The kid had just barely turned fourteen before committing the worst of crimes-the murder of another child. We don’t really know for sure why Brandon McInerney did what he’s accused of doing, but we do know this: fifteen-year-old, Larry King, who was Brandon’s classmate, is dead. And he’s never going to come back, no matter what we do to his youthful killer.
The Ventura County District Attorney wants to charge Brandon McInerney as an adult. And what will that do? “He won’t be eligible for parole until he is 65 years old,” defense attorney William Quest said of his client this past week. “No chance for rehabilitation.”
And isn’t that what this is really about? Taking a kid who had barely turned fourteen before committing a horrific act and seeing if we can’t teach him some of the same values we’d want our own children to have. Giving him another chance at life. Taking this damaged child, placing him in a kind of safe, loving, compassionate environment and teaching him to understand the severe repercussions for what he’s accused of doing?
This kind of compassionate application doesn’t happen in adult prisons. There is no rehab for adults in America. It’s a punitive system, designed to degrade the convict, and strip him of every aspect of humanity, while allowing him to develop zero skills that might actually allow him to one day function in the real world. So how can any of us reasonably expect this to have any positive bearing whatsoever on Brandon McInerney, his family, or our community? We can’t.
That’s why the Ventura County District Attorney must do everything in his power to keep this child alive, to not destroy him by assigning him to our dismal adult prison system. It’s possible. The DA controls all the cards. They’re the decision-makers here. And there is some sign that they may come around.
The big cheese himself, Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten, has invited public feedback regarding what we believe his office should do with this child. And we need to respond. We need to display the kind of compassion that we want to see maintained in our community. We must send him letters and send letters to the papers and get people talking of the need to have a more compassionate approach toward troubled children who are charged with doing bad things. They are our futures. They were raised by us. And now we must take responsibility for changing this mess we’ve created for ourselves.
And it seems to be working to some extent. Just this past week the prosecutor handling the case, Maeve Fox, indicated that prosecutors might decide later to transfer the case back to the juvenile justice system. But I say, Why wait? Let’s just do it now, and bring the road to rehabilitation and compassion a little closer to home. Before it’s too late.
For more on Brandon McInerney please read related articles:
- In Brandon McInerney’s Defense, a Defense Fund
- Brandon McInerney is Worth Saving
- Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008
- Another child is dead: So, how should we respond?
How in the world did this 14 yr old kid get the weapon first off? Secondly, where were the parents in all of this? I fully agree with taking responsibility for our actions…but how do we do that and punish him fully at the same time? He’s 14! He know’s what he did was wrong and that he shouldn’t have done it. This is happening more and more all over the world; kids killing kids. It’s absolutely insane! We need to make sure kids know what they will face if they decide to go this route in life. It’s their decision to pull the trigger or plunge the knife…they have to deal with the consequences.
I agree with you that this case should be deat with by the juvenile justice system. I don’t understand our country’s need to try troubled children as adults when they are not adults.
I agree with you 100% on this Michael. A 14 year old boy should never be tried as an adult regardless of what he did. How will placing a young child in prison help him to realize what he did was awful? It will just make him angrier, and who knows what could happen to him in prison?
This child needs to be shown love and support because without it he doesn’t stand a chance in court. People need to help this kid in any way possible to help keep him alive. Would if you were in the position of this child? Wouldn’t you want people’s help to stay out of prison?
The thing is, the adult prison system needs to be revamped. It is all about punishment, and it’s in dire need of a compassionate overhaul.
These men and women’s lives are forever destroyed after lengthy stints in adult prisons. There’s no jobs for them when and if they get out. There’s rarely any kind of financial means of support.
These men and women have no skills to deal with the many stresses associated with trying to make a living in an economically and psychically depressed society.
And kids, with very little real life skills or experience of their own, have no shot in the adult system. They’re the ones who need an opportunity to learn from their mistakes, something the adult prison gives no chance at accomplishing.
