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Loading ...Court turns over files on Larry King to defense
08.22.2008 12:00pm EDT
(Oxnard, California) Confidential files and school records of 15-year old Larry King, the gay teen who was gunned down by another student in February, have been turned over to the attorney for the boy accused of killing him.
Attorney William Quest, who represents Brandon McInerney, 14, had subpoenaed the records to help him prepare his legal defense. The King family opposed the subpoena on the grounds the information should be kept private.It is believed the material contains information on King’s medical and psychological behavior during the time he was living at Casa Pacifica, a center for troubled and abused children, according to The Ventura County Star newspaper. The files also are believed to contain information from teachers and students at Green School, where both King and McInerney were students and where the shooting occurred.
Superior Court Judge James Cloninger examined the files and redacted material he did not think pertinent to the case.
Quest had sought the unedited records, including the names of students and others that he wanted to interview about the case but Cloninger told him to review the redacted material first and if he needed more information to return to court.
“As I said before, Brandon is not a sociopath. This is not some crazy kid,” Quest told The Star. “[There was] a lot of stuff going on” prior to the shooting.
“There were warnings of trouble,” he told the paper. “What I am trying to establish, given the mandatory harsh sentencing that goes with trying a 14-year-old as an adult, is explaining what was going on. How this tragedy happened, not trying to minimize it or take anything away from the tragedy. But at least, provide it in the context which we think would provide a partial defense on behalf of Brandon.”
McInerney has pleaded not guilty to killing King. He has been charged as an adult with first degree murder and a hate crime. If convicted he faces 51 years to life without the possibility of parole
King was shot in the head during a morning class. More than 20 other students were in the room at the time. McInerney was arrested shortly after the shooting.
King died in hospital after his mother agreed to have life-support removed.
King was honored earlier this year at schools across the country as part of the National Day of Silence.
Yes, I misspoke. What I mean to say that anyone accused of an adult crime needs to be tried as an adult. The courts, of course, make the determination as to who is and who is not tried as an adult. It has and should have very little to do with chronological age. I know that I was aware of myself and consequences at a very young age. I know people in the 30’s and 40’s that are as childish as a six year old.
Trace, it’s called an adult crime because it is a crime committed by an adult. The term adult does not pertain to the crime. It is in reference to the perpetrator. A 14 year old boy is in way, shape or form not an adult.
I don’t care how old he is. This child is a MURDERER. It was not an accident. It was premeditated murder, and I am not going to pity him if he goes to jail for life. In fact, I hope he does. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could possibly justify this. He shot Larry in the back of the head during class. I don’t care if there was “a lot of stuff” going on. A “lot of stuff” goes on in EVERYBODYS life! Just because Brandon was having some sort of middle school fight with Larry does not give him the right to take his life. Period, end of story.
Thank You for your passion Hillary. It absolutely amazes me that some on this board have reacted the way that they have.
I simply did not have any idea that some people took the point of view that murderers deserved special rules and pity, just because they were children.
It’s actually kinda scary. I certainly don’t want these “children” to have a do over chance where my friends and family are concerned.
As a hate crime survivior my self I am so saddened by all this. This 14 year was taught to hate. It’s election time folks. Any tolerated, sanctioned, disrcimination against gays seeds future violence and predijuice. We have no presidental candidate who fully supports full acceess to the constitution for gay people. Are you going to remain silent till some one attack’s you? Will you just vote for some one who keeps us in an official second class, marking us as less than, not good enough to get married, raise chirdren? All that does is make it OK to hate and actually even marks us as a target. Both parties are against gay marriage. THis is a great country because you have a voice. It’s not if you dont use it. SPEAK UP!!
Trace, you ask what the cut off for childhood is and state that anyone who commits a serious crime should be treated like and adult. So do you think that a ten year old who murders a classmate should get life in prison? An eight year old? Five? We have a legal cut off in this country – eighteen – for a purpose. And generally it serves us well. Nothing is perfect, of course, but why should we be allowed to bend and break our own rules and treat a child like an adult because his overreaction to a situation ended in tragedy?
If a court decides that a 10 year old should stand trial as an adult, then yes the 10 year old should stand trial as an adult.
If a child is tried as an adult and convicted, then they should suffer the sentence handed down.
If that means a 12 or 13 year old facing life in prison, then that is the sentence. Life has consequences.
Then why do we have a legal age limit of 18? If a ten year old is deemed responsible enough to serve life in prison for a crime, then he should also be given the right to vote, smoke, or quit school.
But, hmm. It doesn’t seem to work that way. We’ve got these rules here that say you can’t do these things until you reach a certain age.
Just because the court decides to try him as an adult, it doesn’t make it right. The Courts can be wrong, too.