Posted by santabarbarasand on September 24, 2008 at 6:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ah, represent him for $1 in exchange for future movie rights?? If anyone gets to make money from a movie being made it should be King's family! How sick would it be if this boys family, who raised him in such a lousy way, profits from his crime?

Posted by JesusMalverde on September 24, 2008 at 6:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to say that I disagree with Willie Quest on just about every issue imaginable. His comments in this case often times infuriate me. BUT, this family is making a HUGE mistake firing the public defender.

The PD is familiar with this vourthouse and these judges. Quest is a solid attorney and a serious advocate. Just because that firm is willing to take a case for a buck and those attorneys are not PD's does not make them the best choice.

I agree with the DAs position on this case, but I also believe in justice. Justice requires a vigorous defense.

Posted by goldeneye on September 24, 2008 at 7:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Should the public really care who defends this murderer? Isn't it the murderer's choice as to who defends him? This story will never end right because the murderer won't be executed because of his age. He shot a child in a crowded classroom. This is an open and shut case.

Mr. Malverde, instead of throwing compliments to the public defense attorney, why don't you just come right out and admit that you are a member of the ACLU? Spend your time thinking about the child who had his life snuffed out by the murderer and the children who witnessed this act of barbarity. May God bless and comfort them.

Posted by imdunnfor on September 24, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Perhaps goldeneye is unfamiliar with this country and its rights such as the right to competant representation. If it's a length of rope and a sturdy tree you want applied, you are at least 100 years too late. What difference does it make what organization someone belongs to, this is AMERICA! Defense attorneys serve a necessary function in a free society, like it or not. They get reviled, while prosecutors get praised.

Posted by keepin_it_real on September 24, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree, this should be an open and freakin shut case. Why carry this out? Why? To make the lawyers get rich, take all the taxpayers money when the guy is guilty and everyone knows it. I know there has to be a trial, but get in there, get it done and be over with it. This has dragged out long enough as it is.

Posted by 805grl on September 24, 2008 at 7:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Brandon should plead guilty and save us some money. Now hes scared of facing life in prison...but he wasnt scared when he poitned the gun and shot twice to take out a life.. whatever!

Posted by Nosmo_King on September 24, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

wouldn't the taxpayers be better served if the Public defenders office let the other law firm handle it for a buck?

Posted by Equitable_Enforcer on September 24, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There is a defense against the hate crime charges which I've not heard from Quest. At the heart of the defense is a former vice principal whose gay rights advocacy and poor judgment may well have set the stage for what happened. Larry was not killed BECAUSE he was gay. He was killed because of a SITUATION that evolved and could have been stopped by school administration had there been leadership that seems to be using state law as an excuse for incompetence. Also to blame is the legislature of our state. They have gone a bit overboard on the issue of gay rights. Read SB 777. Go ahead, read it and provide some feedback. As I've said here before, it may well be that Larry wasn't gay and that he was merely demonstrating characteristics of RAD by seeking attention in what he discovered to be a very effective way.

Posted by godslove1 on September 24, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

@Enforcer: you are one of the few individuals who seem to have a grasp on what the real issue is here. From the beginning I have said the same but the public seems to be fascinated and is thriving on the speculations that make this story scandalous.

Our society has come to the point that they would rather accept a story that sensationalizes the facts rather than states them truthfully. and promoting the gay agenda is on the forefront of it all!!

How sad, how terribly sad that we have been lowered to a level of animals ready to attack, rather that using the brains that the Lord has given us to think things through and follow a logical conclusion.

God bless us all!

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Who really cares who defends this little murderer? Let's just get him convicted and be done with it.

Posted by cast on September 24, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore

It is better to remain silent and appear foolish that to open you mouth and remove all doubt

Posted by cast on September 24, 2008 at 9:35 a.m.

(This thread was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by cast on September 24, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore
Can i ask you,what are you MAD about? Babe you are who you are.Let your anger go!

Posted by cast on September 24, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore

Sometimes if we try to force change, it only makes things worse. ... It’s not easy to take criticism but it can be very valuable. ...

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"In my opinion the gay kid was taunting the straight kid and got more than he bargained for."

So murder is justifiable if the murderer was being taunted?

MadAs...you are a piece of work.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was asking you if you think that taunting is a justification for murder.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Since Cast and ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore appear to be "taunting" each other, should they both go out and pick up some body armor?

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BumsenSiedenStern...seriously, right?

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So he is being tried as an adult but needs someone to watch out for his best interests because he is a minor? What?

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

beachgurl...excellent catch! Touche to you on that one...

Brandon planned the murder, he committed the murder...there is no denying that. He's also 14 years old.

