Box Turtle Bulletin
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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJuly 10th, 2009
On February 12, 2008, Brandon McInerney walked into his eighth grade classroom and put two bullets in the back of classmate Larry King’s head. His reason? Because Larry King dared to flirt with him.
Ever since that date, his defense has sought every opportunity to portray McInerney as the victim and King as the aggressor. Brandon was just a poor tormented kid who couldn’t take it any more. Newsweek contributed by running a hit-piece on Larry King. He has even been helped by King’s previous guardians who think that by portraying Larry as a threat to all that is heterosexual, they can get money from those who were actually caring for him.
But District Attorney Maeve Fox is refusing to allow Brandon McInerney’s attorneys to portray him as an innocent or to trash the name of Lawrence King and seek to blame him for his own murder.
After the Newsweek article ran portraying McInerney as basically a good kid who “was smart” but “had his share of troubles” (unlike King whom they portrayed as a “flamboyant” disturbance who “flaunted his sexuality and wielded it like a weapon”), Fox released information that revealed an entirely different Brandon McInerney than that portrayed by his attorneys and parroted by an inexperienced and gullible journalist who was more concerned about “the story” than the truth.
Fox has been harshly criticized for trying McInerney as an adult. With no one to speak for Lawrence King, McInerney’s supporters painted her as bloodthirsty and overly harsh. Even some gay groups and liberal organizations joined the chorus, saying that McInerney was being scapegoated and that he should not be tried as an adult. They felt that a possible 50 year sentence was just too much, considering his age (some of this concern has dissipated as more about McInerney’s character has been revealed).
Finally McInerney’s defense has gotten under Fox’s skin again. On Wednesday defense attorney Robyn Bramson accused prosecutors of being vindictive. They should have known better. Fox released information which put exposed their lack of forthrightness. She had offered McInerney a plea deal.
The district attorney will allow 15-year-old murder suspect Brandon McInerney to plead guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for a lighter sentence, officials announced publicly today.
“It would bring (the sentence) down, from a maximum of 53 years to life, to 25 years to life,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox, who is prosecuting this case.
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AJD
July 10th, 2009
When he goes to grown-up jail at 18, I just hope his cellmate has multiple male rape convictions. Not that I support rape, but it’d be poetic justice.
wayne kahler
July 10th, 2009
If he thought that he was being threatened in school, what will he go through in the pen?
David Malcolm
July 10th, 2009
This is pretty standard I hope nobody expected it not to get plead out. A plea deal for those who will want to rant about this is about saving both parties a trial and what not when the criminal is willing to agree that they done bad.
Mark F.
July 11th, 2009
Whatever you think of this case, it is interesting to note that the United States is the only Western country that allows a child to be sent to prison for life.
Christopher Waldrop
July 11th, 2009
Even before getting to the details of McInerney’s character, I couldn’t help being disturbed that someone could claim that anything King had done justified being shot in the back of the head. Forget the issue of sexuality. Imagine that this is simply a case of bullying and that King has (contrary to the actual facts in the case) tormented McInerney in school. If that were the case, would McInerney’s lawyers still be arguing–as they apparently are–that King somehow deserved to be shot in the back of the head?
I doubt it. I’d imagine they’d plead temporary insanity or something like that, but not that King “brought this on himself”.
Bill Cunningham
July 11th, 2009
A murder is a murder is a murder. Violent people should be locked up with the key thrown away. Having sympathy for him because he is “underage” and calling him a “child” is ridiculous. If you are old enough to kill people you are old enough to die for it – or at least go to prison for life. Violent people are damaged goods and should be removed from free society – sentencing guidelines should also include castration to limit the chances for future damaged offspring.
Burr
July 11th, 2009
Hey let’s play Richard’s game of projection here. I bet he endorses this murder, right? *rolls eyes*
GreenEyedLilo
July 11th, 2009
@ Wayne: Excellent.
@ Mark: Larry King was a child, too! A child who spent his life being harassed for who he was, and even got a heaping helping of it after his death!
Thank the Gods for Maeve Fox. I am grateful that she speaks for Larry King (and other gay kids, too). I am grateful that she takes his lost life seriously when so many other people don’t. May her tribe increase. And thank you, Timothy, for sharing this.
tarheel
July 11th, 2009
I believe that this and any other murder is another reason for us all to examine the violence in this country and do all we are able to stem the tide of violence.
In a murder there are always 2 victims-the murderer-who has been brainwashed by society to think killing is the way to settle almost anything and the killed- who some mother will miss terribly.
May we all seek non-violent ways in getting our point across to others.
Being gay is NO REASON to be violated.
Jim Burroway
July 11th, 2009
Burr,
Please don’t play any games of projection of your own. That remark was uncalled for. Ad hominem attacks like that are not allowed under our Comments policy.
Timothy (TRiG)
July 11th, 2009
Interesting, and disgusting.
TRiG,
European liberal.
Mark F.
July 11th, 2009
Bill:
If a child is fully responsible for a murder the same as an adult, than you would have to agree that a 15 year old boy can fully consent to have sex with a 50 year old man, right? That is, if you wish to make no legal distinctions between children and adults.
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