosexual in the military to end up like my son did a Dorothy Hajdys said at a news conference outside the War memorial veterans building. Seaman Allen Schindler 22, of san Diego was beaten to death oct. 27 near the Casebo naval base in Japan the Home port of the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood. Schindler a radioman stationed on the ship was awaiting an administrative discharge after declaring his homosexuality. Hajdys 46, of Chicago Heights 111., said Navy officials did t Tell her for months that her son had revealed his homosexuality. She was t told the extent of his injuries and other details about his death she said. Officials in san Francisco said a Navy spokesman Wasny to immediately available to discuss the Case. Military officials have previously said they were not aware Schindler was being harassed for being Gay. Hajdys asked that her son s Case be Quot taken out of the hands of the military and placed in the judicial system. Airman apprentice Terry m. Hal icy 21, has been charged with murder in Schindler s death. He is scheduled to be court Martiale april 17 and faces the death penalty if convicted. Schindler s death has drawn attention to allegations of Gay bashing in the military and to the nation s 59-year-old ban on Gays in the armed forces. President Clinton took Steps in january toward lifting the ban. In the stars and stripes 10 year Sago March 9,1983 a president Reagan promised military and economic Aid to keep Al Salvador from falling into the hands of leftist guerrillas but stopped Short of committing . Combat troops. 20 years ago March 9,1973 a two powerful bombs exploded in Central London and police at the scene of one blast the old Bailey Central criminal court said one Man died and 157 persons were injured. 30 years ago March 9,1963 a the end of a 91-Day new York newspaper shutdown appeared near As negotiators for publishers and striking printers agreed to mayor Robert Wagner s Compromise proposal. 40 years ago March 9,1953 a Britain and the United states calling for a virtual economic blockade jointly announced far reaching measures to crack Down on the shipment of strategic materials to communist China. 50 years ago March 9,1943 a the Navy department announced that six . Submarine officers had been decorated for sinking 51,750 tons of japanese merchant shipping a destroyer and a 900-ton patrol vessel. World War ii 50 years ago today March 9 1�?�9 4 3 German tanks and planes attack free French troops holding a Are Shilane. Southeast of Macelh in Southern Tunisia but Are beaten Back. American and British warplanes bomb a Palermo Sicily. In Burma Britain s a Chi edits Quot brigade classes the Irrawaddy River at tag Aung and to Yaing after breaking into several columns to Widen its raiding. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc. World almanac Bookout word War Bison books corp. 1981 a life on Belleau Wood for homosexuals sex Seaman says by the new York times san Francisco a shipmate of the Gay Sailor who was beaten to death last october said sunday that some of the homosexuals Assignee to the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood faced regular sometimes daily harassment. The shipmate Richard Eastman 21, of Kalamazoo mich., identified himself As a homosexual. Speaking at a news conference organized by Gay and veterans groups he described life aboard the ship As a Quot living hello for homosexuals. Eastman said that the Day after his shipmate. Allen Schindler was beaten to death he was taken off the Belleau Wood for his own safety and reassigned to the ships base in Casebo Japan. He was discharged from the Navy on Jan. 22. Eastman described an environment aboard the Belleau Wood in which Gay sailors were routinely called Quot Faggot or Quot queer a and were pushed arid intimidated by their shipmates while walking Down the Hall. Quot they just assumed who was Gay just if you were different a Eastman said. The slaying of Schindler a 22-year-old radioman has become a Symbol of the anxieties unleashed by president Clinton s proposal to end the ban on homosexuals in the military even though Schindler s death came before Clinton took office. He was beaten to death oct 27 in a Public restroom in a Park three blocks from the Navy base in Casebo. He was so disfigured from the beating that his Mother said she was Able to recognize him Only by tattoos on his forearms. Two sailors have been charged in the Case. Airman apprentice Terry m. Hal icy 21, entered no plea at a feb. 9 hearing at which he was charged with premeditated murder. Another Sailor airman Charles e. Vins 20, pleaded guilty last november to three charges in connection with the beating. He received