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Delay In Lawrence King Case by gomag.com May 9, 2008 |
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photo by http://juvienation.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/t
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On Thursday, the arraignment of the 14-year-old accused on killing the openly gay student, Lawrence King, was postponed by a judge until June in order to give his lawyer time to prepare a motion that will challenge prosecuting Brandon McInerney as an adult. McInerny has been charged with a hate crime after he shot an openly gay classmate, the 15-year-old Lawrence King, who asked him to be his Valentine at an Oxnard, CA school. The district attorney plans on prosecuting McInerney as an adult. If he is convicted as an adult he could get a 50 year to life sentence with three years added on for the hate crime status of the offense. If he is charged as a minor he will have to be freed by the age of 25.
McInerney's attorney told reporters, "The fact that we think Brandon should be tried as a juvenile does not diminish the tragedy that happened on February 12."
The shooting took place less then three weeks after the defendant turned 14, the age at which one cam no longer be tried as an adult. King was shot in the head during a morning class and McInerey was arrested almost immediately after the shooting.
This year's National Day Of Silence Honored King. Many LGBT group have lobbied to have the defendant tried as an adult. In a statement to the press a coaltion stated, "The facts in this matter seem clear: one boy killed another in a climate of intolerance and fear about sexual orientation and gender expression. The alleged perpetrator, who turned 14 years old less than three weeks before the shooting, 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."
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