McInerney Lawyer Promises Not to 'Gay Bash' in Lawrence King Case

William Quest, the attorney who is battling to have Lawrence King's 14-year-old killer, Brandon McInerney, tried as a juvenile rather than an adult, says he is sensitive to the case because he has a gay sibling:

"I can tell The Advocate I’ve got a young brother who’s gay. I saw how difficult it was for him to come out. Now, he came out when he was in college at Berkeley, [so it was] easier than in junior high. But I saw the struggle he went through...and I hope [this is] not perceived as gay bashing because it’s not. That’s not who I am."

Quest says he'll argue that school officials and teachers knew of friction between the two students and failed to respond adequately and also cites McInerney's troubled family life (drug addiction and domestic violence) as part of the reason for the child's violent behavior.

A coalition of gay groups including including Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, have also urged that McInerney be tried as a juvenile.

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Arraignment of Teen who Killed Lawrence King Postponed

Brandon McInerney's parents (pictured) and grandfather were present yesterday at Ventura Courthouse where the arraignment of the 14-year-old for shooting and killing classmate Lawrence King was scheduled, and postponed for a second time. McInerney's attorney is still working to have his client tried as a juvenile, and not an adult:

"Public defender Willy Quest said if his client, McInerney, would be tried as an adult, it would be a violation of the boy's Eighth Amendment guarantee against 'cruel and unusual' punishment. 'If he's convicted of the charges, he could be sent to 51 years to life in prison,' Quest said...Quest said that some of the case might revolve around his client's response to King's behavior, which he said was the response of an immature teen. McInerney's behavior was that of a typical 14-year-old, immature and impulsive, Quest said."

In April, a coalition of gay groups including ambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, released a statement calling for McInerney to be tried as a juvenile.

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Attorney for Lawrence King's Killer Faults School for Shooting

Deputy Public Defender William Quest defended his client, 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, who is to be arraigned today for the fatal shooting of his classmate, 15-year-old Lawrence "Larry" King at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, saying that the school is at fault for not stepping in when it saw conflict between two of its students:

"Educators should have moved aggressively to quell rising tensions between the two boys, which began when King openly flirted with McInerney, said Deputy Public Defender William Quest. Instead, administrators were so intent on nurturing King as he explored his sexuality, allowing him to come to school wearing feminine makeup and accessories, that they downplayed the turmoil that his behavior was causing on campus, Quest said."

The school disagrees:

"School Supt. Jerry Dannenberg strongly disagreed with such allegations. 'School officials definitely were aware of what was going on, and they were dealing with it appropriately,' Dannenberg said Wednesday. King was constitutionally entitled to wear makeup, earrings and high-heeled boots under long-established case law, Dannenberg said."

Ventura County hopes to try McInerney as an adult but a motion has been made to try him as a juvenile. The arraignment may be delayed until the court decides on that motion, according to the L.A. Times. A coalition of gay rights groups has urged District Attorney Greg Totten to try him as a juvenile as well. McInerney has been held in Juvenile Hall since the shooting, in lieu of $700,000 bail.

Lawyer blames school in shooting of gay Oxnard student [la times]

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Larry King Tapes 'Day of Silence' PSA for Lawrence 'Larry' King

Tomorrow is GLSEN's 12th annual Day of Silence. Students from more than 6,800 schools across the nation are expected to take part by taking a vow of silence to raise awareness about anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. This year's observance has been dedicated to 14-year-old Lawrence King, who most of you know was shot and killed by one of his classmates on February 12th, because he was gay.

CNN host Larry King, who shares a name with the young victim, recorded a PSA for GLSEN (Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP). Says King in the spot: “Larry King and I share more in common than just our names. We both believe that all students should be free to be themselves without the fear of name calling, bullying or harassment."

GLSEN president Kevin Jennings told E!'s Marc Malkin that King did not hesitate when asked to record the PSA. "Larry King helps us reach the kind of mainstream audience he speaks to every night. "I don’t necessarily see this as a YouTube phenomenon, but I see this reaching a much more traditional audience."

Malkin reports that T.R. Knight is also participating in the Day of Silence ceremony at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in Los Angeles.