a Light sentence in return for testimony against Helvey. Eastman said sunday that he had been assaulted the night before Schindler a murder. He said be had been awakened while sleeping in his bunk punched in the face and told that he should leave the ship before being killed. Eastman said he was not certain who had assaulted him. He said he had reported the incident to the ships Legal officer the next morning but Quot nothing  Eastman was joined at the news conference by Schindler smother and by family members of two other Gay sailors who had served aboard the Belleau Wood and were awaiting discharge. The group urged Navy officials to Stop harassment of homosexuals and to appoint an Independent prosecutor to handle Schindler Scase. ,. Eastman Sid he hoped to get friends and other Gay sailors out of the military safely. Quot they  have to put up with the daily harassment a he said. Couple s $32.5 million lawsuit charges air Force Hospital poisoned their infant Greenfield mass. Api when Adam Kestyn came Down with pneumonia weeks after he was born his parents took him to the air Force Hospital where his father was stationed. It was a decision  always regret. Family lawyers Call it the Quot Hospital out of hell where doctors poisoned Adam with a drug he did no to need. He died two years later partly deaf and Blind and brain damaged the government admitted in 1991 to a harrowing Litany of mistakes in Adams treatment but has offered the parents Paul and Lynda Kestyn less than the $5 million in damages they say they Are wilting to accept. The family Heads today to . District court in Springfield for a trial to decide damages in their $32.5 million lawsuit. But the family says no amount of Money will cure their pain it or Stop their Campaign for better drug warnings to the Public. A it would have been better for my son not to have gone to the Hospital at All a Paul Kestyn said bitterly. A i thai he washing the right thing a Kestyn 29,. Was stationed at Little Rock fab Ark., As a plane Mechanic in december 1984 when Nis wife gave birth to Adam. Five weeks later Adam s breathing became Raspy. Soon he was wheezing. His parents consulted a paediatrician. But when he Wasny to better two weeks later they checked him into the base Hospital in Jacksonville Ark. Doctors prescribed 200 milligrams a Day of theophylline a drug widely used to Case breathing of asthmatics and others with respiratory trouble. The infant was sent Home but he returned a Day later suffering from seizures. As doctors struggled to control the seizures Adam developed brain Haemorrhages. The theophylline was continued. A week after his first admission Adam s parents transferred him to Arkansas children a Hospital. Within hours doctors there diagnosed theophylline poisoning but it was too late. Adam lapsed into a coma. He emerged from it 10 Days later but the damage already was done. He would never talk or walk his vision and hearing were limited. Embittered Kestyn left ate air Force and brought his family Back to Massachusetts where he and his wife grew up. They cared for Adam at Home. He suffered daily seizures and had to be fed through a tube inserted Jubis nose. Weakened by his ordeal Adam came Down with Strep Throat in 1987 and died. Or. Andrew Marks of Boston who reviewed Adams medical records for the Kestens says that because of his age Adam should have been Given no More than 100-150 milligrams of theophylline a Day As opposed to the 200 milligrams a Day that had been prescribed. Military doctors also failed to Monitor blood Levels of the drug a Standard for a patient on theophylline As the government itself admitted in its 1991 response to the family a lawsuit. And finally a tragic aside from Marks Quot a sad note is that. That medication was probably unnecessary in Adam s Case because children his age done to respond to theophylline very Well a he wrote. The Kestens done to dispute the drug s safety when it is Given properly. An estimated 10 million people take theophylline annually said Edson Rafferty an attorney for the Kestens. Under Federal Law military doctors can to be sued for malpractice. So the Kestens filed their wrongful death and malpractice claim against the government itself in june 1989. Assistant . Attorney Mary Eliza Beth Carmody who is representing the government and tech. Sgt George Johnson a base spokesman in Little Rock both declined comment Ming they could not discuss ongoing litigation the Kestens who have three other children Ages 11,3 and 3, Are pursuing the lawsuit As they attempt to get on with their lives. Kestyn is a student at the local Community College. Ilis wife is working at a Gas station and thinking about attending nursing school