So which is it? Child or adult? If I was the new defense attorney I'd jump all over the appointment of the "guardian."

beachgurl...you are good!

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"So he is being tried as an adult but needs someone to watch out for his best interests because he is a minor? What?"

Being tried as an adult does not mean you get to vote, drive, or drink.

This is all just legal procedure.

I think there is a huge leap from expecting a person of his age to understand that killing is wrong to understanding the legal implications and intentions of justice system and lawyers.

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks Bumsen....I do get that at 14 he needs someone to sift through the legal stuff (as adults do) and also get that at 14 he knows it is wrong to shoot someone in the head. I just saw the irony there and called it out.
JrMafia, I am around just not as prolific a poster as you.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a different lawyer I believe.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"JrMafia, I am around just not as prolific a poster as you."

Weren't you the lady who posted that you were happy certain posters were gone because you were tired of the back and forth between them?

Stick to the story please. :)

Posted by caroldammit on September 24, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

JR: A different lawyer has been appointed as guardian-neither the current representation, nor the prospective new representation. I'm glad the kid now has someone other than the parents, who presumably have not given him very good guidance in the past, to look out for his best interests. SAD case, all around!

Posted by rebel123 on September 24, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I find it interesting that the victim is called a child but the shooter is now an adult in the eyes of the court. A child shot a child. Just an observation.

Posted by BHAK on September 24, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I just wish they quit with all the delays already and get on with a trial so the family of Larry can have some closure its been 7 months now. But I expect there will be more delays into next year. Makes you wonder if the continued delays will go past the anniversary of Larry's death. What do you bet that Brandon's family will change lawyers again before it over.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"I find it interesting that the victim is called a child but the shooter is now an adult in the eyes of the court. A child shot a child. Just an observation."

It just for the purposes of sentencing. We want to make sure we can put the little murderer away for good so he doesn't kill again.

Imagine a guy who is 17 killing someone. He turns 18 in two months, should we be happy he'd get out at 25 years of age?

Posted by chiques on September 24, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Free advertisement and basically a demo for the firm. If they can demonstrate they can get "anyone" off, they they will be like Johnny Cochran. Wealthy criminals will book the firm years in advance.

"This reminds me of that movie 'Devil's Advocate'"

Posted by madmax on September 24, 2008 at 11:19 a.m.

(This thread was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Bumsen...er...camdad, I can see your writing style a mile away. What I called out was your and JrMafia's tendancy to take over these blogs with your one liners and taunting of others while backing each other up. It gets a bit juvenile and very distracting. It really takes away from the validity of your points and opinions.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The world could use more love...

Posted by smithjc on September 24, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i'm with madmax on this one. only i'd bill the animal's parents for the cost of the bullet.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.

Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last till the end of time.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some, oh, but just for
Every, every, everyone.

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Jrmafia you were mentioned in that blog in the context of someone wondering if you were banned because you were not weighing in.
Thank you both (Jrmafia/camdad) for illustrating my point so well.
I rest my case.

Posted by chiques on September 24, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BumsenSiedenStern,

But isn't "love" what drove Branden to this point?

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ha! Chiques, excellent point.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think Brandon had any love for anyone but Brandon. He proved this by destroying anything he didn't like or agree with.

I'd also appreciate it if you and Beachgurl would knock of the back and forth backing each other up. It's distracting me.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ahhh, I love that song about love...thank you Bumsen!

See, don't we all feel a bit better already?

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just "backing you up". :)

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm hoping Beachgurl sees how it flows both ways and picks up some of the love I sent out.

Brandon had no love. Plain and simple. He felt he was the most important thing in the world.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I really am torn about trying him as an adult. He is, after all, 14 years old.

But what bothers me about this is the premeditation for the crime. At some point Brandon thought "I'm going to kill him." And then he brought a gun to school with the full intention of killing Larry.

This is much different than 'snapping' and starting a fight with someone, and having them die from injuries.

I just can't get past the planning that went into this.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If it makes it any easier on you... If convicted he'll be housed with CA Youth Authority until age 18 at which time he'll be transferred to one of the Prisons in the California Department of Corrections system. Even if he got the death penalty, it's just life by another name here in CA.

Yes, he did plan it. He thought it out and took a number of premeditated steps to execute his plan because he was embarrassed.

I suspect that he was ashamed because maybe he was mildly aroused by Larry's attention and was maybe struggling with his own sexuality.

Posted by beachgurl on September 24, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bea I think you are right about the premeditation. In all articles I read about this they say that Larry was dressed "normally" and was very quiet on the day he was killed, one article I believe said he was sticking close to the teacher. I wonder if Brandon warned him or if the word got out to him that something big was going to happen.