All prisons need to be reformed in accordance with a basic rehabilitative format. That’s American society’s only chance at rising out of the ranks of being the world’s number one prison society.
I support the fact about reform in the prisons. I believe those who comitted minor crimes should be able to have another chance at life. Right?
As for children being tried as adults just isn’t right at all. I can see if they’re 17 but 14!! No way in the world should should Brandon be tried as an adult.
How does 17 make any difference? Someone’s fourteen year old might be way more capable of understanding the ramifications of his acts than many twenty year olds. How does one draw this line as black and white?
And can we really believe that a child’s mind suddenly matures enough at 17 to be considered sufficiently culpable under the eyes of the law to be considered worthy of the adult criminal justice system? And if he committed a murder should we just send him straight to death row? And should this apply to every seventeen year old?
And what about the retarded? And aren’t all these laws really aimed at the impoverished, or those of color who might be subjected to them more for political expediency?
The prison system not only deals with the criminal’s future…it protects innocent people from them. The law clearly states that minors that commit murder can be tried as an adult. What will it teach the child if he is allowed to bypass normal consequences for his actions? If he is not tried as an adult, what will that tell other children who are bullied or don’t like one of their classmates?
Hate to sound like a nutjob, but…some kids are born bad. It’s not just the environment, it’s how they ABSORB the environment. Some kids can’t be fixed, founded, solved, and will simply…be. Let’s look at the facts, and if I missed anything, let me know. Kid comes from a broken home, goes to a youth fellowship group, has negative energy pointed various places, is ‘cool’, etc. etc. Some damage beforehand, but not too bad. Other hand, gay male, frequently taunted, not too popular, etc. Does he snap? No, he bides. Brandon? One comment, next day, BANG!
That’s not how it’s supposed to happen. And, this is coming from someone a year older than the two…we’re more mature than you’d think, more intelligent than you’d think, or at least, some of us are. He deserves punishment, in my eyes.
I sure don’t think he should be punished to the fullest extent. What if I was you and you were the kid?? How would feel? You’d feel awful and want someone to help you!! Dont go saying im older and more mature when you want a young man to be punished like that.
You can’t try to get a 14 year old punished extremely. Yes what he did was wrong but people make mistakes.
Will you be writing anything about this case? I have some factual information about these boys.
We’re definitely all into the factual information. Yes, my writing about this case is to try to shed light on the situation for the community so that we are aware of what’s truly happening and can do something about it. Please share with us what it is that you know.
I really need to make this clear. Brandon chose to murder Larry because he was gay.
It takes a very disturbed mind to take out a gun and shoot someone, in school, in front of an entire classroom of students. I wouldn’t show any mercy. 50+ years seems appropriate.
I know I have very strong views on this but Brandon made his choice, he chose rot in jail for the rest of his life. I mean, what did he expect would happen when he murdered someone?
I do not think he should be tried as a adult either. i am gay but he need a second chance at life. I agree that there should be more education in our school to help young children deal or creat understanding with young gay teens that our out ….
I could lose my livelihood by speaking out. maybe I could speak to you one-on-one?
Honestly, the age of the criminal is irrevelant in the face of the crime. He should be tried as an adult. Yes, he was a minor when the crime was perpetrated. However, the act of cold-bloodedly killing another individual, execution-style, shows that the killer was more than 14 years of age. There is no need to bring arguments of “what was he was doing with a gun in the first place?” when we look at our gun-crazy America. It was a premeditated crime, pure and simple. He should be tried as an adult since he acted, not only as an adult, but as God – taking the life of someone else.
Truthfully, it all goes to the compulsive nature of the crime. This young boy snapped. He was unable to control his impulses. Something egged him on, whether it be from friends or acquaintances or his very disturbed mind. Brandon McInerney was a very disturbed child when he committed this crime.
What happened to Larry King is every bit as tragic as what happened to Nicholas Markowitz or Brooke Bennett. But we can never bring them back again. Do we really improve things by destroying Brandon as well? How do you benefit by this? How can you want to see someone’s life destroyed, not to mention the ripple effect it will have on family and friends and community? No one benefits, that’s who.
