August 10, 2011
Defendant's Brother Testifies in Gay Killing Trial
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The brother of a teenager on trial in the shooting death of his gay classmate at a Southern California junior high school testified Tuesday that books about Nazi youth found in the defendant's bedroom belonged to him.
Brian McInerney told jurors he owned the books, along with a video called "Shooting in Realistic Environments," because he was involved in re-enacting World War II battles before enlisting in the U.S. Marines, the Ventura County Star (http://bit.ly/psoh9m) reported.
Prosecutors alleged the younger brother, Brandon McInerney, 17, was driven by white supremacist, anti-gay beliefs when he shot 15-year-old Larry King in 2008 in the computer classroom at E.O. Green School in Oxnard. Brandon McInerney is being tried as an adult on first-degree murder and hate crime charges.
The defense argues the troubled, violent home that Brandon grew up in was part of the reason for the shooting.
Brian McInerney said many of the men in the McInerney family were interested in history and some of the drawings found in Brandon's room seemed to incorporate historical symbols of swastikas and eagles.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox showed Brian one drawing that had the swastika with the words "white pride worldwide" on it.
Brian McInerney also testified that his father Billy, who died in 2009, and Brandon had often taken the .22-caliber revolver that was used in the King shooting for target practice.
Earlier Tuesday, Brandon's childhood friend testified that he was in gym class with King and King was staring at him while he was changing clothes. He also said Brandon had told him that King was bothering him before the shooting.
The boy also told jurors he didn't remember a statement to police when he said that Brandon was talking about white supremacy before the shooting.
The defense will cross-examine Simi Valley Police Department Detective Dan Swanson, who previously testified on the history of white supremacy for the prosecution, when testimony resumes Wednesday.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
