Drowning death of Navy SEAL trainee ruled a homicide by medical examiner
Source: Washington Post
The drowning death of a U.S. sailor in Navy SEAL training has been ruled a homicide, with authorities determining that a SEAL instructor dunked the sailor in a swimming pool at least twice despite prohibitions against doing so.
Seaman James Derek Lovelace, 21, of Crestview, Fla., died May 6 during the famously difficult Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) course at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California. His death was at least the third linked to SEAL training in the last year; two other students have committed suicide since November after washing out of the program.
Video surveillance obtained by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) shows that when Lovelace was struggling during a swimming exercise, one instructor on a platform pointed him out to a second one in the water. The second instructor approached Lovelace, dunked him and then followed him around the pool for five minutes, according to a report obtained Wednesday from the San Diego County medical examiners office.
He continually splashes the decedent, dunks him at least one additional time, and appears to be yelling at him, the report said. The decedent is also splashed by other individuals during the event. At one point in the video, another individual in the water is seen pulling him up and away from the instructor. The report adds that Lovelaces head goes in and out of the water multiple times, and an instructor can be seen pulling him above the surface repeatedly. Eventually an instructor pulled Lovelace out of the water and the exercise was halted.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/07/06/death-of-navy-seal-trainee-in-pool-ruled-a-homicide-by-medical-examiner/
GummyBearz
(2,931 posts)This young sailor was willing to give his life to his country. Instead some moron with a small penis complex took his life for not holding his breath long enough. I hope charges are filed and justice is served
PersonNumber503602
(1,134 posts)That's younger than my little brother. Very sad.
When I first saw pictures of him, I thought he looked like he was in his late 20's or early 30's though.
LoverOfLiberty
(1,438 posts)They always make you look older.
leftyladyfrommo
(18,874 posts)If it's the one I'm thinking about. He was a competition swimmer.
tblue37
(65,556 posts)is required for SEALs. I have to suspect he omitted some information when applying.
milestogo
(16,829 posts)Surely they are more thorough than to simply accept what is put on the application.
tblue37
(65,556 posts)supposedly controlled by ongoing treatment/medication. If so, they are nuts, because even those with "controlled" asthma can die of a sudden acute attack, despite using their meds as directed, and even a supposedly nonlethal arrhythmia is not guaranteed to be nonlethal. I have an arrhythmia, and as my doctor explained, it probably will not ever do more than make me feel a little weird and lightheaded sometimes. But then he also added, "I can't guarantee it won't kill you, but the chances of dying from it are very, very small."
Maybe he had a friendly doctor falsify his records. Or maybe the military is surreptitiously handwaving medical issues when someone is really eager to sign up for difficult duty.
Whatever the case, a medical history like that should have been a ginormous red flag.
Laffy Kat
(16,396 posts)It's a simple chest xray.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,786 posts)lovuian
(19,362 posts)troops to prepare them for if they are captured....this should be illegal
I know someone who was in US Special Forces and he told me he was waterboarded by his commander.....