Posted by hotwildflower on September 24, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What about the drunk driver in Fillmore that killed 5 people? 5 people dead and he will probably get less than 5 years. He knew when he got in that car that he was drunk and responsible for these people's lives and went for it anyways...and that guy was in his 30's or 40's...old enough to truly know better.

Brandon should be punished, but not as an adult. At 14 years old, it's harder to control your emotions, especially if something got you all worked up to the point of feeling there is no solution to your problems. Problem solving is often learned and we have heard how problems were solved around him...

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hotwildflower, I think you have it backwards. The driver from Fillmore should get 5 life sentences. We need not ease up on Brandon for justice to be done.

"no solution to your problems"? What problems? Larry had a crush on him and it confused him about his own sexuality. Some kids teased him. From what I understand Brandon was pretty good at bullying people himself so how bad could these "problems" be? Do you think something sexual happened between the two of them and Brandon freaked out?

Posted by hotwildflower on September 24, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree the drunk driver should get 5 life sentences, and I am not suggesting a free pass for Brandon, but I also can't see sending him away for 51 years.

There should be a middle ground, something between the trying as a child and as an adult. Both of these children were failed on so many levels! One is lost already and now we are just ready to throw the other one out to the wolves!

Posted by madmax on September 24, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hotwildflower: So do him the favor and give him the death penalty, imo. He's already a failure, he's just going to be a burden on the system and possibly a future offender if he gets out early. He's made his choice, we don't need someone like that living in our country.

Posted by hotwildflower on September 24, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sorry madmax, I am not the judge and would not assign the death penalty anyways...I am a pro-lifer all the way around.

Do you even know anything about this story beyond the obvious that he shot another? He was in honors classes, on honor roll, excelled in youth sports...he is not a failure, he made a HORRIBLE decision.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

From what I've read about Brandon's parents, they should have to serve part of his sentence for him. Lord only knows they haven't towed the line so far.

Posted by madmax on September 24, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hotwildflower: No exceptions. He killed another person in cold blood, he should have to deal with the same consequences as an inner city black kid with failing grades. He made an unforgivable choice, and we should execute him for it.

Posted by hotwildflower on September 24, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you can have that blood on your hands, I am not executing anyone.

I wouldn't say a 14 year old black, white, mexican or asian (and all the others) CHILD should be killed or sent away as an adult.

As black and white as the issue is for you, it's just as black and white for me with a different point of view.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As much as I hate to admit it, madmax does raise an interesting question. If Brandon was a gang-banger would those who don't think he should be tried as an adult feel the same way?

I've already said that I'm on the fence about Brandon but honestly, if he was a gang-banger, I think I'd be dead-set on trying him as an adult.

Not saying that's right, but I'm being honest.

Posted by BeaHappi on September 24, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And to clarify, even if Brandon is tried as an adult, he will not be eligible for the death penalty.

...because of his age.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 24, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Folks, no matter what kind of student he may have been, he's going into the system. He couldn't deal with a little teasing so he killed a classmate. Well, let me tell you, he's going to be more than just teased while in the system. He's going in cold and soft and he's going to come out cold and hard.

He's a minimonster in the genesis of his rage. It only gets worse from here. He's too far gone to hold his little paw and make it all better, but he WILL come out worse than he goes in.

Posted by BHAK on September 24, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I believe I read in the Newsweek article were Brandon WAS in a English Honors but had been kicked out of it for failing grades and being disruptive in classes, He was also known to be the school bully to other kids. That he also hung out with a Silver Stand Beach gang. It was suggested it was a skin head type gang..

This kid KNEW exactly what he was doing.. He even told Larry's friend to say goodbye to Larry as it was going to be the last time she would see him alive.

Posted by Common_Sense on September 24, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Seems like Slick Willy doesn't want to loose his 15 minutes of fame!!

Posted by maureenmx on September 24, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it is a shame what has happened to this young man, and also the young man that was killed. They are both victims. I believe the school did not handle the situation well. I think that one loss is enough. They should try to help Brandon and perhaps by helping him, others may be helped in the future. Also his family should be held accountable due to his age, they obviously need to be held accountable.

Posted by FedUp on September 24, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"but he WILL come out worse than he goes in."

exactly why he should be tried as an adult. he should never see the light of day as a free man/boy. this was a premeditated murder in every sense of the word.
yes, his parents were definitely part of the problem, but lots of kids have crappy parents, and don't kill anyone.

am I ok with him being executed. yes. he had zero problems executing another young boy. eye for an eye.

I do think that he Vice Principal who was encouraging Larry to dress how he wished was part of the problem. I do hope she has trouble sleeping at night, knowing she is a huge reason that Larry is no longer with us.

