December 9, 1999 Army private Calvin Glover's apology for beating fellow private Barry Winchell in what he said was a drunken stupor didn't stop a jury from sentencing him to life in prison on Thursday.

���� After serving 11 years in Fort Leavenworth, Ks., Glover, 18, will be eligible for parole. The military panel stripped him of pay and allowances, reduced him to the lowest rank -E-1, and issued him a dishonorable discharge.

���� On Wednesday, a military panel convicted Glover of premeditated murder in the July 5 attack, in which Winchell, 21, was beaten with a bat in his sleep.

��� � A five-man court martial jury took only two hours before handing down the sentence. Before sentencing, Glover told the victim's parents that he was sorry for the death of the allegedly gay soldier.

��� � "If I had acted as half the man, even half the soldier, Barry was, he'd be with us right now," Glover said.

��� � Though the trial was "unbearable," Winchell's mother said justice had been served. "We are here for Barry. We think that the conviction of premeditated murder is just," said Pat Kutteles. "We appreciate the jury's careful deliberation on the conviction and the sentence."

��� � A major issue now is what happens as a result of this trial on treatment of gay people in the military. Winchell's parents say the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy doesn't work.

��� � "Why were people allowed to taunt our son, hit our son and harass our son? It has become clear to us that these are issues that go beyond our son's unit and we would like to see them addressed," Kutteles said.