Oxnard teen who shot gay classmate to be sentenced
A teenager who fatally shot a gay classmate at an Oxnard middle school is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.
Brandon McInerney, 17, is expected to be sent to prison for 21 years under a plea deal reached last month, closing the books on a case that drew international headlines and ignited debate on how schools should handle sexual identity issues.
McInerney, who was 14 when he pulled a gun out of his backpack and shot Larry King twice at point-blank range, would be kept behind bars until he is 38 under the terms of the agreement struck by Ventura County prosecutors.
He subsequently pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. In return, prosecutors agreed not to go forward with a second trial, which could have resulted in a life sentence.
McInerney shot King, 15, in a school computer lab at E.O Green Junior High in Oxnard in February 2008, after days of conflict between the boys. Students and teachers at the trial testified that King had been wearing women's accessories and makeup and flirting aggressively with male students who did not want the attention.
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-- Sam Quinones
Photo: Brandon McInerney, left, and Larry King. Credit: Los Angeles Times