King joins Lance Bass, who released a PSA last week.

Watch King's clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

Recent Lawrence King news
Gay Coalition Calls for Lawrence King Killer to be Tried as Juvenile [tr]
Amazing Race's Kynt & Vyxsin to Sit with Lawrence King Classroom [tr]
LOGO Airs Celebrity PSA Response to Lawrence King Murder [tr]

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Lance Bass on 'Day of Silence': I'm Going to Use My Voice

Lance Bass has recorded a PSA to raise awareness about the 11th annual Day of Silence one week from today on April 25, when students across the nation will take a vow of silence to protest bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools.

This year's 'Day of Silence' is dedicated to the memory of Lawrence King.

Says Bass in the PSA, for GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network): "Everyday, thousands of students are silenced. They're silenced by fear, they're silenced for being who they are. ... They're brothers, they're sisters, they're gay, they're straight, they're you, they're me."

AFTER THE JUMP, watch a short segment about the making of the PSA in which Bass talks about his life in the closet with N'Sync and why he's speaking out.

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Gay Coalition Calls for Lawrence King Killer to be Tried as Juvenile

A coalition of gay groups has urged Greg Totten, the District Attorney in the Lawrence King case to try Brandon McInerney, the troubled teen who shot and killed Lawrence King on February 12th in front of a classroom of students because he was gay, as a juvenile. Shortly after the murder, it was announced that McInerney would be tried as an adult.

Said the coalition in a statement: "We are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high school student Lawrence King. At the same time, we call on prosecutors not to compound this tragedy with another wrong. We call on them to treat the suspect as a juvenile, not as an adult. (The alleged perpetrator should) be held accountable for his actions. But we support the principles underlying our juvenile justice system that treat children differently than adults and provide greater hope and opportunity for rehabilitation."

The coalition of groups includes Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

The District Attorney's office has not responded. McInerney's arraignment is scheduled for May 8.

Coalition urging D.A. to try shooting suspect as juvenile [ventura county star]

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Amazing Race's Kynt & Vyxsin to Sit with Lawrence King Classroom

Amazing Race goth couple Kynt and Vyxsin are speaking out against anti-gay hate crimes following the murder of 14-year-old Lawrence King in Oxnard last month. The couple are scheduled to meet with parents, teachers, and students from E. O. Green Jr. High School at a park near the campus, TransWorldNews reports:

"Kynt had been in discussion with the teacher of the class just a little after the incident, offering support and an 'anything we can do' attitude. The first period English teacher where the slaying took place jumped at the chance to get, 'any sort of help, especially something fun for the kids.'...'We can make a difference in this situation, and help make sure Lawrence is NEVER forgotten,' Kynt commented. 'As a fellow 'Boy-in-Makeup,' I understand and can relate to the torment and turmoil which Lawrence endured from others at his school.'"

Kynt and Vyxsin, who at heated moments were dismissed as "freaks" and "witches" by fellow competitors on the show, feel they can relate to being targeted for being different: "On the night of September 25th, 2004, Kynt was attacked by three men [in Louisville, KY] who 'didn't like the way he looked.' Kynt was hospitalized and his face required reconstructive surgery of his left oribital bone, which was crushed in the assault."

Kynt also released a statement online, which you can read, AFTER THE JUMP...

The couple is also co-sponsoring a candlelight vigil for Lawrence King, which takes place tonight in West Hollywood:

"FALLEN ANGEL: A Candle-Light Tribute to Lawrence King
Los Angeles, California
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
5pm to 9pm
Location: West Hollywood Park, 647 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
*Located behind the ABBEY
Co-Sponsored By: Kynt and Vyxsin from CBS Amazing Race, USC LGBT Resource Center, Vincent E. Vigil.

KYNT STATEMENT

"I would like to express my condolences and support to the family and friends of Lawrence King. It has been documented that Lawrence was subjected to marked negativity from fellow male students for occassionally wearing make-up, jewelry, and feminine clothing.

The seemingly harmless jokes and name-calling escalated toward this horrific act of violence. Lawrence was considered an outcast, and often teased for his appearance, which is a situation I can relate to very well, as I am a male who is proud to enjoy a more effeminate appearance.

