Fifteen-year-old Lawrence King's "feminine attire" and "effeminate behavior" was upsetting some of the students and faculty at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, California. That's according to testimony on Thursday from a former teacher and classmate in the murder trial of 17-year-old Brandon McInerney, reports KABC and the Ventura County Star.
McInerney's attorneys are focusing on King's gender identity and showed jurors items seized from his home after he was killed.
There were the size-10 brown-suede boots with 4-inch heels that reached just below the knees, the shiny black pointed boots that covered the ankle, a pair of black pumps with leather bows, as well as an assortment of makeup bags with lip gloss and eye shadow.
But when King's lime green spaghetti homecoming dress with sparkles along the bottom was brought out and a photo of King holding the dress was shown, a wave of emotion swept through the room.
Dawn Boldrin, the teacher who gave King the dress and was in the classroom the day he was fatally shot, started to cry. So did McInerney's mom, Kendra, and his lawyer, Robyn Bramson. King's father stormed out of the courtroom in disgust.
At the time of his death, King was living at a home for abused and neglected children. The group home manager testified on Thursday that school administrators told her that "King's mother had called the school upset that he was wearing makeup to school and asked the school to stop it."
McInerney shot his classmate twice in the head at point-blank range in February 2008. Up to 30 students witnessed the shooting. McInerney is being tried as an adult for the murder. The state also alleges McInerney had close ties to white supremacists, which has led to a hate crime charge.
The defense has portrayed Lawrence King as sexually "aggressive" and suggests that McInerney was "provoked." Prosecutors are seeking to quash McInerney's "gay panic" defense. Prosecutors asked the judge last week to instruct jurors to disregard King's sexuality.
McInerney faces up to 53 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges. The trial was moved to Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley because of pretrial publicity.
Rod 2.0's complete coverage on Lawrence King HERE.
I have to say it again... Its SHAMEFUL!! So let me get this straight... because he liked to wear heels, makeup and dresses... he deserved to be murdered? Absolutely DISGUSTING! I hope the jurors are NOT buying it.
Posted by: Isis | 29 July 2011 at 13:48
I know. If this jury buys that bullcrap I will probably lose what little shred of respect I have for the judicial process...
Posted by: Sage | 29 July 2011 at 13:55
A life was taken away! POINT BLANK PERIOD!
Posted by: thegaytekeeper | 29 July 2011 at 14:20
fatal fashion???
shame!!!!!!!
http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/732741843/black-homohatred-kills---a-eulogy-for-sakia-gunn/?page=15&jump=1522250707&leftcmt=1#1522250707
Posted by: alicia banks | 08 August 2011 at 01:30