Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 17:39:41 EST
From: TCCP00D@prodigy.com (MR ANDREW B EDDY)
Subject: Re: SLDN Press Release


Press Release In cooperation
with Service Members Legal Defesne Fund
(SLDN) and supporting organizations by:

                        "We Are One"
            THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF VETERANS
            "An Alliance For Equality of Rights"


Contact:
Karl Clark, Executive V.P.
P.O. Box 1281, Ft. Lauderdale, FL  33302
(305) 782-1095
e-mail: KarlClark@aol.com

************************************************************ ****

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:  C. Dixon Osburn, Co-Director
          Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund
          (202)  328-3244


         COL. CAMMERMEYERS JUDGE HEARS NEW POLICY CASE TODAY
    JUDGE LIKELY TO DECLARE "DONT ASK, DONT TELL" UNCONSTITUTIONAL


        Washington, D.C., January 19, 1996  Capping a week of activity for
federal courts on gays in the military, J. Zilly heard oral arguments in
the case of Lieutenant Richard Watson in the District Court for the Eastern
District of Washington.  Many will recall that J. Zilly had declared that
the governments old policy on gays violated Colonel Cammermeyers equal
protection and due process rights in June 1994.

        Lt. Watson claims that the new policy also violates his equal
protection rights in that it treats gays differently from straights for
saying and doing the same things.  Lt. Watson is also asking Judge Zilly to
declare that the policy violates his First Amendment right of free speech
in that the new policy punishes individuals for honestly revealing their
sexual orientation, not just to coworkers, but to family, church and
doctors.

        Lt. Watson told his superiors that he is gay last year.  He had
been working as a professor of military science in the Naval ROTC program
at Oregon State University.  Lt. Watson has subsequently been transferred
to Bangor Submarine Base in Washington State.  Lt. Watson has been serving
as an openly gay man for more than one year.

        "The issue is evenhandedness; gay men and lesbians who put their
lives on the line for this country should be treated the same as their
straight counterparts," said C. Dixon Osburn, Co-Executive Director of
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.  Osburn continued, "Lt. Watson stands
ready to fight and die for his country, just as thousands of other gay men
and lesbians have throughout our nations history."

        In other developments, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals heard
arguments in the case of Able v. Perry this past Tuesday.  The government
is appealing an opinion by J. Nickerson that the new policy is
unconstitutional.  Last month, the full court for the Fourth Circuit Court
of Appeals heard the case of Navy Lieutenant Paul Thomasson in Richmond,
Virginia.  Neither the Second nor Fourth Circuit courts have issued an
opinion.   Three other new policy cases are currently being appealed to the
circuit court level.  Machinists Mate Mark Philips awaits a hearing date in
the Ninth Circuit.  Navy Lieutenant (j.g.) Dirk Selland is appealing the
recent ruling of a Maryland district court to the Fourth Circuit.  Air
Force Captain Richard Richenberg is appealing to the Eighth Circuit after
last months district court opinion in Nebraska.


From: SLDN1@aol.com
To: TCCP00D@prodigy.com
Subject: SLDN Press Release

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