Slog
News & ArtsMonday, December 19, 2011
LGBTQITSLFA Disturbing Headline Juxtaposition of the Day
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Dec 19, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Too bad that gay kid didn't make the honor roll. (Thanks to Slog tipper Mike.)
3
It's an unnerving juxaposition for sure, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Brandon McInerney was a troubled boy who shot and killed another troubled boy. Did the fact that the victim was gay play into it? Absolutely. But this isn't a case of a random and horrific gay-bashing. This is a sad sad story for everyone. (And yes, one person is dead while another will be out of prison at some point, but we all need to admit that McInerney's life is permanently changed for the worse as well).
5
I don't mean to rain on your parade, but the explanation for the disparity is right there in the headlines, and it has fuck-all to do with gayness or football. No shit, sherlock: people who take plea deals get lighter sentences than people who plead not guilty and get convicted by a jury and sentenced by a judge.
6
Yeah, this is a bit misleading. McInerney plead down to Voluntary Manslaughter* while Vinson went to trial and was sentenced for one count of First Degree Murder, 2 counts of Attempted Murder, and 1 count of Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter. So really, Vinson is doing 6 times the sentence for many more crimes.
*This is the bullshit part. Voluntary Manslaughter means you were provoked to the point that would cause a "reasonable person" to lose control. Apparently a fellow student being gay, wearing make up, and hitting on you is considered enough to make a reasonable person lose control. That's total bullshit. He smuggled a gun in to a school to kill somebody. That's forethought and intent right there. It was Murder and he should have gotten a longer sentence as a plea.
*This is the bullshit part. Voluntary Manslaughter means you were provoked to the point that would cause a "reasonable person" to lose control. Apparently a fellow student being gay, wearing make up, and hitting on you is considered enough to make a reasonable person lose control. That's total bullshit. He smuggled a gun in to a school to kill somebody. That's forethought and intent right there. It was Murder and he should have gotten a longer sentence as a plea.
7
On a tangential note, I'm surprised there's been nothing on Slog about Bradley Manning's trial.
I was also disappointed there was nothing on here last Friday when the neighborhood flasher was arrested right outside the Stranger's offices!
I was also disappointed there was nothing on here last Friday when the neighborhood flasher was arrested right outside the Stranger's offices!
10
Although race and the victims' genders and sexual identities may have played some role, there were lots of other factors that could plausibly explain the disparities in sentencing. Both were minors, but one committed the murder at 14, the other at 16. Gang membership of the 16-year-old was probably a factor. And taking a plea for a reduced sentence was certainly a factor. So I'm not convinced you can compare these two cases and come up with any definitive conclusions, unless you think that sentencing a minor to 155 years in prison is insane, in which case you can conclude that our criminal justice system is insane.
11
7
don't be surprised.
there is a law against anything on Slog
casting Homosexuals in a negative light.
don't be surprised.
there is a law against anything on Slog
casting Homosexuals in a negative light.
12
I appreciate people writing in who've been following the details learned McInerney's trial for killing King, not just the sentencing headlines. I was sorry to have that story not followed here as it happened. Manning's trial too, @7.
13
Thank You commenters.
You have raised some very pertinent points
and explained the situation very well.
Butt please in the future refrain from busting Danny's
HomoVictimComplex Cherry.
It could be dangerous to challenge his delusions.
Thank You
You have raised some very pertinent points
and explained the situation very well.
Butt please in the future refrain from busting Danny's
HomoVictimComplex Cherry.
It could be dangerous to challenge his delusions.
Thank You
14
There are murderers walking our streets who have been let out of prison for "good behavior". Talk about injustice.
16
*sigh* America doesn't have a perfect justice system. And they're as easy to create as pie. Why just look at, um, er... uh....
17
Danny,
did you see that MSNBC has apologized
for the slanderous piece of shit Romney/KKK piece you vomited up on Slog?
Will you be apologizing?
Asshole.
>>>MSNBC has apologized to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign for airing a segment that connected Romney's use of the expression "Keep America American" to the Klu Klux Klan.
"During the 11AM hour on MSNBC, we reported on a blog item that compared a phrase used by the Romney campaign to one used by the KKK in the 1920s," Chris Matthews said on Wednesday. "It was irresponsible and incendiary of us to do this and showed an appalling lack of judgment. We apologize, we really do, to the Romney campaign."
did you see that MSNBC has apologized
for the slanderous piece of shit Romney/KKK piece you vomited up on Slog?
Will you be apologizing?
Asshole.
>>>MSNBC has apologized to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign for airing a segment that connected Romney's use of the expression "Keep America American" to the Klu Klux Klan.
"During the 11AM hour on MSNBC, we reported on a blog item that compared a phrase used by the Romney campaign to one used by the KKK in the 1920s," Chris Matthews said on Wednesday. "It was irresponsible and incendiary of us to do this and showed an appalling lack of judgment. We apologize, we really do, to the Romney campaign."
18
He shot into a crowd of people, she is the only one that died. The sentence is for all of that combined. He was also not smart enough to cop a plea. If Brandon Mcinerney had shot three gay kids and been convicted of first degree murder, well, then, he might have gotten 117 years, too.
20
This is sensationalistic, Dan. I'm disappointed in you for perpetuating this. Their situations are completely different, as were their ages and states of mind at the time of the murders. First: every case is different. Second: these two cases are TOTALLY different - and you know enough about the legal system to know why. You're posting this for shock value and to spur people into being offended, which is totally manipulative.
21
Hopefully McInerney will learn what it's really like to be "harrassed" while he's in prison.
Or even better, maybe karma will intervene and he'll follow Dan White's lead.
Or even better, maybe karma will intervene and he'll follow Dan White's lead.
22
You know, I think it's pretty tragic that a 14 year old should be given a 22 year custodial sentence. I think that what McInerney did was hideous, of course, but I also think that people who do hideous things while still fairly undeveloped and inexperienced can grow up to be someone who doesn't do hideous things. But the likelihood that McIreney will grow up into such a person is now as slim as it could ever be. In short, his vile act has claimed another victim, and needlessly so, I worry.
The US CJS is indeed insane.
The US CJS is indeed insane.
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