Boy’s Killing, Labeled a Hate Crime, Stuns a Town

The New York Times ^ | February 23, 2008 | Rebecca Cathcart

[FoxInSocks]

OXNARD, Calif. — Hundreds of mourners gathered at a church here on Friday to remember an eighth-grade boy who was shot to death inside a junior high school computer lab by a fellow student in what prosecutors are calling a hate crime.

In recent weeks, the victim, Lawrence King, 15, had said publicly that he was gay, classmates said, enduring harassment from a group of schoolmates, including the 14-year-old boy charged in his death.

<snip>

Prosecutors charged Brandon as an adult with murder as a premeditated hate crime and gun possession. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 52 years to life in prison.

A senior deputy district attorney, Maeve Fox, would not say why the authorities added the hate crime to the murder charge.

<snip>

[brytlea]

How long would he face for murder if it wasn’t a *hate crime*?
susie

[FoxInSocks]

Jeez. I began posting the article from a third-party source, but decided to link to the original article at NYT, which has a different title: "Boy’s Killing, Labeled a Hate Crime, Stuns a Town."

Please correct the title, if you would be so kind.

[El Sordo]

Smells funny.

I suspect there is more to it.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Smells funny.

I suspect there is more to it.

Yes, Oxnard.

[RoadKingSE]

15 year-old 8th grader?

[ARE SOLE]

Doug Mcintyre KABC 790 discussed this recently. His concern was parents and school officials that allowed this young victim to attend school wearing womens clothing. The kid had some major issues.

Doug's concern was that some other equally messed up kid would react in exactly the way this went down.

Regards

[trumandogz]

I don’t care if he killed a Cross Dresser or an Eagle Scout.

It is murder, not a hate crime. Lock him up for life.

[ARE SOLE]

Fine with me.

[haroldeveryman]

1. “In interviews, classmates of the two boys at E. O. Green Junior High School said Lawrence had started wearing mascara, lipstick and jewelry to school, prompting a group of male students to bully him.”
2. “Lawrence wore his favorite high-heeled boots most days....”

Where were the parents of that 13 year old? In an insane asylum? And what were the teachers and school administrators doing? Spending their days stoned on LSD? They all ought to be given a fair trial (just as if they were adults) then dropped onto some iceberg to spend the rest of their lives conducting a vigil against hate crimes. They’re more dangerous than other the kid that they let in the school with a gun. I mean how does a 13 year old boy get into school day after day dressed like that?

[skinkinthegrass]

Hey, who care?...this is more B.S. from NYT....and yet; the LMSM, ignored the 2 gays men's trial, who violently raped/killed a Midwestern (non-gay) boy over years ago....
*s*....of course, that (the latter) was all, just for fun . */s*

[Rosemont]

Aren’t all murders hate crimes?

[purpleraine]

I guess this is compared to murders which are love crimes.

[svcw]

Since when is shooting someone in anger and premeditated not a hate crime?

[17th Miss Regt]

The boy was in Casa Pacifica, a place for extremely troubled youths. Parents could not handle him. Articles are in the Ventura County Star. There is a lot that is not coming out in the media.

[an amused spectator]

Prosecutors charged [14-year-old] Brandon as an adult with murder as a premeditated hate crime and gun possession.

Ever notice how flexible "adulthood age" is with today's prosecutors?

I don't think the Founders envisioned a crowd of OCD bureaucrats with blank checkbooks running the country...

[trumandogz]

It would appear that the Death Penalty is not an option in this case.

If it were, I would be all for the sick ____ getting the needle.

[MacDorcha]

Or the even more rare neutrality crimes.

[haroldeveryman]

“The boy was in Casa Pacifica, a place for extremely troubled youths.”

Thank you! That fact puts an whole different perspective on things. I take back what I said the victim’s parents and the school officials.

So the real story here once again is the press, particularly the New York Times. It’s amazing how the by the omission of one little fact this rag can turn the killing of one troubled youth by another extremely troubled youth and make it seem like their version of “typical Americana: America’s hatred of those who are different.” At least it worked on me.

[VeniVidiVici]

The boy was in Casa Pacifica, a place for extremely troubled youths.”

Knowing this, I think the State of NY and his parents should be arrested as accessories.

[ARE SOLE]

Knowing this, I think the State of NY and his parents should be arrested as accessories.

This happened in California. I am however in full support of arressting the State of NY.

Regards

[VeniVidiVici]

LOL! Ok, California and New York. And not a state less!

[Grunthor]

“Gay Teen’s Killing Labeled a Hate Crime”

Had he been straight, it would just be called “murder.”

[kcvl]

You can see who and why this is being pushed...

Lawrence King — Student Who Was Murdered For Being Gay — To Be Honored With National Day Of Silence

Candlelight vigils also being organized to raise awareness about California hate crime.

A series of candlelight vigils have been held throughout the U.S. in the wake of the student’s death (an estimated 1,000 people marched in Oxnard the weekend following the murder), in an effort to raise awareness of what many feel was a largely underreported case. MTV News attended one such vigil on Friday night, just outside of Los Angeles, where dozens gathered — not with candles but glowsticks — to remember King.

Now the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a leading gay-rights student organization, has decided to make King’s murder one of the central themes of this year’s annual Day of Silence on April 25.

Since King’s murder, there have been 30 candlelight vigils throughout the country, with one planned for Washington, D.C., early next week (a complete list of these events can be found at GLSEN.org).

[kcvl]

The story struck a powerful chord among gay, lesbian and transgender advocacy groups, who planned memorials for King from California to Massachusetts. E-mails poured in to the groups, and a Web site set up to honor King buzzed with chatter about his sex orientation.

A close friend of the King family said he appreciates the outpouring of support, but he feels the real story is about a young man killed at school, and the focus on sexual orientation paints a one-dimensional portrait of a beloved son and friend.

"I want Larry remembered for who he was as a person, and not just this facet of his life," said Phil Cohen of Torrance, a family friend who created the Web site at www.rememberlarry.com to honor King's memory. "I'd rather not have him known as that gay kid. I'd rather have him known as Larry, a good kid who tried his best."

Family members and friends have said Larry was a sweet, artistic boy who loved to sing folk rock songs, enjoyed studying bugs, preferred vegetables to meat and helped out at his younger brother's baseball games.

******

'This is a global issue'

The case is a powerful symbol for gay communities used to frequent school bullying and educators unprepared to deal with it, said Jay Smith, executive director of the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy group.

http://tinyurl.com/3a9854

[TChad]

Articles are in the Ventura County Star.

Thanks. Here's one of them with some interesting details.

As I suspected, it sounds like there was a fair amount of contact between the killer and the gay boy.

[drubyfive]

Love crimes=crimes of passion.