Murder suspect commits suicide
CNN. com reports the suspect charged in the murder of gay Seaman August Provost committed suicide July 31 while in custody at Camp Pendleton in Southern California. He apparently consumed a large amount of toilet paper.
Gas Technician Petty Officer Jonathan Campos, 32, had been on suicide watch and seemed fine at 11:45 that morning, according to Navy officials. Campos was later found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 1:15 p.m.
Investigators believe Campos killed Provost in retaliation for his likely impending discharge for a DUI charge, and that Campos set fire to his body to destroy the evidence.
Provost was out to his family and friends and had recently told them he was being harassed.
The murder is not being investigated as a hate crime, but Provost’s family believes his sexual orientation played a role.
Coach suspended for antigay slur
Advocate.com reports University of Hawaii coach Greg McMackin has been suspended for 30 days without pay and will receive a 7-percent pay cut after using the word “faggot” three times to describe rival Notre Dame at a press conference.
McMackin attempted to apologize and asked the press not to repeat the slur because he wouldn’t “want every homosexual ticked off at me.”
Some of the $150,000 the school will save from his pay cut will go toward funding a student intern for the University’s Gay Student Union Office.
O’Donnell reconnects with ‘Diva’ star
365gay.com reports that a pivotal moment in Brooke Elliott’s career started with a relatively inexpensive outfit.
The star of Lifetime’s hit show “Drop Dead Diva” got her big break in the 2004 Broadway show “Taboo,” produced by Rosie O’Donnell.
With hopes of making an impression on O’Donnell, Elliott put together an ensemble that cost $117 — costly for a struggling actress.
O’Donnell told Elliott that if she got the job, she would be reimbursed the first day of rehearsal.
Elliott and O’Donnell were recently reunited when O’Donnell guest-starred on “Drop Dead Diva.”
— Khaliff Featherstone