Lawyer in Lawrence King Case Promises not to "Gay Bash"
Filed by: Waymon Hudson
June 17, 2008 10:30 AM
Even in the midst of our joy on this historic day, we cannot forget how far we have to go...
The Defense Lawyer for Brandon McInerney, 
the 14 year old shooter of Lawrence King, has promised to be "sensitive" in the upcoming trial. According to the Advocate, attorney William Quest says:
I can tell The Advocate I've got a young brother who's gay. I saw how difficult it was for him to come out. Now, he came out when he was in college at Berkeley, [so it was] easier than in junior high. But I saw the struggle he went through...and I hope [this is] not perceived as gay bashing because it's not. That's not who I am.
That's nice- if it was true. Quest's previous statements already seem to go against this so-called promise.
As our own Sara Whitman pointed out in her post, "Lawrence King Deserved to Die," Quest has already laid the blame at King's feet:
The defense attorney, William Quest, said, '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.'
So Quest thinks that King's "behavior" and "sexuality" created such turmoil that McInerney was somehow justified in shooting him in cold blood? It seems that he has already begun spinning a gay panic defense for McInerney, insinuating that King was somehow "asking for it" by simply being who he was.
If that's not gay bashing, I don't know what is.
So stop making empty promises to gay press, Mr. Quest, and make your actions reflect your words. Blaming the victim of a horrendous crime, and basing that blame on the fact that he was "different," may help your client but hurts many more LGBT young people for years to come.
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6 Comments
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I came out in college. I suffered and benefited because of it. It never occurred to me that anyone had the right to shoot me because of it. His only defense is that he was "Offended." I think being offended should be part of realistic educational instruction.
Robert Ganshorn | June 17, 2008 10:55 AM
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That's nice that he's saying that, but i don't really think he understands what gay bashing is if he doesn't think that he's already been doing it.
That said, he is required, legally, to give his client the best defense he can. And he does have a point that school officials should have done more. But shutting King up isn't a part of that more.
Alex Blaze | June 17, 2008 1:13 PM
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I agree, Alex. But I don't think he should have his cake and eat it too. If he's going down the "blame the victim" route, then telling LGBT media he would never be insensitive, he should be called on it.
He may need to tell himself that he isn't gay bashing to make himself sleep better at night or relate to his gay brother, but saying it doesn't make it ture.
Waymon Hudson | June 17, 2008 1:23 PM
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If he uses the GLBT-panic defense, and you know he will, he's bashing. Isn't there a law in California that bans the panic defense? If so, let us hope the judge doesn't let it happen. Let us also hope the prosecution has the balls to object to any attempt to justify this murder. And, let the press please call it what it was - a murder. Not manslaughter, or justifiable homicide, or any other term but murder. Period.
Polar | June 18, 2008 3:51 AM
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Perhaps he realized that his last statements were dangerously close to "gay panic" and is backing off of that. I'm guessing his brother gave him the what-for...
Bil Browning | June 18, 2008 9:59 AM
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It seems pretty simple. Quest won't GAY bash. He will, however, TRANS bash.
If his brother is an Aravosisist, that should get him an extra special present come holiday time.
Katrina | June 18, 2008 10:13 AM
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