I am saddened that Lawrence's creativity, free-thinking, and individuality might have contributed to his murder. Every student deserves to attend school with the assumption that they will be safe, no matter how they choose to express themself aesthetically. This is a tragedy but one I feel can be averted in the future with an increased emphasis on diversity and tolerance education in schools.

Parents need to take charge as well, and be mindful of acceptance as they mold the thoughts, ideas, and outlook of their child. Creating a culture based on an 'acceptance and appreciation of difference,' whether that difference is race, religion, sexuality, gender expression, or aesthetic, is the responsibility of EACH and EVERY American. This must happen."

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LOGO Airs Celebrity PSA Response to Lawrence King Murder

Janet Jackson, along with Calpernia Addams (Transamerican Love Story), Andre 3000, Ashanti, singer/songwriter Sarah Bareilles, Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development, Nip/Tuck), Estelle, T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), R&B artist Little Sister, actor Darryl Stephens (Noah’s Arc) and singer/songwriter Taylor Swift have lent their faces and names to a PSA created in response to the murder of Lawrence King that will run on LOGO and across MTV Networks' channels as well as on other networks that wish to air it.

Said MTV President Brian Graden: "One more murder, one more life lost, one more attempt to provoke fear and one more reason hate crimes must end. We hope this PSA will help inspire more people to join the fight against hate crimes."

View the clip AFTER THE JUMP...

Over the weekend, the L.A. Times continued its coverage of the King murder, revealing the broken home behind King's 14-year-old killer Brandon McInerney as well as the troubled school atmosphere that led up to the unthinkable violence:

"Earlier this year, some of Brandon's classmates say, Larry began 'hitting' on him and remarking for all to hear that he thought Brandon was 'cute.' Other boys then ribbed Brandon by saying he must be gay himself. Brandon dismissed Larry with an obscenity, the students say, but it didn't stop there. They say the kid wearing eye shadow had gotten under the skin of the Young Marine. Michael Sweeney, an eighth-grader at E.O. Green, picked up on the whispering that followed -- the rumors that were so extreme, so out there, that they had to be bogus. 'Brandon told this one girl that he was going to kill Larry,' Michael said. 'She didn't tell the principal. I didn't, either, after I heard about it. I thought it was a joke.' Larry was shot the next day."

View the LOGO PSA after the jump...

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Ellen DeGeneres on Lawrence King: We Must Change Our Country

ELLEN: "On February 12th, an openly gay 15-year-old boy named Larry who was an eighth-grader in Oxnard, California was murdered by a fellow eighth-grader named Brandon. Larry was killed because he...was gay. Days before he was murdered, Larry asked his killer to be his Valentine...And somewhere along the line the killer Brandon got the message that it's so threatening and so awful and so horrific that Larry would want to be his Valentine that killing Larry seemed to be the right thing to do. And when the message out there is so horrible that to be gay you can be killed for it, we need to change the message."

Ellen DeGeneres will take time out of her show today to express her thoughts on the Lawrence King murder and make a plea for change against hate in the country. Good for her. This will bring awareness about the Lawrence King story and the problems surrounding anti-gay bullying and discrimination to a huge new audience.

The full clip, which I've transcribed, is AFTER THE JUMP...

***TRANSCRIPT***

"On February 12th, an openly gay 15-year-old boy named Larry who was an eighth-grader in Oxnard, California was murdered by a fellow eighth-grader named Brandon. Larry was killed because he...was gay. Days before he was murdered, Larry asked his killer to be his Valentine.

"I don't want to be political. This is not political, I'm not a political person, but this is personal to me. A boy has been killed and a number of lives have been ruined.

"And somewhere along the line the killer Brandon got the message that it's so threatening and so awful and so horrific that Larry would want to be his Valentine that killing Larry seemed to be the right thing to do. And when the message out there is so horrible that to be gay you can be killed for it, we need to change the message.

