by Peter DelVecchio

Defense in teen’s murder wants juvenile justice

Pressure is mounting on Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten to try 14-year-old Brandon McInerney as a juvenile in the murder of McInerney’s 15-year-old openly gay classmate, Lawrence King, in February.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox charged McInerney — who turned 14 just weeks before the schoolroom shooting — as an adult with premeditated first-degree murder and a hate crime.

On April 14, a coalition of 27 LGBT groups sent a letter to Totten saying, “The facts in this matter seem clear—one boy killed another in a climate of intolerance and fear about sexual orientation and gender expression.” But, the letter said, prosecuting McInerney as an adult would not bring King back, nor would it make schools safer for LGBT youth.

In an interview with the Ventura County Star April 20, McInerney’s public defender, William Quest, said the tragedy could have been avoided if school administrators had stepped in to handle complaints about the gay teen’s cross-dressing, which Quest called “disruptive.”

Additionally, the newspaper said that students witnessed King teasing McInerney, which Quest said McInerney perceived as harassment.

“Cross-dressing isn’t a normal thing in adult environments,” Quest said, “yet 12, 13- and 14-year-olds were expected to just accept it and go on.”

The paper noted, however, that Quest did not cite any specific confrontations, nor would he say if McInerney sought help from any adult about King’s alleged harassment. Previous reports have noted eyewitness accounts of McInerney and his friends bullying King.

The school district superintendent denied Quest’s allegation.

Meanwhile, Fox said that the investigation is ongoing. And while she will listen to all opinions, she told the newspaper that she has not changed her mind about trying McInereney as an adult, which state law gives her discretion to do.

“I have a dead boy and I have people impacted on both sides,” Fox told IN Los Angeles magazine in an earlier interview.

McInerney is scheduled to be arraigned on May 8. —Karen Ocamb

End Dependence to hold comedy fundraiser

End Dependence, and anti-addiction group, will hold a comedy fundraiser May 17 at Hollywood’s Ricardo Montalbán Theatre, featuring Jay Davis, Mick Betancourt, Bret Ernst, Todd Glass, Tracey MacDonald and John Roy. Proceeds will “help people living in [L.A.] to reclaim their lives from addiction to alcohol, cocaine or methamphetamine,” a press release states.

“While you’re laughing, you’ll raise significant funds that help us to help others break the cycle of addiction,” said End Dependence Executive Director Kim Zanti.

For more information about the event and the organization, visit www.enddependence.org.

Harvey Milk Day bill passes Assembly committee

A bill authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno and sponsored by Equality California to establish May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in California passed the Assembly Education Committee 7-3 on April 23.

If the bill is passed and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California would become the first state in the nation to designate a day specifically commemorating a leader of the LGBT community.

Time magazine said Milk was “the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office in the history of the planet” when he became a San Francisco supervisor. He was assassinated in 1978 by a former supervisor, Dan White, who also murdered Mayor George Moscone.

“Given the alarming rates of suicide, depression, substance abuse, bullying and violence against LGBT youth in our schools, the bill aims to give LGBT and straight students alike a positive representative of who LGBT people are that inspires pride and self esteem rather than fear and shame,” Leno said. “That is what Harvey was all about.”

Three other bills that would advance LGBT legal protections also cleared legislative committees, according EQCA.

On April 15, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved Assembly Bill 2654—the Civil Rights Act of 2008—authored by Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), which would overhaul and make consistent the various state statutes addressing discrimination. On April 16, the Senate Health Committee passed Senate Bill 1729, authored by Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), which would require training of “licensed health professionals who care for seniors about the unique needs of the [LGBT] community.”

Also on April 16, the Assembly Human Services Committee passed Assembly Bill 3015, authored by Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Woodland Hills), which “would help protect foster youth against harassment and discrimination at school.” AB 3015 was introduced in response to the recent murder of 15 year-old Lawrence King in an Oxnard classroom, allegedly by a 14-year-old classmate.

Jeff Prang, Abbe Land installed in WeHo

Jeff Prang and Abbe Land were sworn in as West Hollywood’s new mayor and mayor pro tem, respectively, during the April 20 City Council meeting.

Outgoing Mayor John Duran thanked everyone for their support during his tenure—especially Boys Town—saying it was a “privilege to serve a community of people you love so much.” He noted that, despite hard economic times, West Hollywood has a $95 million budget for a city of 40,000 people, for which he credited City Manager Paul Arevalo.

In his comments, Prang said he wants to “look at the future with a vision that aims at the stars.” He noted that in 2009, West Hollywood will begin a year-long celebration of it’s 25th anniversary, during which he intends to focus on “important and stimulating projects,” including the “bricks and mortar” of the city’s infrastructure. “I promise I will give you my very best effort and commitment,” Prang said. —K.O.

900+ LAUSD students observe Day of Silence

This year’s National Day of Silence on April 25 was held in the memory of 15-year-old Lawrence King, who was shot and killed, allegedly by his 14-year-old classmate, Brandon McInerney, after a series of bullying incidents.

“Larry's death is an unnecessary reminder of what we already know: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students continue to face pervasive harassment and victimization in schools. As students use their silence to demand schools are safe for all students, it is my hope that we in Congress will use our voices to ensure that it be so,” openly lesbian Congressmember Tammy Baldwin said on the floor of the House April 23.

According to a 2005 survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, sponsors of the Day of Silence (DOS), “four out of five LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and 29 percent [reported] missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.”

Among the thousands participating in the national event to stop violence against LGBTQ youth and their allies were 900-plus students at L.A. Unified School District’s Miguel Contreras’ School of Social Justice, who held their DOS event on April 24, followed by a special screening the following day of the film Tru Loved, about the founding of a gay-straight alliance at an L.A. school.

“It’s inspiring that this L.A. public school is taking the lead as a role model for schools statewide and nationwide, and we’re proud to be collaborating with them on their efforts,” said Antonio Brown, Tru Loved producer.

“Families and allies need and deserve our support on this journey, and MCLC's School of Social Justice has earned our appreciation for their steps to ensure that our loved ones are respected and protected, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Jody Huckaby, president of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. —K.O.

Fundraiser for San Diego mayor

A fundraiser will be held the evening of May 12 at Hawthorn’s Restaurant in San Diego for the re-election of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. Sanders, a former police chief whose daughter, Lisa, is openly lesbian, initially opposed same-sex marriage, but switched his stance and, in a tearful news conference last September, announced he would back the City Council’s decision to support marriage equality in a case pending before the California Supreme Court, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. “I decided to lead with my heart,” said Sanders. For information, contact Tomox@aol.com.

Interfaith marriage equality videos released

The Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), California Faith for Equality, the Metropolitan Community Church and the Fellowship have released videos “featur[ing] prominent faith leaders across traditions” supporting marriage equality as part of a “To Have and to Hold: Faith Leaders for the Freedom to Marry” campaign, states an April 21 HUC-JIR release.

“The timeliness of this message is compelling with the ‘Limits on Marriage’ ballot measure petition in California, a similar ballot measure in Florida, potential initiatives in other states, and with heated discussions about marriage within the structures of many religious denominations,” the release states. The campaign also asks people of faith to sign a “Declaration of Support” that, among other things, supports marriage equality and opposes LGBT discrimination and certain governmental interference with religion.

To view the videos and sign the declaration, visit www.cafaithforequality.org.