Posted by svtcarguy1 on September 24, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

if u can't do the time DON'T DO THE CRIME!!..Brandon should go to prison 4 the rest of his life i mean he took another persons life..

And i'm not just saying brandon should be in prison forever i'm saying anyone who takes another persons life and is caught should be sent to prison forever!!!!

this is just bs,the judge on the other hand i think he should stop wasting his time and Put brandon in Prison already i mean he's getting away with it!!!

Posted by SoSad on September 24, 2008 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Brandon needs more than just a slap on the wrist. He took a life. I feel sorry for him, but what he did was totally wrong.

Posted by shaver_one on September 24, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Try him as a juvenile. He gets out of CYA at age 25. He gets drunk and stumples into Paddy's. He gets propositioned by one of the patrons, and shoots him dead.
Then can we try him as an adult?

Posted by Kaligirl on September 25, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think that all of you are just looking at RACE and SEXUAL prefrences, if Larry would have been straight would there be this much attention to the case? NO of course not!!!!! First of all I knew brandon and his family and your protrail of them is all wrong!!! Brandon was a good kid, in school in honors classes, played sports, in the NAVY cadets, to you who said silverstand gangs.... what just because we live on silverstrand we are all in the gangs? SKIN head what just beacuse a WHITE boy shaves his head he now is a skin head? He was in the NAVY cadets that is a requirement!!!! oh but wait you all know everything right.... Why dont you guys get all your facts before you make a statement.... And yes I belive that he should do time for the crime but again he is a child who did go to teachers, counslers and the principal what did they do nothing? What do you do when you tell someone something and they dont listen to you....you take matters in your own hands and handle it yourself.... NOW i am in no way saying the way brandon handled it was right he should absolutely be punished (as the child he is), but if it would have been payed attention to it would not have come to him having to do something himself... put the teachers, counslers and principal in jail to as they played a part in it themselves!!!!!

Posted by SUNNY on September 25, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Right On Kaligirl!!! Brandon asked for help and wasn't given help from the adults at E.O. Green!! If you are 14 yrs. old and sexually harassed at school that is WRONG!!! Gay or not no one has that right! Also someone said Brandon may have been aroused??? You are sick!!! What if he was molested as a child and all those feelings came back and he decided if no one would help him, he'd help himself?? Since none of the adults at the school WOULD help him, I bet he didn't know what else to do.. Being a CHILD and all.

Posted by SoSad on September 25, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why didn't Brandon just use his fists?

The school had to have seen signs from both sides.

I think a lot of people failed both boys.

Posted by ironwoman on September 26, 2008 at 6:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Kaligirl- Bull....The moment Brandon took a gun to school and shot the other kid made him a BAD KID. Who cares about his grades and what classes he took. He was into Hitler. He was hanging around bad kids, he was a bully....don't sugar-coat it.

Let's talk about FACTS...did he not go into the classroom and kill Larry King? FACT is YES. Was it self-defense? NO. Did Brandon plan it? YES.

Crime Victims deserve compassion, not blame for their own deaths.

Posted by SoCalArmyBrat on September 26, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ironwoman ... I know all about crime victims. I was the victim of a horrific crime. Though Larry King was bullied, Brandon himself was also bullied and sexually harassed by Larry King. The school and district did nothing to stop that behavior. Compound those actions by other students who added to the hell of both young men's lives by taunting them: Brandon, for being the object of Larry's affections; and Larry, for being gay.

Young people at that age don't really think of the future; they think in the present here-and-now "it's not going to get any better" mentality. Don't judge Brandon because of one action, and don't sugar-coat Larry's contribution to the situation. Did he deserve to be killed? Absolutely not! He did, however, deserve to be reprimanded and punished for his behavior towards Brandon and the other students he harassed.

Brandon's actions don't deprive him of an advocate. The DA is prosecuting Brandon as an adult; he is still a minor, and American citizen, who deserves the best defense possible under the law.

Posted by MyNameIsOffensive on September 26, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There's only one guilty party here, and his name is Brandon.

Let's get on with the trail so we can shuffle this killer off to his new home.

Posted by rickcwood on September 26, 2008 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Beachgurl got it right!! NOW he needs a guardian to make sure he doesn't make a bad choice? He has already demonstrated that his choice selection switch doesn't work.

This is so stupid this whole case...high-jacked by everyone else for their own personal cause, trying a child as and adult, and ridiculous rules that allow a young boy to dress in such a way to disrupt school in the name of tolerance.

Bottom line is a child killed a child. One is still around to help...the other unfortunately is not. Let's figure our a way to keep guns out of kids hands (gun locks, safe, metal detectors etc.) and help Brandon.

Posted by SoSad on September 26, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How much rehabilitation are WE going to pay for Brandon?