"Larry was not a second class citizen. I am not a second class citizen. It is okay if you're gay. I don't care what people say. I don't care what people think. And I know there are entire groups of people who face discrimination every single day and we're a long way from treating each other equally. All of it is unacceptable. All of it. But I would like you to start paying attention to how often being gay is the punchline of a monologue. Or how often gay jokes are in a movie. And that kind of message — laughing at someone because they're gay — is just the beginning. It starts with laughing at someone, then it's verbal abuse, then it's physical abuse, and then it's this kid Brandon killing a kid like Larry.

"We must change our country and we can do it with our behavior, we can do it with the messages we send our children, we can do it with our vote. This is an election year and there's a lot of talk about change. I think one thing we can change is hate. Check on who you're voting for, and does that person really truly believe that we are all equal under the law? And if you're not sure, change your vote. We deserve better. My heart goes out to everybody involved in this horrible, horrible incident."

***END***

Previously
Anderson Cooper on the Lawrence King Murder [tr]
U.S. Reacts with Anger, Sorrow, Action to Lawrence King Murder [tr]
Huge Vigil Turnout for Gay California Teen Slain in Hate Crime [tr]
Shooting of Gay CA Student Officially Labeled a Hate Crime [tr]
Gay Junior High Student Shot at School Declared Brain Dead [tr]
Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School [tr]

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Anderson Cooper on the Lawrence King Murder

Last night on AC360, Anderson Cooper covered the Lawrence King murder and bullying in public schools. The segment offered some details that I hadn't heard, such as some possibilities on Brandon McInerney's motive for the shooting.

View the Lawrence King segment from AC360, which the Huffington Post notes was sadly omitted from the program's official podcast, as well as statements made this week by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on King's murder, AFTER THE JUMP...

Statements from the Democratic candidates on the Lawrence King murder:

Said Obama: "It was heartbreaking to learn about Lawrence King's death, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. King's senseless death is a tragic example of the corrosive effect that bigotry and fear can have in our society. It's also an urgent reminder that we need to do more in our schools to foster tolerance and an acceptance of diversity; that we must enact a federal hate crimes law that protects all LGBT Americans; and that we must recommit ourselves to becoming active and engaged parents, citizens and neighbors, so that bias and bigotry cannot take hold in the first place. We all have a responsibility to help this nation live up to its founding promise of equality for all."

Said Clinton: "I was deeply saddened by the recent death of 15-year-old Lawrence King who was killed at his school in Oxnard, CA. No one should face intimidation or violence, particularly at school, because of their sexual orientation or the way they express their gender identity. We must finally enact a federal hate crimes law to ensure that gay, lesbian and transgender Americans are protected against violent, bias-motivated crimes. We must send a unified message that hate-based crime will not be tolerated."

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News: T.R. Knight, Seal, Dame Edna, Portland, Dominic Monaghan

Barack Obama wins 'Democrats Abroad' primary 65.6% to Hillary Clinton's 32.7%. DailyKos: "That's 11 in a row for Obama (including the Virgin Islands)! There are 7 pledged delegate-equivalents to be awarded, in addition to 4 superdelegate-equivalents."

4 am Drunk driver in Portland somehow drives onto underground MAX mass transit system, drives for a mile before being stopped.

UEFA Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo 'dazzled' by laser beam at Lyon's Stade Gerland: "Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the club has contacted European football's governing body with a view to having the matter looked at more closely in the form of television pictures from the Champions League tie. 'We reported the matter to Uefa before the game,' Ferguson said. 'We noticed it in the warm-up and [Uefa] are aware of it.'

Gay Irish poet Cathal O Searcaigh cut from curriculum over teen sex scandal: "Education Minister Mary Hanafin said yesterday that there were "difficulties" with the inclusion of his poems on the exam curriculum. She said the issue will be examined by the body which decides which poems should be on the curriculum, the National Council on Curriculum Development. Mr O Searcaigh is the subject of a controversial documentary 'Fairytale in Kathmandu', in which the gay writer admits having sex with some of the male teenagers being financially supported by him in Nepal. Yesterday he announced he is to distance himself from any future distribution of charitable funds in Nepal."

If that's T.R. Knights 'dick in a box', I'm impressed!

