Over the years we have read about many LGBT’s being murdered for various reasons that make no sense to anyone with a discernible level of intelligence.  One such case occurred in 2008 when 15 year old Lawrence King was gunned down in his California middle school by a class mate who thought he had a crush on him.  It boggles the mind how a 14 year old can bring a gun to school, sit behind a fellow pupil in class and shoot him twice in the head.  A horrific tragedy which cost a young teen his life.

This week the trial of Brandon McInerney (now 17) began, he will be tried as an adult.  According to the LA Times the two attorneys have opened up with the two descriptions of Lawreance that you would expect.  The prosecutor saying he was a shy boy, the defendants attorney saying he was a sexual aggressor.  I can’t imagine how hard this must be on his loved ones to have to sit through.

The whole trial has gotten off to a rocky start as McInerney’s half brother got on the wrong side of the judge by addressing jurors outside the court saying his brothers fate was in their hands (he was fined for his troubles).

Prosecuting attorney, Maeve Fox, has said that King was “very effeminate” and had been bullied at school, he had only female friends.  However, he had a change in attitude when taken out of his home and placed in a children’s shelter, Casa Pacifica.  According to Fox:

Larry King for the first time in his life wasn’t taking it anymore, he started to give people what I prefer to call the proverbial chin, only it was more profane

She went on to say that McInerney responded with homosexual slurs and taunts and that on Feb. 11, 2008 the pair had another run in during which McInerney told classmates he was “going to shoot” Lawrence.  Fox then explained that more words were exchanged after class that day during which King mocked McInerney saying “I love you, baby”.  It was the next morning that King was gunned down at his desk during a computer class.

McInerney’s charges include a hate-crime allegation based on his reported neo-Nazi sympathies.  If found guilty he faces 53 years to life.  If he can convince the jury it was voluntary manslaughter due to his ‘humiliation’, he will avoid a life sentence.

You can follow the trial in the local newspsper here.  Looking at people’s comments is interesting but in a sad way.  If you go back through the months you see a lot of homophobia in there.  Time will tell which story the jury believe.