LGBT groups say try Lawrence's accused killer as juvenile http://data.lambdalegal.org/publications/downloads/lawrence- king_joint-statement_juvenile-suspect.pdf Joint Statement of LGBT Legal and Advocacy Groups Urging District Attorney to Try Alleged Perpetrator in Lawrence King Murder in Juvenile Court As organizations defending and advocating for the rights of LGBT people, we are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high school student Lawrence King. 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 facts in this matter seem clear: one boy killed another in a climate of intolerance and fear about sexual orientation and gender expression. The alleged perpetrator, who turned 14 years old less than three weeks before the shooting, should 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. In addition, public safety is not served by treating children as adults. According to research released by the Centers for Disease Control in 2006, children transferred to adult court are more likely to re-offend than those committing similar offenses who remain in the juvenile justice system. California law does not require District Attorneys to prosecute 14 year-olds as adults, even in circumstances such as these, and we oppose them doing so. We are issuing this joint statement because we believe so strongly in principles of justice that protect all our young people and know that, even in the face of strong emotions, we should not abandon them. We refuse to let our sense of outrage blind us to the fact that the suspect is only 14 years old. Prosecuting the alleged perpetrator as an adult will not bring Lawrence King back nor will it make schools safer for LGBT youth. We must respond to this tragedy by strengthening our resolve to change the climate in schools, eliminate bigotry based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and hold schools responsible for protecting students against discrimination and physical harm. Signed by: American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California; American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties; American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California; Ally Action (CA); Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE; national); Community United Against Violence (San Francisco); Different Avenues (DC); Equality California; Gay Straight Alliance Network (CA); Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD); Human Rights Campaign; LAGAI – Queer Insurrection; Lambda Legal; LifeWorks Mentoring (Los Angeles); Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center; National Black Justice Coalition; National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for Transgender Equality; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National; Safe Schools Coalition; San Francisco LGBT Community Center; Sylvia Rivera Law Project (New York); TGI Justice Project (CA); Transgender Law Center; The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (NY); TransYouth Family Allies, Inc.
I honestly cannot stand the pansy liberals that are never willing to punish the guilty as they deserve. The little bastard should get the needle (life in prison at the very least). He is a cold blooded murderer and deserves nothing less.
As a juvenile. He's only 14 for goodness' sake. Some people can't even properly read at that age. I feel very sorry for him.
He should definitely be tried as a juvenile. I'm not defending his actions, but he must have been really confused and scared to do what he did. Just because he killed Lawrence King, it doesn't mean he will kill someone else. I'd guess that he will be more accepting of LGBTs from now on (even though gay people will probably try to distance themselves from him as much as possible).
its ridiculous for anyone to say a 14 year old should be tried as an adult. no matter who he killed, gay or straight. murder is bad, yes. but he's only a kid. but maybe its just cause us "pansy liberals" are the ones who think.
Juvenile, duh. It's stupid to try and ruin his life by trying him as an adult. Two wrongs don't make a right.
If you walk up to another person and shoot them in the head for no good reason, you are a psychopathic murderer, no matter what your age, and you should be sent where psychopathic murderers belong, namely prison (or IMO the lethal injection chamber).
Another thread discussed this topic pretty thoroughly, I think it's worth a reference here. http://emptyclosets.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8981&
Whether you try someone as a juvenile or an adult is based upon their age and stage of mental development, NOT the severity of the crime.
I cannot feel sorry for the little bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing and deserves the full punishment. RFB
Who can't read at this age who does have a pre-exsisting mental disability. (but he should still be tried as a kid, since he is a kid)
I Guess so, But hes not aware of it, so he's not really a victum yet. maybe when/if he reflects back when hes older and realizes what he did and how it was so terribly wrong.
I made some dumb decisions when I was 14 that I wouldn't make now, even just 3 years later. I also don't know what the CA punishment for murder is, but I am a staunch opponent of an imposed death penalty.
Honestly I don't care if he was taught to hate like this or not because the fact remains that there is a difference between being taught to hate and killing someone for it. I'm sure he wasn't taught to go get a gun and shoot someone for their orientation. He knew what he was doing. Even so though because I'm feeling nice today I chose juvenile. But nobody can tell me that he didn't understand what he was doing or that because he was taught hate he is a victim and he killed because of his environment. I just don't think he had a conscience or if he does he ignored it because I, even if I deeply hated someone could never pick up a gun and shoot someone and I'm sure most of you couldn't do it either. just my opinion.
I'll just say what I just told Mick... I hate the bastard's guts and feel no mercy for him but I do have a sense of justice and think that juveniles should be charged as juveniles and adults as adults
