Active-Duty Navy SEAL Testifies In Ventura Trial
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Navy SEAL John Kelly said Tuesday that he was at the California bar attending the funeral wake of a fellow SEAL the night "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle said he punched Jesse Ventura for making offensive statements.
Kelly says he saw the former Minnesota governor on the ground, and earlier had heard him make disparaging statements about SEALs.
"We're all doing the wrong thing, not the mission you guys should be doing, you guys murder women and children," Kelly said.
He admits he had 10-15 drinks that night and never heard Ventura say "You deserve to lose a few" as the book claims.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Kyle's widow say the book did not hurt Ventura's reputation -- his past behavior did.
A 2012 press conference at federal court, during which Ventura called federal judges "cowards," was referenced.
He said he would never stand for the national anthem.
"I will turn my back and I will raise a fist," Ventura said.
He also said he's applying for Mexican citizenship along with his wide, and stated that America's government is fascist.
"We are no longer, in my opinion, the United States of America," Ventura said. "We're the fascist states of America."
Chris Kyle was murdered after his bestselling book was published.
Ventura is claiming the incident in the bar never happened. He calls it a "fabricated lie."
Testimony continues Wednesday.