But maybe we can rehab Brandon through CYA. It happened to Graham Pressley, the seventeen year old convicted of murdering Markowitz. Convicted in adult court, Pressley got CYA at sentencing, got his shit together, and now he’s out and married. It took much work and support, but he made it. Let’s give Brandon that very same shot. And then let’s see who benefits.
Honestly, he was able to pick up a gun and shoot another human being with the intent to kill him so he should be tried as an adult. He deserves whats coming to him no matter how bad he feels. Nobody can bring back the poor boy that died because of this, Larry doesnt get a second chance so why should brandon??
If it was any of your children, or family members that got shot im sure you would all feel this way.
I think that Larry responded to bullying for being gay by fighting back which essentially made him a bully to another 14 year old who was not gay and fought back also.
Firstly, gun control is essential as this would likely not have happened without access.
Secondly, I think he deserves rehabilitation.
Thirdly, there should have been meaninglful intervention including challenging Larry’s behavior while maintaining tolerance.
Lastly, I agree the prison system sucks and shorter term offenders should be separated with focus on productive experiences and treatment followed by a long out of prison part of sentencing to ensure transition back to society.
Why does it that it seems hate crimes against gay youth turn into a slap on the wrist?! I think all the people that say Brandon should be rehabbed would feel differently about the situation if it wasn’t a gay student. Let’s say it was your kid that was randomly picked off by a nutcase at school. Let Brandon be where he belongs, in Jail. Rehab him in jail, but he should be behind bars for a very long time.
oops, editing error, I meant “Why does it seem that hate crimes against gay youth turn into a slap on the wrist?!”
Why would I want to see another family destroyed over something that happens to my family? I would want to heal. I would want compassion to reenter my life. To draw compassion, I would need to generate compassion. Desiring that a 14 year old boy spend the rest of his life in prison does not really generate any positive energy and it would not make me feel good under any circumstances.
It’s never “good” but that’s the point. There’s action and in this case, serious consequences. I’m sorry if I’m overly clear on this point, this is murder and of course no one will ever be the same. Brandon took not only Larry’s life but his own. He can’t change that and I don’t think society should be so forgiving with such an appalling act.
Of course I’m sorry for both families but how sorry can I really feel for Brandon’s folk’s? They raised a murderer. How can they have been so separated from their child’s life to let this happen? Typically I wouldn’t go as far as to say that maybe his parents should face charges too.
Please don’t think I am an uncaring or heartless person, matter of fact just the opposite. This story breaks my heart but my sympathy or desire to “make it right” does not precede the facts of right and wrong.
This story is so wrong in so many ways, it can never happen again. Children cannot be shown they can do what they want and the law will let them get away with it. Brandon must be charged as an adult.
He shouldnt be trialed as an adult. And he was like defending himself from harrasment. Excuse my sucky grammer. Ok, shooting someone is alittle extreme. If some gay kid harassed me i would start a fight wit him. I have nothing against gay’s but seriosuly, harassment is a serious issue. The harassment provoked Brandon to do that.
gay or not gay , has nothing to do with his actions he made choice to kill someone ,and thats not right he daserves life behind bars hes animal, at 12 i new right and wrong and i new shooting someone in head is not right…………
anuff said
Do any of you actually know what happened in this case? I don’t hear anything about the the Sexual Harassment that was getting poured on Brandon by Larry who was at least a year older. All Brandon had learned from his parents was violence on top of violence. I mean his father shot his mother in front of him and his mother was a meth addict, and you dont think this kid is messed up. I didn’t see anybody running to help him out of that situation. I’m not saying he is in any way vindicated from the crime but if he goes in the Adult prison system you might as well shoot him in the head too.
The people to really blame here in particular is the school system and society. We failed them both of those boys. God help us all.
