"48 Hours"' Richard Schlesinger's connection with a Cunanan victim | Forensic Files

so you go in Monday morning your Shipmates say what' you do over the weekend how do you answer uh
usually I I'm able to tell them what I've done it's just what who I've done it with that I can't really explain so
you have to be on your guard somewhat certainly what is your stake in in this uh in this band being lifted I mean
you're doing well you're you perform your job well presumably uh you you have a you have a
bright future um what difference does it make the difference to me uh as a naval
officer is not so much in my career but in the future of the Navy uh I've said this time and time again gays are here
in the military we perform our jobs and we do it well what's the effect of the band being lifted the effect of the band
being lifted is you maintain a quality Navy you increase the quality of the Navy by not removing
homosexuals and you also save money and you've you've invested this this money in homosexuals in the Navy and you're
putting it to good use instead of throwing it away this is all dollars and cents not only dollars and cents but the
strength of the military there are whether people like it or not there are gays in the military they're
very um top-notch performers they know what they're doing you're going to weaken our
National Defense if you remove G from the military and you'll never be able to do
it 100% it's just whether or not you're going to continue to hunt us and force us
to fear are you comfortable having to talk to us behind this certain cloak of anonymity I mean we can't see you we
can't use your name I mean is this comfortable for you yes it is uh it's well let me take that back
no it's not it's not comfortable for me there's nothing I would like more than to be you know lit up and tell you who I
am and show you who I am but I'm not allowed to do that it's comfortable for me because I
know I'll be able to continue to serve my country and do my job and do it right and that's what I care about most

Jeffrey Trail was Andrew Cunanan's first victim. In 1993, he was interviewed by Schlesinger for a "48 Hours" segment on gays in the military. Trail served in the Navy at a time when "don't ask, don't tell" was the law of the land. Trail could not serve his country openly as a gay man, so he had to do the interview in silhouette to protect his identity.

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Brief Summary

A naval officer discusses the importance of lifting the ban on homosexuals in the military and its impact on national defense.

Key points

The Impact of Lifting the Ban. Lifting the ban on gays in the military enhances the Navy's quality and saves money.

Episode highlights

The Impact of Lifting the BanLifting the ban on gays in the military enhances the Navy's quality and saves money.“You increase the quality of the Navy by not removing homosexuals.”0:54May 21, 2017

Episode quotes

Gays are here in the military; we perform our jobs and we do it well.

0:43WatchMay 21, 2017

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