More on State Representative Jason Bartlett, who came out of the closet and is now the first openly gay African American state legislator: "It does feel kind of weird to be the first African American state legislator in the United States to come out but it is what it is. It's all about being comfortable with yourself. I mean, certainly, I am not the first gay African American legislator but I am the first to come out and say I am gay."

Actress Emily Perry, who played Dame Edna Everage's 'bridesmaid' Madge Allsop for many years, has died at the age of 100: "Perry appeared on Dame Edna's ITV star-studded shows and travelled the world as part of comic Barry Humphries' stage spectaculars. Humphries told the BBC: 'It is a great loss to me, she was a close friend.' The actress appeared in the Dame Edna Experience, a comedy chat show which attracted a whole host of UK and Hollywood names, from 1987 to 1989. As New Zealander Madge Allsop she never uttered a word, and her main function was to affix badges to star guests - and bear the brunt of Dame Edna's savage comments."

San Francisco holds vigil for slain gay junior high student Lawrence King.

Heidi Klum and Seal get catty.

AfterElton talks to gay Survivor: Micronesia contestant Chet Welch, who also happens to be the most successful Miss America pageant coach: "I've always been open in my area. I've always been even though I grew up in a rural farming area of Pennsylvania. Truthfully, I've never had an issue in my life about being gay. If people had an issue, I wasn't really aware of it, or if they did, I figured that was their problem not mine. I do hope in some way I'm able to encourage other people that way, as well as I was hoping to show people that might have homophobia or issues with it in some way that it's not what it's sometimes portrayed to be."

Dominic Monaghan joins Hugh Jackman in X-Men: Wolverine as 'Beak'.

Survey of 100 gay porn actors finds lack of education and information about on-set HIV risk: "Almost 30% of gay adult industry performers in the survey were either HIV positive or didn't know their status. While most were comfortable working with HIV positive performers, many were concerned about the lack of discussion surrounding HIV and STDs on set . Over 80% of performers strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that condom-using studios provided adequate safety measures to protect them from HIV, but little more than half of the respondents felt that the they were being protected adequately from non-HIV risks like hepatitis, HPV or syphilis."

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U.S. Reacts with Anger, Sorrow, Action to Lawrence King Murder

A bunch of updates on the Lawrence King shooting for you here. Hundreds of parents asking for answers attended a meeting at an Oxnard, California campus regarding the shooting last week of 15-year-old Lawrence King, shot in the back of the head in a classroom by a fellow student, allegedly because he was gay:

"In orderly fashion, one parent after another asked for metal detectors on campus, more programs dealing with bullying and for stricter enforcement of the district's uniform policy. 'There were probably weeks of this student being subjected to harassment,' said Joe Gonzales, parent of a student at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, where King was killed Feb. 12. 'We need to know what was done, or not done, so we can prevent something like this from happening again instead of reacting to it.' Details about events the days before the shooting also trickled out as a panel that included school officials, mental health counselors and Oxnard Police Chief John Crombach responded to questions. One parent said her daughter told her that several students exchanged text messages the day before the shooting that talked about what the suspect planned to do. Crombach acknowledged that several students told police they heard about 'comments, statements and threats' that were made but that they didn't take the chatter seriously and that there was no evidence that it was reported to school officials. King's classmates said he had proclaimed himself gay in recent weeks and began wearing feminine accessories with his school uniform. The boy endured frequent taunting but appeared to be holding his own, students said, refusing to change his appearance."

One of three 911 tapes has been released.

Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park), chairman of the Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes, this week announced plans, in response to the King shooting, to introduce a bill expanding diversity education in California schools: "'My bill is focusing on [hate crime] prevention,' Eng said after a news conference at his El Monte district office. 'We already have bills on the books about proper punishment; mine will focus on dealing with hatred in a school setting.' Eng hopes to create a pilot program by allocating up to $150,000 to establish a diversity and sensitivity curriculum at a few school districts. The pilot program would serve as a model to be used to develop lesson plans statewide."

Sara Whitman notes in the Huffington Post: "In my LGBT community, we argue about who is more pro LGBT rights, Obama or Clinton. It's been days since Lawrence King was shot dead. Neither candidate has issued a statement or said a word. The national media has done a complete pass on the story. Both candidates make me sick...Don't worry. I get the message, loud and clear. Just one more dead faggot."