Giving Brandon another chance would certainly not give me any positive feelings. Though I do put much of the blame on the parents. Natural reaction in a human is revenge. I was watching a show tonight about gangs. Each gangbanger initially joined the gang as the result of a murdered loved one (combined w/ the lack of a father figure). They wanted revenge. Brandon going to jail is the closest thing for the family to revenge. You can not create that void for Larry’s family.
Try him as an adult.
The prison system is a disaster, but Brandon is certainly not the exception.
the kid should fucken die… the fucker knew what he was doing from the getgo and he desreves equal punishment… so i say die fucker die
The lil fucker knew what he was doing from the getgo… learn your lesson shit head – DIE
ps.. 14 year olds nowadays are not the same as they use to be. He knew darn well what he was doing. He must take responsibility for the crime, regardless of his age. That’s why we end up with repeat offenders for crimes that should have been nicked in the ass from the initial signs that presented themselves. regardless of age. So fuck that bullshit excuse…
pss.. didn’t he shoot that inicent boy in the head? so stop trying to defend such an action with naive stupidity
I feel sad for Brandon, Yes Larry was gay BUT That gave him no right to ruin a straight kids life. Brandon was straight and Larry knew this, But larry continue to taunt and flirt with a 14 yr old straight kid infront of other young straight boys. This caused the group of boys to pick on Brandon and tell him he would make gay babies someday with Larry. I hurt for Brandon, he was forced to go to school everyday and be picked on for a gay boy flirting with him. Im sure it pushed Brandon over the edge and when Larry asked him to be his valentine infront of many other boys who stood there laughing at him, It must have made him Flip out. I do not believe Brandon should be trialed as an adult. Gays need to learn where to draw the line and who not to approach and flirt with, Straight people find this to be very embarassing.
larry was a very disturbed individual and was heading down a road which would have ended up very simularly. i’m sorry to say, he was playing a dangerous game of “i dare you to stop me”. unfortunately, someone stopped him. brandon is obviously screwed in the head also and most likely suppressing some homosexual feelings. that was my instant impression… extreme as it sounds. larry most likely touched on a nerve brandon did not want “touched”. also, the people who want to save brandon, please, you are all a bunch of democrats. he needs to die. larry died… brandon must die. but alas, the law will not execute a minor. i say “fry the little michael myers”. awwe, poor sad little brandon. you guys floor me. maybe some kid needs to shoot your child for the annoying things they do so you can get some perspective. brandon destroyed his family because his family destroyed him. who cares about them. people are killed EVERYDAY. killing-is-wrong. you kill… you pay the piper… end of story… end of your life. next subject.
There are some amazingly hateful and depraved people in this world. And I feel for you. It must be a tremendously heavy burden to bear. Forgiveness can be so relieving. It can raise your consciousness to such an amazing level. It’s just a fucked up kid we’re talking about here. You don’t even know him. Nobody’s saying anything about giving this kid anything. CYA is no walk in the park. But it’s an opportunity for skilled professionals to try to save a kid’s life. And let’s send a little more compassion his parents’ way. They too need all the support we can give them as do Larry King’s family and friends. These people all need our love and whatever healing energies we can provide. Stop bringing us all down with such ugly hatred. You’ll feel so much better learning the truthfulness of unconditional love…
i can say that i’m not angry and hateful. i just don’t give a shit about brandon, and little turds like him. if that makes me depraved, so be it. he pulled out a gun, and shot larry king in the head… twice. wow. i have no tolerance for that kind of behaviour. what next? forgive the terrorist attacks on 9/11? oh okay… it’s alright al kaida… all is forgiven. jeez louise. why don’t we just all roll-over and spoon-feed the murderers chocolate mousse and call it a day. kids nowadays need a swift kick in the ass. there is a middle ground here isn’t there?
Excuse me, you think I need someone to shoot my child to give me perspective. Are you kidding me? Do you know me? How can you be so callous and arrogant as to believe you can judge what I or anybody else might need in this or any other lifetime.
