By Louise Livesey | 27 January 2008, 12:27

This case from America has to raise questions for us all….

James Allen Selby entered the flat of Jenny Bush, gagged and bound her with duct tape and rapes her at knifepoint before fleeing. Bush frees herself, reports the crime and Selby is arrested after a nationwide manhunt. Three other victims take the stand at his trial and he is charged with another ten crimes including the rape of a 9 year old girl. In October 2004 he is convicted of 27 crimes including rape, armed robbery, rape, kidnapping and attempted murder. Hours before sentencing he hangs himself in jail.

Selby was a Gulf War veteran and was buried with full military honours in Oklahoma. The Pentagon policy doesn’t allow for military personel found guilty of crimes after retirement or discharge. According to the LA Times the message this sends is that “Even the most heinous sexual violence does not trump prior military service.” Had Selby committed murder or been sentenced to life in prison he would have been disbarred from the honours, but rape or other violent crimes are not included in this ruling, introduced after Tim McVeigh was found guilty of the Oklahoma bombing.