May 9, 2008

CNN Anderson Cooper 05.08.08 [ watch video ]

With the approaching June arraignment of Brendon McInerney for the Feb. 12 murder of 15-year-old, openly gay, Oxnard, Calif., student Lawrence King, media have been addressing the argument made by McInerney's defense lawyers that suggested the middle school both boys attended may somehow be partly to blame for the killing, because it allowed King to openly express his sexual orientation and gender identity. CNN and the Los Angeles Times are already following these developments.  The LA Times covered problematic assertions by McInhenry’s lawyer, Deputy Public Defender William Quest, who was quoted as saying, “Educators should have moved aggressively to quell rising tensions between the two boys, which began when King openly flirted with McInerney. Instead, administrators were so intent on nurturing King as he explored his sexuality, allowing him to come to school wearing feminine makeup and accessories, that they downplayed the turmoil that his behavior was causing on campus.’”

As journalists continue to report on this defense argument, GLAAD urges media to scrutinize any defense claims that might suggest King might be somehow to blame for his own murder or to suggest that the shooting was justified because of an unwanted romantic advance (the so-called “gay panic” defense). Implying, even unintentionally, that an openly gay victim shares responsibility for being attacked, often biases criminal and other legal investigations.

For more information on reporting on hate crimes, please consult the following resource:
http://www.glaad.org/media/guide/infocus/crimes.php

RELATED ARTICLE:
"Lawyer blames school in shooting of gay Oxnard student"
Los Angeles Times-- May 8, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oxnard8-2008may08,1,976131.story