Perspective is not gained through arrogantly hurling hatefilled invectives into the universe. You not only fill the world with sludge from your low-vibrating thoughts, but you create a world of complete depravity in which you must live. That must be a difficult burden to bear.
as a matter of fact, it sucks living in this sess-pool of a world, but it is the world i live in… until it all changes i endure the ugliness that it is. i just tell it like i see it. i’m sorry if the truth offends you. but i do agree about a higher consciousness. i just don’t know if humanity is ready to grasp that concept. we can send warm-fuzzy thoughts to brandon’s family all day long, but i don’t see how that will “fix” the big picture.
don’t be mad michael
There’s no anger on my end. It’s all about love and compassion. I send it all to you. I would love to see you become part of the solution, instead of polluting my airwaves with your negativity. You could start right now by tapping into the healing energies that you possess. Prayer and love-filled thoughts carry there own weight to those intended, and to yourself. Help heal the world through your passion and compassion…
I agree that Brandon is a child. But, that he did know what he was doing. He aimed for the head. He aimed for the kill. What do we hope to accomplish by not punishing him for his actions? Are we telling other children you can kill? Because, if you do kill you will be rehibiliated. And, would we want Brandon to be a member of society. What if a female comes on to him and he doesn’t like it and he kills her? Are we willing to take that chance. If, we take away the sexuality of the victim we are still left with murder. And, no person not even a child should be given a free pass on murder.
Cathy B. go fuck yourself with that “your all democrats bullshit.” Im a dem, read my post. I stopped as soon as I read that line on your post. That shit doesnt belong here at all and I cant believe you have the balls to speak for all democrats.
In this case, the problem i see with stolen boys well-intended aspirations is the Brandon already did this horrific thing. Society, specifically those directly involved in Brandon’s life, obviously fucked him up. He died that day in the classroom along with Larry. People like Brandon need help before they screw up as badly as he did. After its done, he must face the consequences.
All would be better if the prison system was reformed, then time would be served with the opportunity of rehabilitation.
I hate to get into the topic of an afterlife but since you guys brought it up and Larry is in fact dead I must share my view on what happened.
I’ve always felt that death was the end, that living for all eternity whether that be hell or heaven, would be intolerable after a few millennia. I genuinely hope that when I die, my life will end and there will be nothing. I find a lot of comfort in knowing that this life is the only life I get and when I die, it’s all over.
Having said that, Larry’s life is gone, he’s not watching over us, he doesn’t know and will never know what happened to his killer. Larry would never be able to forgive his killer.
That leaves it up to us as a society to determine how to punish the act of taking a life in such a manner.
I, as a part of this society and a firm believer in death as the end of all consciousness, I don’t think Larry should have his freedom anymore or ever again.
Again, people, no one’s talking about a free ride. CYA is no walk in the park. At best, Brandon will do the next eleven years of his life trying to control his failed impulse reactions.
He had no ability to control the hatred within him, which is why he did whatever he did. In the meantime, if we can clear our individual consciousness, raise it through getting out of our ego-laden, time-driven ego, dump the past, forgive, get into the joy of the moment of life, we will raise our universal collective consciousness, and we will begin to change the ugly reality in the world that surrounds us, that we’ve created through our eons of pain.
I’m talking about changing the world, and you’re talking about killing a 14-year-old boy. If you believe death is the be-all end-all, why would you wish it upon anyone? Where do you expect the mercy for you to come in from life?
If you don’t give it, you don’t get it. So let’s all start givin’ it to each other now. In the meantime, let’s reform the prisons rather than filling them with slave labor for the private prison industry which has taken over the globe…
Read the Newsweek article. I wonder how other sources presented this story differently. It appears that Brandon has been let down at many levels, i.e. drunk and violent father, drug-abusing mother, bad friends, etc. To me the real story here is how as a society we let talented, yet troubled children like Brandon slip. I think our society loses something when an honors student stops caring about his future.
The Gay aspect of this story only interesting because the “adults” at the school stopped being adults, in that they couldn’t find middle ground about Larry’s provocative behavior, whether it was OK, or if it went too far.
