In Memoriam: Remembering Larry King

[DriftingCrow]

In Memoriam: Remembering Larry King
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/02/remembering-larry-king/#.UvvZe-VPXMI.facebook
Chase Strangio (Attorney at ACLU); LGBTQ Nation

On February 12, 2008, in Oxnard, California, 14-year old Brandon McInerney brought a gun to E.O. Green Junior High School, stood up in the middle of class and shot 15 year-old Larry King twice in the back of the head.

[. . .] Larry came to school wearing make-up, high-heeled boots and jewelry. A few days before Brandon shot Larry, Larry had asked Brandon to be his valentine. [. . .]

In one particularly chilling scene [of the documentary Valentine Road, three jurors reflect on the case and their concern for Brandon. "Where are the civil rights of the one being taunted by another person that is cross-dressing?" one juror said.

If we understand racism, homophobia and transphobia beyond the Brandon McInernays, George Zimmermans, and Michael Dunns, we have a better chance of reforming and transforming the systems that caused the deaths of Larry King, Trayvon Martin, and Jordan Davis.

[Jamie D]

This happened in my county, near my community.  McInerney's drug-addicted, white supremist father lived not far form my family beach house.  The father died from a drunken fall during the trial.  McInerney's mother was a meth addict and deemed an unfit parent.

The result of the first trial was a hung jury.  A plea bargain decided the case.  Brian McInerney was sentenced to over 20 years in adult prison.

Larry King's own biological mother was a drug addict, and his adoptive parents lost custody of him after Larry accused his adoptive father of molestation.  (It was never determined whether the accusation was truthful.)

It has been alleged that 15-year old King had been sexually harassing then-13-year old McInerney, in the weeks prior to the incident, and that King's behavior had been encouraged by the school's lesbian vice-principal.  King's adoptive father attribute's some of the blame to his dead son's behavior which was allowed at school.

Given all of the behavioral problems with the two boys, and their families, this was a tragedy waiting to happen.  There were no winners, only losers.