Oxnard: 14-year old gay student shot, Brandon McInerney gets 21 years (video)
Top news coming in to San Francisco today is that an Oxnard teen, Brandon McInerney has been given 21 years in jail for the killing of a gay student who was at school with him, three years ago.
McInerney was just 14-years old and his victim, Larry King, were just 15-years old when the shooting of the gay student happened.
Oxnard is around a six-hour drive from San Francisco.
"So tragic and so young - both of them," says San Francisco resident, Andrew Fielding.
McInerney did not speak on Monday during his trial, but the attorney for McInerney told press that his client is "deeply remorseful for the murder of 15-year-old, Larry King," reports ABC 7 News in San Francisco.
The victim's family announced that they could not forgive their son's killer.
"All I really have to say is that he should have life and not get out in 21 years, that's all," stated King's grandmother, Sharon Townsend, to press.
A plea bargain was reached with Ventura County prosecutors last month. In it, the now 17-year-old agreed that he would plead guilty to second-degree murder. He would also plead guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and to the use of a firearm.
McInerney had already spent four years in jail since his original arrest but he was not given credit for time served since that was part of the plea bargain.
McInerney will have no possibility of getting parole.
The defense in the case were not particularly happy with the outcome but were resigned to the court's decision.
"Due to the circumstances, given that juvenile court was not an option, it's difficult to say that we are satisfied with 21 years but we accept that that was the right way to go," stated defense attorney, Robyn Branson, to press.
"I don't know if I would call it justice, I don't know," said one juror, who went by the name of Karen. "You know there is people who deliberately go out, stalk people, mutilate them, torture them. I don't see all of them getting 21 years."
Back in September, jurors could not agree on the degree of guilt and in the end a mistrial was announced. If McInerney had been found guilty of first-degree murder as an adult he would have received a sentence of life in prison.
McInerney had only just turned 14 years old when he fatally shot King in February 2008 at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard.
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