[...] please read related articles – Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008; – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney This entry was written by Stolen Boy, posted on April 1, 2008 at 10:15 am, filed under Brandon [...]
[...] more on Brandon McInerney please read related articles: – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney; – Another child is dead: So, how should we respond? This entry was written by Stolen Boy, [...]
Well, let me make one thing clear, I never said kill Brandon, I said he should face charges as an adult.
But don’t you see, that is the whole point. It appears that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict Brandon in adult court as charged. The charges add up to a minimun of 51 years.
Brandon will die in prison before he reaches his 65th birthay–no question about that. If Brandon is tried as an adult, and sentenced to adult prison, he will die, and his trial in adult court will in essence be his death sentence.
That’s why he must be tried in Juvenile Court. Plus, at CYA they’ll try to rehabilitate him. Brandon needs to have a shot to learn to play the game of life from someone who knows how to teach it. Brandon obviously hadn’t been taught appropriately before this horrific incident with Larry King.
I would respectfully suggest, stolen boy, that as passionate as you are on this subject, you would still have to admit that the chances of rehabilitation being successful are low, perhaps even slim. You’re not only discounting the harm he did, you’re betting with the lives of his future victims. You may not believe ithat the criminal justice system should be about punishment; I do. Punishment, protection, and rehabilitation. Punishing those who do wrong is valuable. But removing thosw who commit crimes from society for a period or all time helps protect society from them, which is also valuable. The purpose of rehabilitation is not to absolve criminals from their wrongdoing, but to serve as a further protective measure to reduce the number of criminals in soceity after their incarceration is finished. A criminal’s personal redemption through rehabilitation is, frankly, a side benefit. Incarceration is almost 100% effective at protecting society from criminals, while rehabilitation’s effectiveness might be in the single digits.
The law has to draw the line somewhere vis-a-vis trying minors as adults, and this case may help define teh constitutional limitations on where states draw that line, as it certainly seems close to the edge of what is acceptible.
If anyone destroyed Brandon, it was himself, just as surely as if he had put the gun to his own head after he had shot Larry. Do not blame our just society or our laws for the consequences of this child’s heinous, extreme act of murder.
Would that your fine and civilized compassion was directed at making schools more tolerant and protecting the victims of gay bullying and homophobic rage.
Allen
Here Here Allen! I second that.
It’s a very tough call to decide where you stand on this issue since so many emotions are involved. I think if you take the emotion out of the situation it’s clearer to see how awful the crime is and how Brandon should be appropriately punished.
[...] please read related articles: – Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008; – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney; – Another child is dead: So, how should we respond? Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]
Some people seem not to be able to read, or listen. Stolen boy has said Brandon should be sentenced by Juvenile court. He did not say Brandon should go free.
I agree completely with Stolen Boy. Let Brandon go to Juvenile court. Have him sentenced for killing someone, which is bad. And give him a chance to rehabilitate himself. Maybe when he is twenty years old, and has had some real help, he can become a good citizen. Don’t give up on these kids that society has helped fuck up.
Another thing:
I am not certain about the details of the case. But if Larry indeed was bullied because he was gay, and because of that, he himself bullied some kid like Brandon? Let’s look at this objectively: If Larry had done physical harm to Brandon, beating Brandon or cutting him, Larry himself would have been prosecuted, even though he was a victim of bullying. Now instead Larry maybe did psychological damage to Brandon, and now everybody says, Brandon is the bad guy. Sorry for the easy-solution-people out there: This is really not a black-and-white clearcut case.
Arne and Stolen Boy
I posted my view on this subject in an earlier post, so refer to that if you’d like.
Hypothetically, say Brandon does to CYA and takes the necessary steps to rehabilitate. This is where the problem comes. How does he go back into society? I mean, what would his mentality be? I cant even imagine the attempt to proceed with an even semi-normal life with murder on my concious. Im sure the media and victims would pry at his mind and soul. He would have to have no self-awareness. He’ll put a pistol in his mouth before he is 30.
