Teen in gay slaying gets 21 years

[dsc]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/gay-slaying.html

Lawrence King will never have any kids, or grandkids. He will never know true love. His killer out at 38. I am 43, 38 doesn't seem all that old to me.

The Oxnard teen who shot a gay classmate he believed was flirting with him has agreed to spend the next 21 years in prison, a plea deal that ends a case that drew national attention and ignited debate on how schools should deal with openly gay students.

Brandon McInerney, who was 14 when he pulled a gun out of his backpack and shot Larry King twice in the head in 2008, has already served nearly four years in jail and would be released by the time he is 38, under terms of the deal.

"Larry had a complicated life, but he did not deserve to be murdered," the youth's father,Greg King, said after a court hearing Monday afternoon.

[William769]

1. Not enough.

Recommended.

[laconicsax]

2. He'd have to be a banker to get a more lenient sentence.

21 years for premeditated murder? :puke:

[Rowdyboy]

3. This whole story leaves me nauseas...

An innocent child has lost his chance at life because of another's mindless hatred. An ignorant asshole child will spend his young adulthood incarcerated. At least, if he stays out of trouble he gets a chance at life at 40. But Lawrence doesn't get a deal-he's dead.

And all of this happened to kids who were 14 and 15 years old. At 14 I was so incredibly stupid....not violent, not mean not evil but stupid. I really don't know how I would have responded.

I do know I was so far in the closet I couldn't see daylight back then. And 40 years later I remember with horrible clarity just how miserable and full of bullies junior high was when I was 14.

Its a very depressing story to me.