, ▁met ▁with ▁sail ors ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁station ed ▁with ▁Sch ind ler ▁on ▁the ▁USS ▁Belle au ▁Wood , ▁gained ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁naval ▁base ▁at ▁S ase bo , ▁Japan , ▁where ▁the ▁USS ▁Belle au ▁Wood ▁was ▁dock ed , ▁and ▁obtained ▁special ▁permission ▁to ▁attend ▁Hel vey ' s ▁court - mart ial ▁proceed ings ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁naval ▁base ▁at ▁Y ok os uka , ▁Japan . ▁ ▁To ▁avoid ▁the ▁death ▁penalty ▁for ▁pre med itated ▁murder , ▁Hel vey ▁ple aded ▁guilty ▁to ▁the ▁less er ▁charge ▁of ▁" m ur der ▁with ▁intent ▁to ▁do ▁great ▁bod ily ▁harm ." ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁the ▁Navy ▁sent enced ▁him ▁to ▁life ▁in ▁prison . ▁Pet rel is ▁said , ▁" This ▁sentence ▁sends ▁a ▁message ▁that ▁it ' s ▁not ▁O . K . ▁to ▁kill ▁gay ▁sail ors ▁and ▁that ▁hom oph ob ic ▁violence ▁will ▁be ▁pun ished ." ▁ ▁Return ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Pet rel is ▁left ▁Washington , ▁DC , ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁California . ▁There , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁speak ▁out ▁and ▁take ▁action ▁on ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁issues : ▁advoc ating ▁rent ▁control , ▁protest ing ▁internet ▁c ensor ship , ▁critic izing ▁how ▁the ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health ▁( NI H ) ▁conducted ▁and ▁public ized ▁a ▁study ▁on