Arne, I can read and I still say that he made a very adult, calculated decision to murder someone else, someone that asked him to be his valentine. It sounds to me like Larry had a crush, very normal for a 14 year old. It’s just too bad he had too many emotions for someone who was so screwed up. Though maybe that’s what attracted Larry to Brandon. I can identify with Larry so maybe my emotions are a bit biased though I still stand behind Brandon facing charges as an adult.
Michael
What is the risk that someone who has been incarcerated for a crime he did not do for ten or twenty years, and we release him because now we discovered the truth. Most of them, as far as I know, do not turn around, go find the DA and police officers who jailed them, (sometimes with evidence that has been tampered with) and start killing the guys who took 20 years of their lives. I’m not so sure about what I would do if those 20 years had been mine.
People do come out of prison without shooting others or themselves up. Rehabilitation includes talking about why you did it, and why and how you can live with what you have done. As we all have to learn to live with what we have done. Some people have done something (almost) as bad as what Brandon did, they stayed out of the hands of the police, and they learn to live with it.
Anon
I can feel for your emotions, but I do think that is not how we should go about dispensing judgements. I remember once at school, 12yo, in one instances I pushed a girl, and in another a boy, who were harassing me against a wall, and they got hurt. I could not handle their harassment and reacted in blind anger without thinking. From then on, they left me alone. I reacted out of blind agression as a result of the feeling: “you shut up, right now. Leave me alone” I was taller than those kids and should have reacted more mature and sensible, like we expect from 12-14 yo kids? Maybe lucky for me I did not have a gun at that moment?
I really believe: Punishment must fit the crime: protecting people from wrongdoers who may be recidivist, sending a warning to potential criminals, and rehabilitation. Unless there will be other evidence, I do not see Brandon as a potential recidivist, I do not see other 14yo kids go shooting their peers if Brandon is sentenced to e.g. 3-5 years instead of 51, and jailing him does not bring Larry back. The only thing left is the question: (1)do we kill Brandon during the 51 years (then we might as well kill him immediately) (2)do we let an old and useless Brandon free at 65, or (3)do we give him a chance to live, when he has learned how to handle what life throws him. I choose option (3). I am sad for what happened to Larry, but life in jail for Brandon does not improve our society.
As a mature gay male, I’m very conerned that Larry King is being transformed into a gay martyr while Brandon McInerney is viewed as the devil incarnate. I’m equally concerned that in this case as in others, the public school system has had the responsibility of social experimentation foisted upon it while the primary purpose of a public school is public education.
From what I have read in both the gay and straight media, Larry was a pretty mixed up kid who tended to force his presence on others in ways both appropriate and non appropriate…it would have been interesting to see earlier report cards where social interaction was evaluated. While in no way does this justify Brandon’s shooting Larry nor even Brandon’s having access to a gun, it seems obvious that Larry’s ongoing harrasment was a factor in Brandon’s reaction. I’d be very interested in what steps adults to include the parents, school and any others took to stop what I feel was Larry’s inappropriate behavior. All kids, gay and straight, particularly at that age deserve protection. I wonder what the communities’ various reactions would have been had Brandon killed himself rather than Larry. Would any community have raised arms in protest at this tragedy?
Therefore one can only reach one simple conclusion: One kid is dead, another alive. Let’s not take the life of the second kid by trying him as an adult and, for all intent and purpose, imprisoning him for life.
One kid is dead
[...] – Brandon McInerney is Worth Saving – Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008 – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney – Another child is dead: So, how should we respond? Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]
Looks like he will be tried as an adult… I’m not exactly sure I’m “happy” about it but I knew that it was the right decision.
I think that the Bible says something about “An eye for an eye” so what is the problem. Too bad we don’t still have firing squads in this Country.
[...] – Brandon McInerney is Worth Saving – Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008 – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney – Another child is dead: So, how should we respond? Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]
[...] – Brandon McInerney is Worth Saving – Brandon McInerney’s Legal Court Brief for July 24, 2008 – Let’s Not Destroy Brandon McInerney – Another child is dead: So, how should we respond? This entry was written by Stolen Boy, posted [...]
