Select by gender or name

Larry King’s Background

Lawrence Fobes King, known as Larry King, was born in Ventura, California, on January 13th, 1993.

His father abandoned the family, and his mother had drug issues. Gregory and Dawn King adopted him and his younger brother when he was two.

King had issues staying focused and was soon diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. King came out as gay at ten years old and was open about his sexuality. That led to him being picked on at school.

As he got older, girls were more accepting of him because he wore makeup, girl’s clothes, and heels, but boys still made fun of him.

Teachers and administrators at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California, thought his way of dressing was distracting and could cause problems. On January 29th, 2008, they sent a letter to personnel telling them to “talk to your students about being civil and nonjudgemental” and “watch for possible problems.”

Larry Turns The Tables On His Bullies

Just prior to the letter being sent out, King started to playfully flirt with the boys who bullied him as a way of getting them back for their harassment.

He would compliment guys or say, “I know you want me.”

14-year-old Brandon McInerney was one boy with whom he had several verbal disputes in January 2008.

In February, King allegedly walked onto the basketball court when McInerney was playing and asked him to be his Valentine.

He was reported to have walked past McInerney on February 11th, 2008, and told him I love you. Later, he was seen in class strutting around in front of McInerney.

In all these incidents, people teased McInerney, causing him to be embarrassed and very angry.

Murder of Larry King

On February 12th, 2008, McInernney was sitting in class and staring at King. Suddenly, he pulled a 22 caliber revolver from his backpack and put two bullets into the back of King’s head.

He dropped the weapon and walked out of class. Police arrived and arrested him five blocks away from the school. Meanwhile, King was taken to the hospital in serious condition. The next day, he was declared brain dead, and he was removed from life support on Valentine’s Day.

Response to the Murder

After the shooting, people like Ellen DeGeneres and Hillary Clinton expressed their condolences, and other tributes and vigils were held.

Others felt sorry for the killer. Some teachers said, “We failed Brandon. We didn’t know the bullying was coming from the other side.”

There was also a petition with hundreds of signatures saying McInnery should be tried as a juvenile.

King’s family tried to sue the school for allowing King to wear girls’ clothes and makeup, but the lawsuit went nowhere, as schools are not allowed to discriminate based on gender. Teachers also claimed the school principal had an “agenda” by allowing Larry’s attire.

Legal Proceedings

McInerney was charged as an adult with murder and a hate crime; he pleaded not guilty. He went to trial on July 5th, 2011.

The prosecution portrayed McInerney as a white supremacist who was bigger and stronger than King. She depicted King as a small guy who had been picked on most of his life.

The defense presents King as a sexually aggressive bully who made inappropriate comments to McInerney to embarrass him and provoke him.

Several students testified that King was made fun of to his face and behind his back. Others testified that when King made sexual comments to people, he was just messing with them.

After several weeks of testimony and over 100 witnesses, the jury could not reach a verdict, and the judge declared a mistrial.

Reports indicated seven jurors voted for voluntary manslaughter, while the others voted for a first or second-degree murder.

The prosecutor started planning a second trial, but they planned to drop the hate crime charge.

On November 21st, 2011, McInerney accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and use of a firearm.

He was sent to prison for 21 years and has already served 18.

He was eligible for parole in December 2025, but according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) website, he waived the right to a hearing for one year.

He is located at Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP) in Kern County which is a “voluntary program for male incarcerated persons who meet the eligibility criteria. Approved participants serve the end of their sentences in the community, in lieu of confinement in state prison. ”