McInerney Had Guns and Would Use Them

According to a post on the LA Times, a police investigator has testified at Brandon McInerney’s trial stating the 15 year-old who is accused of shooting classmate Lawrence King, a gay youth, at point blank and while in school, bragged prior to the shooting that he had guns at home if he ever wanted to kill someone.

Here’s an excerpt:

McInerney made the comment to another student at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard sometime before walking into the classroom and allegedly gunning down gay classmate Larry King on the morning of Feb. 12, 2008, said Oxnard police Sgt. Kevin Baysinger.

“Brandon said if he ever wanted to kill anybody, his dad had a bunch of guns and he had the capability,” Baysinger told the court. Other witness testified that McInerney, then 14, and King had been feuding over King’s alleged romantic overtures toward McInerney.

McInerney was clearly irritated after King, 15, reportedly said, “Baby, I love you,” the day before the shooting occurred, based on interviews with students. Other students reported similar threats, he said.

McInerney reportedly told one of King’s friends the day before the shooting, “Tell Larry goodbye because you’re not going to see him again,” Baysinger said. Other students reported similar threats, he said.

Yet so many Republicans and conservatives today are adamant there is no need for hate-crimes legislation.  They simply don’t believe the population needs protection. These are the same Americans however, who have more than likely never experienced discrimination or hateful aggression.

McInerney Offered Plea in Murder Case

The 15-year-old who is being tried as an adult for the murder of a gay classmate, Larry King was offered a plea bargain by the Ventura County district attorney’s office, who says Brandon McInerney can plead guilty to first-degree murder and receive a lighter sentence.

Maeve Fox, the Senior Deputy District Attorney said McInerney, who is being tried as an adult, would receive a maximum of 25 years to life in prison instead the typical sentence of 53 years to life if he takes the plea. Fox said the deal was offered to McInerney because of his young age.

Father of Teen Shooter Found Dead

According to Ventura County authorities, the father of Brandon McInerney, the Oxnard teenager accused of gunning down openly gay classmate, Lawrence King during class, has been found dead.

The body of Bill McInerney, 45, was discovered just before 8 a.m. this morning in the living room of his Silver Strand home by a friend.

James Baroni, Ventura County’s chief deputy medical examiner, said the friend was supposed to pick him up and drive him to his son’s son’s murder trial.

Brandon McInerney is being tried as an adult and a preliminary hearing was scheduled to start today in order to determine if there is enough evidence to move to a trial, but in light of the incident, the hearing has been postponed.

Baroni stated there was no sign of foul play or suicide found in the home and an autopsy to determine the cause of death is underway.

Teen’s Lawyer: He Should be Tried as a Juvenile

Brandon McInerney, who shot and killed Larry King, a gay teen will face a pre-trial hearing on January 26th. He is being charged as an adult with first degree murder as a hate crime. If convicted, McInerney could be sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Lawrence King, 15, was shot point-blank in the head on February 12th during school by McInerney. The motive behind the shooting is that King allegedly McInerney to be his valentine.

McInerney’s lawyer, Scott Whippert, has challenged legislation that allows prosecutors to decide to try people as young as 14 as adults.

Wippert stated:

“Someone like Brandon, who was barely 14 and had no juvenile record, should have gone before a juvenile judge, who would look at certain factors to determine whether he is suitable for rehabilitation, but the District Attorney is saying, ‘I don’t have to explain myself to anyone.’ That’s too much power. We as a community should be able to make sure what they are doing is right.”

The Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act of 1998 allows McInerney to be tried as an adult under California state law.

McInerney Fires Attorney – Hires Dream Team

Brandon McInerney, the 14-year old boy who shot and killed openly gay teen Larry King has fired his attorneys from the county Public Defender’s Office. It has been reported McInerney will now be represented by a group of high profile lawyers from Los Angeles.

Kevin McGee, a Ventura County Superior Court Judge approved the change after a private meeting between the Public Defender’s Office and United Defense Group of Studio City.

McGee stated he determined McInerney understood the implications of the charges against him and had not been coerced into making the legal change.

United Defense Group has not publicized if it will take the case pro-bono or who will pay for the expert witnesses they are expected to call for testimony during the trial.

McInerney is being charged as an adult with murder as a hate crime and could be sentenced to 51 years to life if convicted.

Two weeks ago, Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox said that white supremacist materials were found in McInerney’s bedroom.

“They included hand-drawn sketches of swastikas, references to the ‘14 Words’ and the number 88, which is commonly used by skinheads to represent the words Heil Hitler and Hitler’s SS,” Fox said in a court filing.

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