Rights Groups Ask That Teen be Tried in Juvenile Court.
A coalition of groups that advocate for LGBT rights have asked that Brandon McInerney, the 14-year-old boy who allegedly shot and killed 15-year-old Lawrence King, be tried as a juvenile. This would ensure that should he be found guilty he would go to a juvenile facility and receive a shorter sentence. In particular he would not be subject to the hate-crime penalty which could add an additional 1-3 years and the up to 25 years for use of a firearm.
The coalition of lesbian, gay and other organizations, including Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center, announced Monday they have asked District Attorney Greg Totten to try McInerney as a juvenile.
“We are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high school student Lawrence King,” the groups’ statement read. “At the same time, we call on prosecutors not to compound this tragedy with another wrong. We call on them to treat the suspect as a juvenile, not as an adult.”
The groups’ statement called for the suspect to “be held accountable for his actions. But we support the principles underlying our juvenile justice system that treat children differently than adults and provide greater hope and opportunity for rehabilitation.”
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Other groups that signed the statement include the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
I have mulled this over in my head since reading the stories and have not been able to decide where I stand on this matter. Therefore I’m posting this as is, without commentary.