Following the King shooting, Time magazine published this classless story on King and bullying in public schools that sounds as though it was written by some fundie from Focus on the Family. It claims that gay groups are exaggerating the amount of bullying made against kids because of their sexual orientation in order to make the situation sound more dire and drum up the need for legislation.

Quote: "Still, it's hard to look at the photo of King's fragile little face and not want to do something."

Read it and fume.

The L.A. Times ntoes that at least a dozen vigils and memorials are scheduled around the country for King this week. you can find a list of them at GLSEN. The page where they are listed is currently down, but it may be up later.

There's one taking place in West Hollywood tonight at 7 pm. There's also one on Friday in Kansas City.

Additionally, here is Lawrence King's memorial MySpace page.

For all our coverage of the Lawrence King murder, click here.

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Huge Vigil Turnout for Gay California Teen Slain in Hate Crime

A quickly scheduled peace march in Oxnard, California on Saturday drew nearly 1,000 people distraught over the tragic killing of Lawrence King, the 14-year-old boy who was gunned down by a classmate last week because he was gay.

The L.A. Times reports: "'Larry, Larry, Larry!' the crowd chanted before marchers clasped hands in a moment of silence for the fallen student. There were no bullhorns, no speeches and no politicians. Just a mass of mostly adolescents wearing bright clothing, carrying signs and singing John Lennon's 'Imagine' and 'Give Peace a Chance.' The size of the turnout surprised police, school officials and even the two Hueneme High School sophomores who put the event together just three days ago, spreading the word with fliers, cellphone calls and MySpace bulletins. 'We were expecting maybe 100 or 200 people,' said Courtney LaForest, 16, as she gazed at a broad 'peace circle' formed by march participants at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. 'This is incredible.' Courtney said the turnout reflected a community's anguish over a senseless shooting that has destroyed the lives of two young men. It was also a public plea for tolerance on school campuses for those who are different, she said."

A memorial service is scheduled for King on Friday at 3 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 755 Bard Road in Port Hueneme.

Over 200 messages have already been left on a website set up to remember King.

View an AP news report on King AFTER THE JUMP...

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Shooting of Gay CA Student Officially Labeled a Hate Crime

Brandon McInerney, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime in the shooting death of Lawrence 'Larry' King. The charges are expected to be upgraded to murder once King is taking off his ventilator, which is keeping his body alive so that he may donate his organs. McInerney is to be tried as an adult. McInerney reportedly turned 14, which is the cutoff age to be tried as an adult, on January 24th.

King was shot in the head in front of a full classroom of students. It still has not been disclosed where McInerney got the gun that he snuck into the classroom.

According to King's father, when King arrived at the hospital he was making some unintelligible sounds but doctors quickly induced a coma as part of his treatment. He survived for six hours but then suffered a massive stroke, which caused his brain to swell, and ultimately, his death.

Via the AP: "[Ventura County prosecutor Maeve] Fox said she could not discuss the facts behind the allegation of a hate crime because those details of the case have not been publicly disclosed. Oxnard police have not specified a motive but said there appeared to be a personal dispute between the two. King sometimes came to school wearing makeup and high heels, eighth-grader Nicholas Cortez, 14, told The Associated Press. Another eighth-grader, Michael Sweeney, said King's appearance was 'freaking the guys out,' the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. 'He would come to school in high-heeled boots, makeup, jewelry and painted nails — the whole thing,' Sweeney told the Times."

The L.A. Times reports that "classmates of the slain boy, Lawrence King, said he recently had started to wear makeup and jewelry and had proclaimed himself gay. Several students said King and a group of boys, including the defendant, had a verbal confrontation concerning King's sexual orientation a day before the killing."

The paper adds, "Because he is a minor, McInerney will remain in Juvenile Hall and be taken to the Ventura courtroom for court appearances, Fox said. He is being held in lieu of $770,000 bail. If convicted, McInerney could face 50 years to life. The hate crime enhancement would add another one to three years to his sentence."

Up top is a shot of King provided to the media by his family. His father explained that "In Port Hueneme, he used licorice sticks to catch crawdads."

