Full military burial may be banned for vets guilty of rape

The U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House. The bill will now go to the Senate.

U.S. Rep. John Shadegg, an Arizona Republican, introduced the measure at the request of a former Phoenix Camelback High School classmate, Steve Bush, who now lives in San Diego. In 2001, Bush's daughter, Jenny, was attacked in Tucson by serial rapist James Allen Selby.

An Army vet who served in the Gulf War, Selby was buried in 2004 at Fort Sill National Cemetery with full military benefits. Selby hanged himself in a Pima County jail cell before he was to be sentenced for 27 counts ranging from sexual assault to attempted murder.

Veterans are currently entitled to be buried in a veterans or national cemetery and to a ceremony presided over by an honor guard, while next of kin receives an American flag and certificate from the president. After the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh in 1995, Congress stripped the burial honors from veterans convicted of capital crimes.

But rapists such as Selby still have the right to such burials.

"I'm elated," said Steve Bush. "There is still another hurdle to clear, but I am overjoyed. This is long overdue. As a veteran myself, I think the circumstances as they are now are an insult to veterans and a slap in the face to victims."

Shadegg said he expects the amendment to stay in the bill because Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is co-sponsoring similar legislation.

"This was really important to me because of Jenny herself and similar victims who are legitimately revictimized when they learn these kinds of honors are afforded to heinous criminals who violently raped them," Shadegg said.

Staff Sgt. Jake Richmond, a spokesman for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, declined to comment on the legislation.

"Our job here at D-M," he said, "is to follow orders from our leaders."

DID YOU KNOW

James Allen Selby, a U.S. Army veteran who was decorated for his service in the Gulf War, was convicted in 2004 of 27 accounts ranging from sexual assault to attempted murder of six Tucson females. He was also convicted of raping a Colorado woman. Authorities said DNA linked Selby to sexual assaults in Oklahoma, Nevada and California. He hanged himself in a Pima County jail cell before he was sentenced and was buried at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Oklahoma with full military honors.

Contact reporter Phil Villarreal at 573-4130 or pvillarreal@azstarnet.com