Personal Injury Law

Suit Filed Over Classroom Murder of Southern California Gay Teen

By Greg Owen

The family of a gay teenager murdered during class has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit accusing the scool district, a shelter, and a gay rights organization of failure to protect him.

Lawrence King, 15, was killed last February while attending class at E. O. Green Junior High School. The accused, Brandon McInerney, was charged as an adult and has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and a hate crime.

The suit names nearly two dozen defendents including Lawrence's principal and teacher; McInerney and his parents; Casa Pacifica, a shelter for troubled children; counselors; a social worker; and the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance.

The shelter allegedly gave Lawrence “cross-dressing clothes and makeup and women’s boots,” and the Rainbow Alliance, where Mr. King took part in group activities for gay teenagers, encouraged him to make sexual advances toward his classmate, the suit claims.

If convicted, Mr. McInerney, now 15, could face 51 years to life in prison. He is accused of shooting Mr. King, who was in the eighth grade, twice in the head in English class.

Full post as published by Glendale Personal Injury Lawyer on February 17, 2009 (boomark / email).