Source: Ventura County Star, Ventura County Star

King shooting

The family of slain Oxnard eighth-grader Larry King has filed a personal injury claim against the Hueneme School District, alleging that educators' failure to protect the boy led to his death.

The boy's parents, Dawn and Gregory King, along with his younger brother, Rocky King, are seeking unspecified damages related to the fatal shooting of the 15-year-old boy as he sat in English class at E.O. Green School on Feb. 12.

The claim says district officials failed to enforce the dress code, putting the feminine-dressing King at particular risk, even though they knew he had "unique vulnerabilities" and was susceptible to abuse because of his perceived sexual orientation, Ventura County Star reports.

Larry King told friends he was gay.

In a related development, an attorney representing the King family argued in a Ventura County Court Monday that subpoenas seeking records documenting Larry King's behavior should be quashed.

Attorney Steve Pell argued that the document requests should be denied because the matter belongs in the confidential confines of Juvenile Court.

Larry King's family sues Oxnard school; Lawyer for his accused killer gets records [contd.]

Pell said the court had taken on the role of parents for King, who was no longer living at home.

The records were subpoenaed by William "Willy" Quest to prepare for his defense of 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, who is charged with killing Larry King.

But a judge ruled Monday the records must be released to Quest.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge James Cloninger said that he would privately review the records before releasing relevant portions to the attorney.

The records are expected to disclose information on King's behavior during the time he was living at the Casa Pacifica shelter near Camarillo and attending E.O. Green School in Oxnard, where he was shot twice in the head as he sat in English class on Feb. 12.

After the hearing, Quest said he subpoenaed information that he believed to be "appropriate and relevant" to his client's defense.

"I am not going to disclose anything I get in the record to the public," he said, "but I am going to vigorously defend Brandon."

Quest's declaration outlining why he needs the records is under court seal, but he is expected to base McInerney's defense on charges that King harassed McInerney. and argue that school staff ignored complaints about King's behavior, allowing the tension to escalate.

McInerney faces a sentence of 51 years to life if convicted on murder and hate crime charges in the shooting of King.

Source: Family of shooting victim files claim against Hueneme School District | Ventura County Star
Defendant's lawyer can view King's records, judge rules | Ventura County Star

state_ca, king school shooting