The Ventura County Star reports: "He said his son was headstrong, confident, artistic and sweet. Larry King loved to sing songs by folk rock trio Crosby, Stills and Nash, and was studying 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in hopes of singing it at his younger brother's baseball games, his father said. 'He had a very gifted singing voice.' He was so good, in fact, that one of Greg King's friends — unaware of the family's tragedy — called Wednesday to say his son should audition for 'American Idol.'"

Oxnard school shooting called a hate crime [la times]
Charges Filed in SoCal School Shooting [ap]
Victim's family members say they will donate teen's organs [ventura county star]

You may have missed...
Gay Junior High Student Shot at School Declared Brain Dead [tr]
Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School [tr]

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Gay Junior High Student Shot at School Declared Brain Dead

Yesterday I posted about a 15-year-old gay student, now identified as Lawrence King, who was shot by a classmate in front of at least 20 other students in a classroom at his junior high school in Oxnard, California. King has now been declared brain dead and his body remains on a respirator for organ donation.

From the details that have emerged so far it appears that the shooting did, in fact, have to do with the fact that King was open about his sexuality.

The L.A Times reports:

"Police have not determined a motive in the slaying but said it appeared to stem from a personal dispute between King and the suspect...But several students at the south Oxnard campus said King and his alleged assailant had a falling out stemming from King's sexual orientation. The teenager sometimes wore feminine clothing and makeup, and proclaimed he was gay, students said. 'He would come to school in high-heeled boots, makeup, jewelry and painted nails -- the whole thing,' said Michael Sweeney, 13, an eighth-grader. 'That was freaking the guys out.' Student Juan Sandoval, 14, said he shared a fourth-period algebra class with the suspect, whom he described as a calm, smart student who played on the basketball team. 'I didn't think he was that kind of kid,' Sandoval said. 'I guess you never know. He made a big mistake.'...Several students said that a day before the shooting, King and several boys had some kind of altercation during the lunch period. If the suspect targeted King because of his sexual orientation, the case could rise to the level of a hate crime, authorities said. 'We've heard that and a lot of other things,' [Oxnard police spokesman David ] Keith said. 'But I can't say what the motive is until we finish our interviews.' [Ventura County Dist. Atty. Gregory] Totten said he could not comment on the specifics of the case until he reviewed the police investigation. But a hate-crime enhancement is something that prosecutors would consider as they move forward, he said. 'It's something we will look at,' he said. 'But the case is going to be reviewed as a murder involving the use of a firearm, and that carries a potential sentence of 50 years to life.'"

The 14-year-old suspect will be charged with first-degree murder.

Apparently King was in counseling for "some of his concerns and issues" according to the school superintendent.

This is why kids need to be taught tolerance in schools. This is why kids need to be allowed to have children's books that teach them there are gay and lesbian people in the world, and it's okay. This is why numbskulls like Tennessee Rep. Stacey Campfield, who wants to ban anything in schools that teaches kids about homosexuality from kindergarten to eighth grade, endanger the lives of children rather than 'protect' them.

Tragic.

Previously
Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School [tr]

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Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School

A gay junior high school student in Oxnard, California was shot in front of dozens of other classmates yesterday, the L.A. Times reports:

"The shooting was not gang-related, said [Oxnard police spokesman David] Keith, who added that the school had not been a particular trouble spot before. 'It looked like it was personal between the two of them,' he said, declining to elaborate. Some students said the victim, whose name was not disclosed, sometimes wore makeup and feminine jewelry and had declared himself gay. They said he was frequently taunted by other boys and had been involved in an argument with the alleged shooter, an eighth-grader who also was not named, and others Monday. During the lunchtime argument, one of the boys shouted at Tuesday's victim, 'You better watch your back,' said one student who witnessed the encounter. Police said they had not determined a motive for the crime. Keith said investigators had also heard that the victim was gay but did not know whether that was true or whether it figured in the attack. They were sorting through several other possibilities as well, he said: 'Which are true and which are rumor, we're trying to figure out.'"

The student's condition is reportedly critical, but improving.

Student shot in Oxnard [la times]

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