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Lawrence King's Family Files Wrongful Death Suit

The family of Lawrence King, the gay teenager who was shot dead last February in his school classroom in Ventura County, Calif., has filed a wrongful death suit that names some two dozen defendants, including the school's principal and a local gay rights organization.


The family of Lawrence King, the gay teenager who was shot dead last February in his school classroom in Ventura County, Calif., has filed a wrongful death suit that names some two dozen defendants, including the school's principal and a local gay rights organization. King's parents and brother also named the young man charged with the murder, Brandon McInerney, and his family in the suit, the Associated Press reports.

According to the suit, the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, where King participated in events for LGBT youths, emboldened the boy to make sexual advances on McInerney, the AP reports. King reportedly told McInerney he loved him in the days before the killing occurred.

But the executive director of the Rainbow Alliance denied the charge. "No facilitator or mental health therapist would say anything even remotely like that," Jay Smith told the AP. "This whole thing is just frivolous."

The suit also accuses the shelter where King was staying at the time of his death, Casa Pacifica, for failing to protect him. Other defendants include King's teacher, various counselors, and a county social worker. (Advocate.com)

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Ryan
    Date posted: 2/19/2009 2:40:00 PM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    How did they get a lawyer to do this? You can't sue for the wrongful death of you children unless they support you financially.

  • Name: Ben
    Date posted: 2/19/2009 4:03:00 AM
    Hometown: NY

    Comment:

    His parents should be thrown in jail for child abuse

  • Name: Thomas
    Date posted: 2/18/2009 1:42:00 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    Larry was living in a shelter because his family threw him out for being gay. It is sickening that these people are now using his murder as an attempt to further their financial condition. They are as despicable as his murderer.

  • Name: Mike
    Date posted: 2/18/2009 1:49:00 AM
    Hometown: Studio City, CA

    Comment:

    Jared: Unfortunately, you're ignorant. Replace Larry with a girl and you're saying it would be okay to kill her for "making advances" on a straight kid? Grow up. Grow a conscience and Grow some morals. Murder is Murder is Murder.

  • Name: Jared
    Date posted: 2/18/2009 12:32:00 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    What a crock of shit. They make this Larry kid look so innocent its pathetic. He got what was coming to him with good cause. He was sexually harassing this McInerney kid for months, making sexual advances on him and inappropriate sexual remarks. The true victim in this case has ALWAYS been Brandon McInerney. If Larry wasn't a sexual predator, he wouldn't be 6 feet under the ground right now. The background behind this case says it all. Larry instigated and provoked this whole incident. Now the King family wants to get rich off their sons death? Fuck that shit.

  • Name: BradK
    Date posted: 2/17/2009 4:13:00 PM
    Hometown: Hollywood, H8

    Comment:

    Taking a page out of the Fred Goldman playbook, I see. No tragedy too sad not to ca$h in on.

  • Name: Larry
    Date posted: 2/17/2009 3:14:00 PM
    Hometown: New York City

    Comment:

    He was staying at a shelter? Did his family throw him out? Murder is murder. The killer should be prosecuted and justice carried out. There ought to be plenty of witnesses.



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