More testimony at the Los Angeles trial of 17-year-old Brandon McInerney, who gunned down his gay classmate Lawrence King in February 2008. The defense team paraded several witness who suggested that King "taunted" his classmate, reports the LA Times.
One teacher after another has testified in the murder trial about their deep worries that King's feminine attire and taunting behavior could provoke problems — and that E.O. Green Junior High administrators ignored them.
It wasn't just that King, 15, had begun wearing makeup and women's spiked-heeled boots, witnesses testified. It was that he seemed to relish making the boys squirm at his newly feminized appearance and was taunting them with comments like "I know you want me."
A series "gay panic" events triggered McInerney:
King continued to clash with boys at school and paid special attention to McInerney, according to court testimony. After lunch that day, he passed McInerney in a corridor and mockingly said, "Love you baby!"
History teacher Arthur Saenz testified that on that same Monday, Feb. 11, 2008, he noticed King "parading" back and forth in high-heeled boots and makeup near a bench where McInerney was sitting after school waiting to be picked up. A group of boys was laughing as McInerney grew visibly angry, Saenz testified.
The next morning King showed up at E.O. Green in his school uniform with no embellishment or makeup. In the computer lab, McInerney took a seat directly behind King. About 20 minutes into class, he drew a handgun and shot him twice in the back of the head.
McInerney is being tried as an adult for the murder. The defense has portrayed Lawrence King as sexually "aggressive" and has repeatedly suggested that McInerney was "provoked." Prosecutors are seeking to quash McInerney's "gay panic" defense.
Closing arguments could happen next week.
He could have placed the gun in his hands, HE STILL PULLED THE TRIGGER!
Posted by: thegayte-keeper | 12 August 2011 at 15:48
It does NOT matter! Nothing condones violence! McInerney's life was NEVER in danger! He should have told the teacher it was bothering him! Hell, he could have even gotten in Lawrence face about it, but shooting him was EXTREME! The Gay panic defense is disgusting and should be thrown out. You can't just shoot people who make you uncomfortable..... YOU JUST CAN'T! If that is the case then every gay person that has ever been teased should be able to claim "straight panic"!
Posted by: Isis | 12 August 2011 at 16:20
Lord Have Mercy...and I do mean Lord Have Mercy...
Posted by: Sage | 13 August 2011 at 08:16
This is a strange kettle of fish right here! All the should haves and would haves in the world don't help. One cannot predict how this is going to end.
Does anyone know how the student witnesses are doing now after witnessing this?
(See Rod, I'm behaving, just can't help it sometime(;)
Posted by: Greg | 14 August 2011 at 09:25
I do not have all the facts, but based on what's been presented, it seems to me that the trial court is way out of line for allowing the defense to proffer this kind of evidence. The testimony regarding the victim's alleged behavior is highly inflammatory, particularly compared to its minimal probative (relevance) value. Shame on the trial court judge for allowing this evidence in. The judge is really playing into the defense theory that the victim brought this on himself--which, not only is contrary to law, it is shameful.
Posted by: Kevin | 14 August 2011 at 16:41
This is vile is the deepest, ugliest, most visceral kinds of ways.
Really, so GAY PANIC is going to be tried, is being tried for 15 year olds who are bullies and who shoot boys.
I am so sick of the gay man as BOTH the fey sissy to be beaten and abused AND the predator/practitioner of heinous crimes who is to be FEARED! This is ridiculous!
SHAME!
SHAME!
SHAME!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 14 August 2011 at 18:43
The who trajectory of this trial is disturbing ...
Posted by: Me | 15 August 2011 at 11:17
For the gay brothas out there, be careful! The Gay panic defense is getting out of hand and given how disposable Black LGBT are, expect some of these animals to try attack any of y'all for sport and than use this pathetic defense. Sorry, this isn't to sensationalize this tragedy or scare ya but given how vulnerable many LGBTs of certain, specific minority groups are, there are some pathetic excuse of human beings that will try to pull the same stunt King's killer did and than depend on the same excuse to exempt themselves.
I'll say it again, if you're Black, Hispanic/Latino/Latin American, or any other color and LGBT, (especially the T segment) your lives don't matter to larger society any more than it does to our pathetic, half-assed pathetic excuse of communities who are so quick to respond to police brutality and hate crimes by White people but look the other way when their LGBT kin are disposed like garbage.
This crap pisses the hell out of me.
Posted by: Kevin P. | 16 August 2011 at 16:51