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| Lawrence Fobes “Larry” King (1993 – 2008) |
Lawrence Fobes “Larry” King (January 13, 1993 – February 14, 2008)
Lawrence Fobes "Larry" King was born on January 13, 1993 in Ventura, California. Larry had a very hard childhood. He was adopted at age two by Gregory and Dawn King. His biological father had abandoned his wife who was a drug addict and failed to care for her son properly. Larry was prescribed medication because he had been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a condition in which a child fails to develop relationships with his or her caregivers. His schooling suffered too due to this condition.
In spite of all these problems, Larry seems to have been a very independent and confident little boy. His father describes him as headstrong, confident and a sweet boy who loved to sing and claimed that, Larry had a very gifted voice. In fact, Larry had spent a considerable amount of time studying the 'Star Spangled Banner' which he hoped to sing at his little brother’s baseball game. Friends had even encouraged Larry to try out for American Idol.
In spite of all these problems, Larry seems to have been a very independent and confident little boy. His father describes him as headstrong, confident and a sweet boy who loved to sing and claimed that, Larry had a very gifted voice. In fact, Larry had spent a considerable amount of time studying the 'Star Spangled Banner' which he hoped to sing at his little brother’s baseball game. Friends had even encouraged Larry to try out for American Idol.
Larry also shared a special bond with animals and had an affectionate relation with a stray dog named Jasmine who, according to Larry’s father, would fetch for Larry, but run if anyone else tried to come near her.
He was so sure of his sexuality that he accepted himself as being gay when he was only 10 years old. By the third grade, Larry began to be bullied by his fellow students due to his effeminacy and openness about being gay.
Lawrence ‘Larry’ King’s young life was tragically ended at the tender age of 15, when he was shot in the head by 14 years old Brandon McInerney on February 12, 2008 in a classroom at E.O. Green Middle School in Oxnard, California. He was pronounced brain-dead the next day. Lawrence King was taken off a ventilator late February 14.
Larry had transferred to E.O. Green Junior High School in the seventh grade, and the bullying, which had continued, intensified when he began attending school wearing women's accessories and clothing, high heels and makeup in January 2008. Allegedly, Larry had started identifying himself as a woman. Larry's younger brother Rocky also suffered bullying because of Larry's appearance. The school could not legally stop Larry from dressing as such because of a California hate crime law that prevents gender discrimination. Teachers at the school thought differently. According to them his clothing was clearly in violation of school code, which prevents students from wearing clothing considered distracting. The school had to issue a formal notice to every teacher on January 29, 2008 via email which was written by eighth-grade assistant principal Sue Parsons, it read, in part:
We have a student on campus who has chosen to express his sexuality by wearing make-up. It is his right to do so. Some kids are finding it amusing, others are bothered by it. As long as it does not cause classroom disruptions he is within his rights. We are asking that you talk to your students about being civil and non-judgmental. They don't have to like it but they need to give him his space. We are also asking you to watch for possible problems. If you wish to talk further about it please see me or Joy Epstein.
Larry and Brandon had a history of being in several "acrimonious" verbal altercations, as described by the prosecutor. Brandon attempted to recruit other students to assault Larry, but when no one expressed interest, Brandon then decided to do it by himself. The day before the shooting, Brandon, who had experience target shooting with the gun used in the crime, reportedly told one of Larry's friends, "Say goodbye to your friend Larry because you're never going to see him again".
On the morning of February 12, 2008, during a class in a computer laboratory, at approximately 8:15 a.m local time, Brandon shot Larry twice in the head using a .22-caliber revolver he withdrew from his backpack. Following the shooting, Brandon tossed the handgun on the floor and left the classroom. He was apprehended by police about seven minutes later and five blocks away from the school campus.
Larry was immediately hospitalized at St. John's Regional Medical Center where he was declared to be in serious condition. He was declared brain dead on February 13 but was kept on life support for two days so that his organs could be donated. Larry’s family had decided to donate his organs. Because of his rare type-A blood, Larry will live on through the donation of seven vital organs. According to his father, a young child received Larry’s heart on Valentine’s Day, the day Larry was taken off life support.
Brandon McInerney has been charged as an adult with premeditated murder with enhancements of discharge of a firearm and a hate crime. He is being held in lieu of US$770,000 bail, and faces a minimum sentence of 53 years imprisonment to a maximum life sentence.
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| A memoriam for Lawrence King |
Newsweek had described the shooting as "the most prominent gay-bias crime since the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard", bringing attention to issues of gun violence as well as gender expression and sexual identity of teenagers.
To the world this event illustrates, yet again, the senseless tragedy that hate can breed. Two young lives painfully rendered useless. Larry was not the only victim that hate claimed in this case, even Brandon’s life was usurped and mutilated by the hatred he nurtured. We, the adults of the world, should be more attentive to what values and convictions we are passing down to our children and try to be more sensitive and broadminded towards accepting differences and spread the message of peaceful coexistence rather than the destructive and narrow minded hatred.
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