Let’s not mince words here and put it this way. If you think it is a good idea that he is tried as an adult, you think it would be a wise idea to give him the death penalty. Because sentencing this young kid to 50+ years, is equal to a death penalty.
First of all, what do you expect of the man Brandon when is let free at 65? He has not been able to have an income and get some pension, so he will be dependent on Government his whole life, and you, the taxpayer, pays for it. Secondly, if you sentence someone to life in prison, you actually give him a death penalty. Would be more honest to say so and do it.
Thirdly, if he is killed during the 50+ years, it is a direct consequence of the people who sent him there. Do not try to argue that it is his own fault. If people get raped in prison or get killed, it is a result of the people who put them there. Or they should have protected them better, which right now is not the case. And yes, what if he is raped, can he file charges against the government, as anyone who is a victim of abuse can charge the people who are responsible?
A 14 yo kid for a life sentence, it is damn shame for a civilized society.
If you think that ‘an eye for an eye’ still applies, I take it that you adhere to all the rules in the old testament. E.g., you do not eat anything from pigs, you do not wear clothes that are of mixed materials, you agree that it is a shame to use contraceptives as you have to multiply the earth. Any time you got off without trying to impregnate your wife is against the wording of the old testament (you of course never masturbated when you were young). If you do pick your texts as it conveniences you, stop using this ‘eye for an eye’ argument, becaus that does then not apply any longer, just as all the other rules of the old testament that you do no longer adhere to.
Brandon needs to die in prison, he chose to take a life and choices are met with consequence, though dirty lawyers that chase ambulance distort the truth and try to build a case like a house of cards: they only show you one side, but the structure barely has any support or beef to it.
Eye for an Eye, tooth for a tooth. Brandon good luck in gladiator school… San Quentin Maximum Security awaits you.
Not enough is being said about the effects of a child being bullied in schools by classmates. An article I read said McInerney was the target of Kings affections. King was depicted as quite flambouyant, I honestly see how this could send another boy over the edge.
If my child was premeditated, execution style murdered, and you told me the boy who killed him was going to get therapy for a few years so he could go live a decent life, you would destroy my life, as well as my families and every one who knew my child, leaving them to believe they lived in a world that is unjust. That it is ok for another family to neglect their child, be bad parents who rear a murderer and they and their child are given penance, while we suffer. You’re going to spend my hard earned tax dollars for all that it would take to supposedly rehabilitate a child and put him back out on the streets? And what does that teach children? You can screw up severely and kill another human being whom you just don’t happen to like but then get therapy? How does that encourage preventing kids from doing such heinous crimes? It doesn’t. Are you really so cold that your response, is, “He’s already dead, so let’s move on to saving the next kid?” You just disregard another, innocent child who was a victim. Do you so easily throw away the feelings and the lives of his family and friends who are destroyed forever because of it? I think you need to seriously realign your thinking. What you propose just encourages bullies that there is no real consequence. They’ll get a severe slap on the wrist and be let loose to go on to live their wonderful life. You should be ashamed.
Are you off to make another buck off of another criminal, Michael, just like you did Jesse James Hollywood’s story? Garnering more awards, perhaps. How could you suggest the heinous nature of this crime deserves less than the full force of the law be brought down on Brandon McInerney?
Have you been keep tracking of the shenanigans the defense attorneys have been putting up including having his brother testify in full uniform to gain juror sympathy, the hearsay testimony (with no concrete proof whatsoever) of Brandon’s alleged molestation and how about the reports of McInerney being the aggressor, teasing the effeminate King for weeks and vowing to “get a gun and shoot” him, according to a prosecution brief. Multiple students provided accounts of a growing hostility between the two boys, the document shows http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/12/local/me-king-mcinerney12)
While you fancy yourself as social activist with regards to teen issues, this is a case where the teen deserves the charges he is facing.